Inspection Bodies
Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection. Specifies requirements for the competence of inspection bodies and the consistency and impartiality of their inspection activities.
ISO/IEC 17020 specifies requirements for the competence of inspection bodies performing inspection services across diverse sectors including engineering, construction, transport, insurance, and consumer goods. It defines three types of inspection bodies (Type A — fully independent; Type B — in-house with some independence; Type C — in-house) with differentiated impartiality requirements.
Inspection bodies verify that specific aspects of equipment, installations, processes, or materials conform to specified requirements. The standard ensures inspections are technically competent, consistent, and conducted with appropriate impartiality.
ACI-certified auditors assess inspection body management systems, evaluate inspector technical competence, and review the consistency and impartiality of inspection activities.
Attend an ACI-Approved Training Provider (ATP) course for your chosen grade level. ACI-approved courses are aligned to the examination syllabus for ISO/IEC 17020.
Examinations are administered exclusively through ACI Approved Training Providers. Foundation and Internal Auditor examinations require 70% to pass; Lead Auditor requires 65%.
Submit your application through the ACI portal with your examination result, training certificate, and relevant audit experience log. Upon approval you receive your ACI Card ID and digital certificate.
Available Grades for ISO/IEC 17020
All six ACI auditor grades are available for this scheme. Each grade has defined competence, experience, and examination requirements.
Entry-level certification for those beginning their auditing career. Suitable for individuals who have completed foundation training but have limited audit experience.
For auditors who have completed Internal Auditor training and have begun accumulating audit experience under supervision or in an internal audit role.
Full auditor grade for practitioners with demonstrated audit experience. Recognised as a competent independent auditor of management systems.
Senior grade for experienced auditors capable of leading audit teams and managing full audit programmes. The most widely recognised auditor grade internationally.
Advanced grade for highly experienced auditors demonstrating sustained performance in complex audit environments and contributions to the auditing profession.
The highest ACI designation, awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the management system auditing profession and to the ACI community.
Find an Approved Training Provider, sit the examination, and submit your application to ACI.