Certification


Applicants

Check out the newly updated version of AISC's Certification Standard, 207-23!


If you are looking for information on how to apply for AISC Certification or have general questions about the process, please ask us in the Request Info form to the right. Read more about the benefits of AISC Certification here.

Are you ready to apply for AISC Certification? To be considered an applicant, AISC Certification must receive the below three items within 14 days of when you complete the "Apply" Form to the right, which is also called the Part A Application in Section 2.1 of the Governing Requirements for Certification Programs:

  • Extended or Part B Application (will be sent on completion of Apply Form)
  • Application Document Submittals (see Application Document Submittals drop-down toward the bottom of this page)
  • Payment per the Fee Schedule

Application Document Submittals are found below, and payment is found under the Fee Schedule Section along with mailing addresses. 

Once you are ready with documents and payment, please click the Apply Form to the right, and you will be contacted by AISC to engage in the next steps.  

Please note the entire certification process takes roughly seven to eight months, and thereafter, the company is typically audited once a year. If you are a fabricator applicant, AISC Certification is address-specific, so each fabrication facility must apply separately.

Certification Process

Below is the general process for applying for AISC Certification. The process takes roughly seven to eight months conservatively. If you have specific questions, please contact AISC Certification at certification@aisc.org or 312.670.7520.

  1. Applicant to complete the online application form
    • AISC will review the form and send an email requesting an extended application, Application Documentation Submittals (see Application Document Submittals drop-down toward the bottom of this page), and fee.
    • The applicant will submit a completed extended application, Application Documentation Submittals (including quality manual), and a fee.
    • AISC will perform an Eligibility Review for all programs and endorsements the applicant has applied.
  2. AISC will move the applicant onto the documentation audit, in which the Audit Agency will perform an in-depth Documentation Audit of the Application Documentation Submittals. The applicant must resolve any deficiencies. Upon completion of the documentation audit, the site audit will be scheduled.
  3. The Audit Agency will perform a site audit where the auditor may issue Corrective Action Requests (CARs) for any deficiencies in the quality management system. CARs will be reviewed and must be resolved before findings will be submitted to AISC.
  4. Once the Audit Agency submits the audit findings, AISC will complete a series of reviews and determine certificate approval.

Program Descriptions

Are you interested in applying for certification, but unsure which program you should apply for? Click here for an overview of each certification program and endorsement.

LOOKING FOR HELP WITH YOUR INTERNAL AUDIT OR MANAGEMENT REVIEW?

If you're looking for resources for either your Internal Audit or Management View Meeting, you have come to the right place. Below are some helpful sample forms to get you started; plus, we have two NASCC sessions about each topic to answer even more of your questions. 

Remember - You must complete both of these and submit them with your application documents, or your application will be delayed.

Don't forget that you need to complete your Internal Audit first since it is a discussion topic at your Management Review Meeting. Good Luck!

Audit Resources and Tools

Looking for a handy tool to help streamline your quality management system? Our Certification Resources webpage contains a range of resources to help you do just that. From a non-conformance worksheet to an entire guide of required, normative and beneficial, informative references, these tools will simplify your daily tasks and improve your overall quality. Check it out here!

Fee Schedules and Payment

Current Fee Schedules, Effective October 2, 2023 per Bulletin 2023-04

Domestic Erectors
Domestic Fabricators
International Fabricators

Special Agency Audit Program (NYC) Fee Schedule, effective February 14, 2024

Submit Program Application Documents: 

application@aisc.org 

Submit Payments: 
American Institute of Steel Construction
PO Box 8761
Carol Stream, IL 60197-8761

Credit Card Payments:
Please visit our online credit card payment portal.

Overnight Payments:
Associated Bank, Attn: Lockbox Operations
PO Box 978761
2012 Corporate Lane, Suite 108
Naperville, IL 60563

Wire Transfers:
Please contact AISC for instructions.

Withholding Taxes:
The fee amounts shown in the AISC Certification Fee Schedule represent the net amounts due and do not include any applicable taxes or withholdings levied by jurisdictions inside or outside of the United States of America. Applicants and Participants are required to remit the full fee amount and are responsible for any applicable taxes or withholdings.

Bulletins

Certification Bulletins help to communicate program changes that may affect you. Their purpose is to explain the change and why it is occurring, plus they provide clarity and program transparency.

All of our bulletins can be found on our Bulletins page.

If you have any questions about these, please contact us at certification@aisc.org or 312.670.7520.

What is the difference between conditional and full certification?

The difference between "Conditional Certification" and full certification is that the physical portion or direct observation of the shop operations or field processes has not been assessed. But, the quality management system, including its procedures, manual, and records, have been reviewed and assessed.

For more information, please refer to Section 7.1.2 of the GRs.

International Applicants and Participants

International Participants: Please review Bulletin 2020-01.

International Travel Advisory:

  • If your company is located in a country the U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Advisory cautioning U.S. citizens regarding travel, your AISC certification audit could be at risk of not being conducted. Your certificate will not be issued or renewed until the advisory is cancelled, and the audit has been completed.

  • A list of the affected countries can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html

Additional Information for International Applicants:

  • Applicants must submit all application documents in English.
  • For ease of communication, we require that all correspondence between AISC and its participants be in English, both verbally and in writing.
  • The fee amounts shown in the AISC Certification Fee Schedule represent the net amounts due and do not include any applicable taxes or withholdings levied by jurisdictions inside or outside of the United States of America. Applicants and Participants are required to remit the full fee amount and are responsible for any applicable taxes or withholdings.

NASCC Applicant Sessions

NASCC: The Steel Conference is the premier educational and networking event for the structural steel industry, bringing together steel fabricators, erectors, structural engineers, and detailers from across the country. The Steel Conference offers more than 130 sessions, plus it offers a Quality Track aimed at fabricators and erectors. Topics range from management-buy to solutions for corrective-actions to AISC Certification updates. Below is a list of highlights, and there is a current list of past Quality Track sessions, too.

Pre-Assessment and Gap Analysis

Do you wonder how your Quality Management System (QMS) compares?  Did you know that we offer assessments to assist with the implementation, effectiveness and sustainability of your QMS?

Standards, Requirements, and Application Document Submittals

Governing Requirements and Standards

The Governing Requirements for Certification Programs have been updated and take effect on June 1, 2023, for all participants and applicants. Please see our Certification Updates webpage for information.

Application Document Submittals

Additional documents required for Erector certification:

Additional optional documents for Bridge certification:

REMOTE ASSESSMENT REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

NOTE: Due to concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, AISC is now performing remote assessments for applicants.  Please see Bulletin 2020-05.1 (North American applicants), Bulletin 2020-08 (applicants outside of North America), and our Remote Assessment page for further information. 

 During the initial remote assessment, your documents must be available electronically to show/share or transmit to the auditor. They cannot be in paper format.

Mock Exercises