ISO 9001 Update Coming in 2026: What You Need to Know and How to Prepare

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Published on: July 29, 2025

The ISO 9001:2015 standard, the world’s most widely adopted Quality Management System (QMS) framework, is undergoing its latest revision. With the updated version expected to be published in September 2026, businesses certified to ISO 9001:2015, or planning to pursue Certification to ISO 9001, are starting to ask what they need to know and do.

In this article, we break down everything you should understand about the upcoming changes to the ISO 9001 Quality Standard, including what’s changing, when to act, and why now is still a great time to implement a robust QMS based on the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

Keep reading as we cover the following topics:

ISO 9001 Is Under Revision, But There’s No Immediate Action Required
Avoid “Updated ISO 9001” Courses for Now
How to Start Preparing for ISO 9001:2026
Don’t Delay Your Certification Plans
Process-Based Systems: Your Key to Future-Proofing
ISO 9001: What’s Expected to Change in 2026?
Summary: What You Should Do Now
Ready to Improve or Certify Your Quality Management System?

ISO 9001 Is Under Revision, But There’s No Immediate Action Required

The ISO 9001 standard is currently under formal revision as part of ISO’s routine update cycle. These periodic reviews ensure that international standards remain relevant to the needs of businesses, industries, and consumers around the globe.

The revised version of ISO 9001 is scheduled for publication in September 2026. However, no action is required from organisations at this time. Once the updated ISO 9001:2026 is released, organisations certified to ISO 9001:2015 will have a three-year transition period to update their systems and certification to the requirements of the new version. This means your current Certification to ISO 9001 will remain valid up to 2029, provided it continues to meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

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ISO Standard numbers, such as ISO 9001, are always followed by the version number. This is a way to prevent confusion between previous and new versions. The current version of the ISO Quality Management System Standard is ISO 9001:2015, meaning that it was last published in 2015. Therefore, when the new version is released next year, it will become ISO 9001:2026.

Avoid “Updated ISO 9001” Courses for Now

Some training providers have already started promoting “updated ISO 9001” courses or materials despite the fact that the new standard has not yet been finalised or published.

Let’s be clear: any course currently claiming to train you in ISO 9001:2026 is speculative and likely inaccurate.

Until ISO formally releases the new version of the Standard, any training or materials based on it are unofficial and not aligned with accredited Certification requirements to the ISO 9001 standard. Purchasing or relying on these courses now may waste time and money, and even result in confusion or misalignment later.

Better Alternative: Focus your efforts on improving your current Quality Management System, and understanding the broader ISO 9000 family of standards that support it.

How to Start Preparing for ISO 9001:2026

While we don’t yet have the final wording of the new ISO 9001 version, there are several trusted ISO publications already available that can guide you in developing a strong, resilient QMS today aligned with the upcoming new version.

1. Selection and Use of the ISO 9000 Family of Standards

The ISO 9000 Family of Standards is a set of documents that include the certifiable ISO 9001, along with other references and guides to support the management system implementation.

The Selection and Use of the ISO 9000 Family of Standards guide provides a structured, step-by-step approach to implementing and improving your Quality Management System, and is particularly helpful in preparing for changes like those expected in ISO 9001:2026. It outlines 7 key steps:

Engage Top Management
Identify Key Processes
Plan your QMS
Document your QMS
Implement your QMS
Manage your QMS
Improve your QMS

The Selection and Use of the ISO 9000 Family of Standards guide helps you take a strategic, rather than clause-based, approach to your Quality Management System, which will make future updates significantly easier.

2. ISO 9001 Handbook for Small Enterprises

Designed for small and micro businesses, the ISO 9001:2015 for Small Enterprises Handbook simplifies the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, explaining how to apply them without unnecessary complexity or bureaucracy.

It’s ideal for small organisations seeking Certification to ISO 9001, as it provides examples and implementation tips tailored to leaner business operations. It also demonstrates how even the smallest businesses can establish effective and scalable QMS processes.

3. Integrated Use of Management System Standards (IUMSS)

If your business is looking to integrate ISO 9001 with the requirements of other management system standards, such as ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental), ISO 45001:2018 (Health & Safety), or ISO 27001:2022 (Information Security), this guide is essential.

