> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/verifiers/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/verifiers/getting-started/certificate-verification-guide/understand-the-certification-status.md).

# Understand the Certification Status

**Verifying a company's certification is crucial, especially for supply chains and industries that prioritize compliance and risk management.**

To support this need, **IAF CertSearch** provides powerful search capabilities that allow you to validate the **status of a company's certificate**, ensuring transparency and trust in your business relationships.

<table><thead><tr><th width="119.20001220703125">Status</th><th width="572.4666748046875">Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Active</strong></td><td> Currently valid and compliant.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Suspended</strong></td><td>Temporarily inactive, possibly under review.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Withdrawn</strong></td><td>Permanently revoked by the Certification Body.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Expired</strong></td><td>No longer valid due to reaching its end date.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Each status carries important implications for compliance, supplier trust, risk assessment, and operational decision-making.

By showing all statuses, we ensure that you have access to **comprehensive, accurate, and timely data**, not just for what’s active today, but also for understanding a certificate’s history and trustworthiness over time.