Certification Body vs Notified Body — What's the Difference
The terms get used almost interchangeably, but they're legally distinct roles. Here's what separates them, and where to find each.
Side by side
| Certification Body | Notified Body | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis for authority | National accreditation (voluntary scheme) | EU member-state designation (mandatory legal role) |
| What it certifies | Management systems, products, personnel — against a standard chosen by the client | Conformity of a specific regulated product to an EU legislation, for CE marking |
| Is it legally required? | No — driven by customer or market demand | Yes, for product categories that require third-party conformity assessment |
| Typical scopes | Product, Management System (MSC), Inspection, Personnel, Service certification | MDR, IVDR, Machinery, PED, Construction Products, and other CE-marking legislation |
Certification types covered in this directory
Listed Certification Bodies report scopes across product certification, management system certification (ISO-style schemes), inspection, personnel certification, and certification-related services. Filter the directory by certification type to narrow to what you actually need.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the same organisation be both a Certification Body and a Notified Body?
- Yes. Many accredited bodies operate both functions — voluntary ISO/management-system certification under accreditation, and, separately, EU-designated Notified Body conformity assessment for CE marking. The two roles have different legal bases (accreditation vs EU designation) even when performed by the same organisation.
- Is certification from a Certification Body legally required?
- It depends what you’re certifying. Management system certification (e.g. quality or environmental management) is voluntary — driven by customer requirements or market expectations, not law. CE-marking conformity assessment for regulated products is legally mandatory and can only be performed by a Notified Body, not a general Certification Body, for products that require third-party assessment.
- What does "accredited" mean for a Certification Body?
- A national accreditation body (in the EU, coordinated under EA — European co-operation for Accreditation) has independently verified the Certification Body’s competence to issue certificates in a specific scope. Accreditation is what makes a certificate credible to customers, auditors and, often, to regulators.
- How does this directory help me pick one?
- Filter by certification type and country directly — every listing shows real contact details, no account required. Describe what you need certified and reach several matching bodies at once instead of researching and contacting each independently.