Applying for initial accreditation of a conformity assessment body

If you wish to apply for accreditation for a conformity assessment body for the first time, you must submit an application for initial accreditation to the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS).

A conformity assessment body is an independent body that tests the conformity of products, processes or services for compliance with laws, standards and directives.

You can be accredited as a conformity assessment body by the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS). The DAkkS checks whether you fulfill the normative and legal requirements.

Your application for initial accreditation is valid for one conformity assessment body at a time. Initial accreditation is generally required if you are a new customer. However, you can also apply for initial accreditation if you are an existing customer and wish to have another conformity assessment body or another type of accreditation accredited. The accreditation procedure is initiated when the application is submitted.

If the outcome of the procedure is positive, the accreditation confirms that your organization meets the requirements within the defined scope and may carry out certain conformity assessment tasks. As a rule, you will receive accreditation for an unlimited period of time.

Accreditation also allows you to use the non-digital accreditation symbol.

In order to ensure the competence of the conformity assessment body and to maintain the accreditation, DAkkS carries out regular surveillance assessments on an ongoing basis.

• Documents on the scope of the requested scopes of the respective accreditation types
  • Possible file formats: Word, Excel
• Required documents, according to the respective accreditation type
  • Possible file formats: Excel, Word, PDF, image formats such as JPEG or PNG
• if applicable, proof of use of the qualified electronic signature (QES)
  • possible as PDF, for example

• Before submitting an application, you must fulfill the spatial, personnel and equipment requirements for the intended scope of accreditation and be able to provide the relevant evidence.
• If you are not yet an existing customer of DAkkS, you must register for the first time.

• Contradiction

You can submit the application for initial accreditation for your conformity assessment body by e-mail, by post or online.

Application by e-mail or post:

• You fill out the application form electronically and send it to DAkkS by e-mail or post with the annexes and supporting documents.
• DAkkS will review the application together with the relevant specialist department.
• The subsequent examination results in a report. If you have not fulfilled all the requirements, you have a deadline for corrections. These will be checked again and finally assessed.

Online application:

• Call up the accreditation portal of the German Accreditation Body (DAkkS-PORT).
• You are registered and logged in to DAkkS-PORT and have access to the stored data.
• Fill out the following form areas:
  • Application data
  • Organization
  • Conformity assessment body
  • Notifications of fees and invoices
  • Scope of application
  • Necessary documents
  • Accreditation symbol
  • Sign application
  • Send summary and application
• You send your application to the DAkkS for review. You will receive an online summary of the information sent. You can also view the processing status in DAkkS-PORT.
• DAkkS checks the application together with the responsible technical department.
• The subsequent examination results in a report. If you have not fulfilled all the requirements, you have the opportunity to make corrections within a certain period of time. These will be checked again and finally assessed.

You may only start your conformity assessment body activities after the accreditation notification.

DAkkS carries out regular surveillance assessments every 12-18 months and a comprehensive reassessment after 5 years at the end of the accreditation cycle.

The costs for an accreditation are based on the time required for the respective accreditation procedure. They are calculated after completion of the procedure on the basis of the time actually spent. Tariff items 7.1 and 7.2 of the schedule of fees apply.