> 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

The certification status indicates whether the certificate you're verifying is currently valid. This documentation explains the meaning of each status and how it impacts the verification process.

**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Withdrawn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No longer valid due to reaching its end date.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.