Only an accredited certification body can issue an ISO/IEC 42001 certificate that clients and auditors will trust. In India, NABCB has accredited four certification bodies for ISO/IEC 42001, and BSI, SGS, DNV, Intertek and many others audit under accreditation granted abroad. This article lists who holds which accreditation and explains how to check a certification body before you sign.
Consultant, certification body and accreditation body
Three different organisations play a part in an ISO/IEC 42001 certificate. They must stay separate.
| Role | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Consultant | Helps you build the AI management system and prepare for the audit | Pricoris |
| Certification body | Audits your AI management system and issues the certificate | SGS certified KPMG in India in December 2025 |
| Accreditation body | Checks that the certification body is competent to audit ISO/IEC 42001 | NABCB in India, ANAB in the US, UKAS in the UK |
A certification body must never consult on the system it audits. If one firm offers to build your AI management system and then certify it, the certificate will not stand up to scrutiny.
Accreditation in India
NABCB is the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies, part of the Quality Council of India. It has published accreditation criteria for AI management system certification bodies. The April 2026 criteria, NABCB 220, require certification bodies to meet ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 42006:2025. NABCB has already accredited four certification bodies under this scheme, listed below. ISO/IEC 42006 sets the extra competence an AIMS auditor needs, such as knowledge of AI systems and AI risk.
The Bureau of Indian Standards has also adopted the standard as IS/ISO/IEC 42001:2023. The text is identical to the international standard.
You can also use a certification body accredited outside India, if the accreditation body is a member of the International Accreditation Forum. ANAB, UKAS, RvA, JAS-ANZ, SAC and Accredia all accredit certification bodies for ISO/IEC 42001.
Certification bodies accredited by NABCB in India
NABCB has accredited four certification bodies for ISO/IEC 42001 so far. Each record is on the NABCB website.
| NABCB record | Certification body | Accredited from | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI 001 | TÜV India Pvt. Ltd. (TÜV NORD group) | 11 February 2025 | 10 February 2028 |
| AI 002 | TÜV SÜD South Asia Pvt. Ltd. | 5 August 2025 | 4 August 2028 |
| AI 003 | Maverick Quality Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. | 31 March 2026 | 30 March 2029 |
| AI 004 | Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd. | 2 June 2026 | 1 June 2029 |
Certification bodies with international accreditation
Many more bodies audit ISO/IEC 42001 in India under an accreditation granted abroad. The table shows what each body states on its own website, as of November 2026. Schellman and A-LIGN have no Indian office, but they audit Indian companies that sell to the US and UK.
| Certification body | ISO/IEC 42001 accreditation it reports | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BSI | UKAS (UK), RvA (Netherlands) and ANAB (US). BSI describes itself as the first certification body with all three. | BSI |
| SGS | ANAB (US) and SAC (Singapore). SGS certified KPMG in India in December 2025. | SGS |
| DNV | RvA (Netherlands), since December 2024 | DNV |
| Intertek | JAS-ANZ (Australia and New Zealand), for certification worldwide, since July 2025 | Intertek |
| TÜV SÜD | SAC (Singapore) for TÜV SÜD PSB, in addition to NABCB for TÜV SÜD South Asia | TÜV SÜD |
| TÜV NORD | UKAS (UK) and RvA (Netherlands), in addition to NABCB for TÜV India | TÜV NORD |
| TÜV Rheinland | ISMS-AC (Japan) for TÜV Rheinland Japan, since January 2026 | TÜV Rheinland |
| Bureau Veritas | Accredia (Italy), in addition to NABCB for Bureau Veritas (India) | Bureau Veritas |
| LRQA | UKAS (UK) | LRQA |
| DQS | ANAB (US), for DQS Inc., since February 2026 | DQS |
| DEKRA | ANAB (US), for DEKRA Certification, Inc., since November 2025 | DEKRA |
| NQA (Kiwa) | UKAS (UK), since January 2026 | Kiwa |
| ISOQAR | UKAS (UK), since March 2026 | ISOQAR |
| Schellman | ANAB (US). Schellman was the first ANAB accredited ISO/IEC 42001 body. No Indian office. | Schellman |
| A-LIGN | ANAB (US) and UKAS (UK). One of the first accredited ISO/IEC 42001 bodies. No Indian office. | A-LIGN |
This list is not complete, and accreditations change. One point matters more than the brand. Accreditation is held by a specific legal entity of the group, such as TÜV SÜD South Asia in India or DQS Inc. in the US. Ask which entity will issue your certificate, and which accreditation mark it will carry.
How to check a certification body
- Ask for the accreditation certificate. Check that its scope names ISO/IEC 42001, not only ISO/IEC 27001 or ISO 9001.
- Check the accreditation body. It should be NABCB or another member of the International Accreditation Forum.
- Search the certificate later. Accredited certificates can usually be checked on IAF CertSearch or the certification body’s own register.
- Ask who will audit you. The lead auditor should hold ISO/IEC 42001 auditor competence, as ISO/IEC 42006 expects.
- Ask for the audit day estimate. It depends on your headcount, the number of AI systems and the number of sites.
What certification body fees cover
Certification body fees are separate from consulting fees. In India they usually run from INR 1.5 lakh to INR 10 lakh, depending on audit days. The fee covers the stage 1 audit, which reviews your documents and readiness, and the stage 2 audit, which tests whether the system works. The certificate lasts three years, with surveillance audits in years two and three. See ISO 42001 certification cost and timeline in India for the full picture.
Warning signs
- A certificate promised in days, with no stage 1 and stage 2 audit.
- No accreditation certificate, or one that does not list ISO/IEC 42001.
- An accreditation body that is not a member of the International Accreditation Forum.
- A certification body that also offers to write your policies and procedures.
Frequently asked questions
Does the certification body have to be Indian?
No. What matters is accreditation by NABCB or another accreditation body recognised by the International Accreditation Forum. Choose a body your clients recognise, especially if you sell abroad.
Can our consultant recommend a certification body?
A consultant can explain your options, but the choice is yours, and the consultant should have no financial link to the body. We prepare clients for any accredited body and stay independent of it.
Does ISO/IEC 42006 apply to us?
No. ISO/IEC 42006 applies to certification bodies. It does tell you what to expect from a competent auditor.
Preparing for certification? Start with an ISO/IEC 42001 gap assessment, read the KPMG in India case study, or see our ISO/IEC 42001 consulting.