Verification is not a single event you complete once and file away. A certificate that verified cleanly six months ago is not guaranteed to verify cleanly today. This page sets out the three points in a supplier relationship where verification matters, what "current" actually means for a certificate, and what to do if a certificate that used to check out no longer does.
The three verification moments
Initial qualification. This is the first check, done before you rely on a certificate for the first time: onboarding a new supplier, accepting a bid in a tender, or specifying a certification requirement for the first time in a contract. The purpose is straightforward: confirm the certificate exists, is issued by an accredited certification body, is current, and covers the scope you need. Do this before the certificate influences any decision, not after.
Periodic re-verification. Certification status can change after initial qualification. Build a re-check into your regular supplier review cycle rather than assuming a certificate confirmed once stays valid indefinitely. There is no single correct interval that fits every relationship; align it with however often you already review the supplier for other purposes, so verification becomes part of an existing process rather than a separate one to remember.
On-incident checks. Some events should trigger an immediate re-verification outside your normal cycle: a quality failure or complaint involving the supplier, a contract renewal or scope extension, a significant change the supplier has reported, or simply something that makes you want to double-check before proceeding. An on-incident check takes the same seconds as any other lookup using the public register, so there is little reason not to run one whenever a decision hinges on the certificate still being valid.
What "current" actually means
A certificate can be in one of several states, and "I have a copy of the certificate" tells you nothing about which. Current means the certificate is valid, active, and within its certification cycle. Suspended means the certification body has paused it, usually pending resolution of an identified issue, and the certificate should not be relied on until it is reinstated. Withdrawn means it has been revoked and should not be relied on at all. Lapsed means the certification cycle has ended without renewal.
The public register reflects live status, not the status printed on the certificate document itself, which is why checking the register rather than the paper is what "verification" actually means. A certificate document, however genuine it looked at the point of issue, cannot tell you whether it has since been suspended or withdrawn.
If a certificate no longer verifies
If a certificate that previously verified now does not appear as current on the register, do not assume it is a system error and proceed regardless. Confirm what changed: check whether the certificate has moved to suspended or withdrawn status, or whether the details you searched (name, number, issuing body) still match exactly, since a minor data mismatch can also produce a not-found result. If the status has genuinely changed, treat that as material to whatever decision depends on the certificate, and raise it with the supplier directly. If you cannot resolve what happened, contact ASCB rather than guessing.
Common questions
How often should I re-verify a supplier's certificate?
At initial qualification, periodically through the relationship, and on incident, such as a complaint, a quality failure or a renewal.
What does current mean for a certificate?
That the certificate is shown as current on the register. A certificate that verified cleanly before may have lapsed since, so re-check rather than rely on an earlier result.
A certificate that used to verify no longer does. What should I do?
Check the status shown on the register and contact the issuing certification body; a change of status is set by the issuing body and can reflect a suspension or withdrawal.