ISO has published new editions of two of the world's most widely used management system standards. ISO 14001:2026 came out on April 15, 2026, and ISO 9001:2026 followed on September 16, 2026. Organizations that hold both certificates now have two transitions to complete, each with its own deadline. In Canada, the dates set by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) fall slightly earlier than the international dates quoted in most US guidance.
Below are the confirmed dates, the points where Canada and the US differ, and a way to run one transition instead of two.
The two new editions at a glance
ISO 14001:2026 is the fourth edition of the environmental management system standard. It replaces ISO 14001:2015 and its 2024 climate amendment. SCC's summary of the key changes includes:
- life cycle thinking, from sourcing to end of life
- a structured approach to risk, opportunity and change management, with emergency situations considered separately
- greater accountability for externally provided processes, products and services
- an expanded Annex A
ISO 9001:2026 is the sixth edition of the quality management system standard. ISO says it puts more emphasis on leadership, a culture of quality and ethical behaviour, and treats risks and opportunities more clearly. According to Global ACI, a new Annex A clarifies key terms and the intent of the requirements.
Both editions use ISO's Harmonized Structure. In practice, the clauses on context, leadership, planning, support, performance evaluation and improvement are laid out the same way in both standards. That shared layout is what makes a combined transition practical.
The international timeline (Global ACI)
Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) launched on January 1, 2026, replacing the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) as the single international body for accreditation. Its transition requirements are mandatory for the accreditation bodies in its arrangement and for the certification bodies they accredit. Both standards get a three-year transition.
| Milestone (Global ACI) | ISO 14001:2026 | ISO 9001:2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Accreditation bodies expected to be ready to assess | by Oct 31, 2026 | as soon as possible, and by Mar 31, 2027 |
| Certification bodies submit transition declarations | by Jan 31, 2027 | by Jun 30, 2027 |
| Accreditation body transition decisions completed | by Apr 30, 2027 | by Sep 30, 2027 |
| New and initial certifications to the 2026 edition only | from Oct 31, 2027 | from Mar 31, 2028 |
| Certified organizations fully transitioned | by Apr 30, 2029 | by Sep 30, 2029 |
In the US, ANAB lists the same end dates: April 30, 2029 for ISO 14001:2026 and September 30, 2029 for ISO 9001:2026.
Where Canada differs (SCC)
SCC's bulletins for the two standards set slightly earlier end points for certificates under SCC accreditation:
- ISO 14001: after April 15, 2029, SCC will recognize only certifications issued to the 2026 version. The 2015 version becomes obsolete on April 16, 2029.
- ISO 9001: the 2015 version becomes obsolete on September 15, 2029. Certification bodies must transition their certification processes and services by that date.
For each standard, the SCC date comes about two weeks before the Global ACI/ANAB date. Two weeks matters less than the audit calendar does. Transition audits are usually built into surveillance or recertification visits, so the real deadline is your last scheduled audit before that date.
If you have sites on both sides of the border, or certificates under more than one accreditation body, check which accreditation mark is on each certificate and plan to the earliest date that applies.
One more Canadian detail. SCC states that certificates to ISO 14001:2026 can be issued only after the certification body's SCC scope of accreditation has been amended to include the 2026 edition. SCC's assessment window for those transitions runs from September 30, 2026 to September 29, 2027. Before you book a transition audit, ask your registrar when it expects the amendment.
Why one transition plan beats two
The two deadlines are five months apart, so it is tempting to run them as separate projects. For an organization certified to both standards, that usually means doing the same work twice. Context and interested parties, leadership, risk and opportunity planning, competence, documented information, internal audit and management review are all shared Harmonized Structure clauses. Reviewing them once against both 2026 editions removes much of the duplicate effort.
A combined approach usually works like this:
- One gap assessment for both editions. Review the shared clauses once and list the standard-specific changes separately. For ISO 14001 that means life cycle and externally provided processes; for ISO 9001, quality culture and the risk clarifications. Our ISO 9001:2026 + ISO 14001:2026 transition gap assessment is built for this.
- One prioritized action plan, sequenced to the earlier deadline (ISO 14001) and to your certification body's audit calendar.
- One internal audit against both 2026 editions before the transition audit. See integrated ISO internal audits.
- One management review covering both systems, with inputs and results recorded clearly.
- An early conversation with your certification body about whether both transitions can happen at the same surveillance or recertification visit, and how much audit time it plans to add.
A 2015-to-2026 ISO 14001 transition typically takes about two months. Starting with ISO 14001 covers the earlier deadline and leaves the shared clauses ready for ISO 9001.
What about ISO 45001?
ISO 45001, the occupational health and safety standard, is also under revision. The draft (ISO/DIS 45001) closed its ballot on September 9, 2026, and ISO expects the new edition to replace ISO 45001:2018 in the first half of 2027. No transition period has been set yet. If you run an integrated 9001/14001/45001 system, build the 2026 changes so they can take in the new ISO 45001 edition without rework. More on our ISO 45001 page.
Building to 2026 for first-time certification
If you are not certified yet, build to the 2026 editions. Under Global ACI rules, new and initial accredited certificates can be issued only to ISO 14001:2026 from October 31, 2027, and only to ISO 9001:2026 from March 31, 2028. A system built to the 2015 editions now would need a transition almost immediately. See ISO 9001 consulting and ISO 14001 consulting.
Frequently asked questions
When is the ISO 9001:2026 transition deadline?
Internationally (Global ACI) and in the US (ANAB), the deadline is September 30, 2029. For SCC-accredited certification in Canada, the 2015 version becomes obsolete on September 15, 2029.
When is the ISO 14001:2026 transition deadline?
Internationally and in the US, the deadline is April 30, 2029. Under SCC, only 2026-version certifications are recognized after April 15, 2029.
Can we transition ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 at the same time?
Yes, provided your certification body is accredited for both 2026 editions when you book the audit. Global ACI allows the transition at a surveillance audit, a recertification audit or a separate transition audit. Confirm availability and audit time with your registrar.
Does our certificate need to say "2026"?
Yes, once you transition. ISO says to use the full designation, for example "certified to ISO 14001:2026", rather than the standard number alone.
Plan your 2026 transition with Paradygm
Paradygm Consulting has worked with over 200 clients over 25+ years. We support organizations across Canada, and on-site in all US states, from our offices in Thornhill, Ontario (Toronto/GTA) and Coral Springs, Florida (South Florida). We also run internal auditor training for your team and offer an ISO 9001:2026 awareness checklist.