Recently updated, the Integrated Use of Management System Standards (IUMSS) publication provides valuable insights into meeting the requirements of multiple ISO standards under one cohesive framework. This not only improves internal efficiency but also simplifies audits and continual improvement across your business.

Don’t Delay Your Certification Plans

With a new version of ISO 9001 on the horizon, some organisations are wondering if they should wait until 2026 to start their QMS implementation or pursue Certification to ISO 9001.

The answer? Absolutely not.

There are several reasons why you should move forward now:

ISO 9001:2015 remains valid during the transition period. Once a new ISO Standard is published, there is usually a 3 year period for the transition to the new version, and during that time the 2015 version remains valid and recognised through to 2029.
The expected changes are minimal. Based on early drafts, the 2026 version is not anticipated to drastically alter the structure or requirements of the standard.
Future updates will be easy to integrate into a well-built QMS, especially if your system is designed around business processes rather than standard clauses.

Starting now means:

Improving your quality and customer satisfaction sooner
Gaining competitive advantage and credibility
Building a system that is easier to evolve over time

Process-Based Systems: Your Key to Future-Proofing

The most critical way to prepare for ISO 9001:2026 and avoid costly or complex transitions is to develop a process-based Quality Management System.

Unfortunately, many organisations mistakenly structure their QMS to mirror the clause numbers of the ISO 9001:2015 Standard. This results in documents and procedures that may align technically, but don’t reflect how the business actually operates.

Instead, a modern, flexible QMS should:

Support how your business delivers value to customers via operational processes
Be built around real-world workflows and activities
Be designed to improve business performance, not just pass audits

This approach ensures that your Quality Management System adds real value and is adaptable to future changes in the standard, including ISO 9001:2026 and beyond.

Expert Tip

Our team is here to support you every step of the way. With extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of ISO Standards, we guide you in developing or upgrading a Management System tailored specifically to your business needs, ensuring it’s practical, effective, adding value to your business and ready for Certification, transition, or future updates.

ISO 9001: What’s Expected to Change in 2026?

While the final content of ISO 9001:2026 is still under development, early drafts suggest that:

The structure will remain aligned with the harmonised structure used in all ISO management system standards.
The core principles of quality management will be preserved.
Sustainability, and resilience may become more prominent themes in the updated requirements.

The anticipated updates are evolutionary, not revolutionary. If your QMS is process-based, customer-focused, and embedded in your operations, upgrading to the new version should be a straightforward task with the right support.

Summary: What You Should Do Now

Here’s a practical checklist to prepare your business for the ISO 9001 update – without jumping the gun:

Continue using ISO 9001:2015 – it remains the current valid version until 2029.
Do not purchase training courses for ISO 9001:2026 yet – they are speculative and unofficial until publication of the updated standard.
Reference ISO guidance documents like:
Selection and Use of the ISO 9000 Family of Standards
ISO 9001:2015 for Small Enterprises Handbook
The Integrated Use of Management System Standards (IUMSS)
Start or continue your QMS implementation, don’t delay quality improvement.
Develop a process-based QMS, aligned to how your business operates, not the clauses of the standard.

Ready to Improve or Certify Your Quality Management System?

At ISO Certification Experts, we help organisations implement and maintain ISO-conforming management systems that are simple, practical, and fully customised. Whether you’re working towards Certification to ISO 9001 for the first time or strengthening your existing system, our expert consultants can support you at every stage.

We stay up to date with the latest ISO developments and will provide further guidance when the updated ISO 9001 Quality Standard is published in 2026. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates first hand!

Contact us today to get started with your Quality Management System or book a Free Strategy Session to plan the best approach to review your current QMS readiness.

About the author

Erica Smith

Managing Director at ISO Certification Experts

Erica is the Managing Director of ISO Certification Experts and ICExperts Academy. She has been helping businesses with their ISO Certification needs for over 20 years. Erica is also a Certified trainer, implementer and auditor for the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001 standards. Erica primarily heads up the day-to-day operations of the businesses, and is also a current member of the Standards Australia Committees: QR-008 Quality Systems and ISO 9001 Quality Management Brand Integrity.

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