Costs and timeline of FSSC 22000
FSSC 22000 certification typically costs between €12,000 and €40,000 or more in year 1. The exact amount depends on your company size, complexity and how well you prepare. These are indications. The certification body sets the audit price based on your scope and the number of employees, and consultancy costs vary widely. The step-by-step plan shows what the process looks like. The costs are structurally higher than for ISO 22000 alone, because FSSC 22000 sets more requirements for implementation and audits. You can find accredited certification bodies via the RvA (Dutch Accreditation Council) .
The amounts on this page are indications. There is no official rate. Each certification body and consultant sets its own price. Always request several quotes.
Indicative costs by company size (year 1)
| Company size | Employees (indication) | Total indicative cost year 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 1–25 | €12,000 – €20,000 |
| SME | 25–150 | €18,000 – €35,000 |
| Large | more than 150 | €30,000 – €60,000+ |
More complex production lines, multiple product or risk categories, and geographically spread teams push costs up, regardless of company size.
Where does the money go?
The total cost consists of several components. Not every component weighs equally on every company.
| Cost item | Explanation | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Consultancy and guidance | External adviser for gap analysis, documentation and implementation support | €3,000 – €15,000 |
| Internal hours | Time invested by the quality manager and the employees involved | Depends on the organisation |
| Training | Training employees in HACCP, food safety culture, food fraud | €500 – €3,000 |
| Stage 1 audit | Document review by the certification body | €1,000 – €3,000 |
| Stage 2 audit | On-site audit by the certification body | €2,000 – €6,000 |
| Annual surveillance audit | Monitoring visit in year 1 and year 2 | €1,500 – €4,000 per year |
| Unannounced audit | Required at least once per 3-year cycle | Usually included in the audit contract |
| Recertification (year 3) | Full re-audit every three years | €2,500 – €6,000 |
Internal hours are often the largest hidden cost. A quality manager who spends two days a week on the system for six months represents a significant amount that does not appear on any quote.
Timeline: from start to certificate
The implementation time depends heavily on your starting position.
| Starting position | Indicative duration |
|---|---|
| Zero: no ISO 22000, no HACCP system | 10 – 14 months |
| Basic: HACCP and basic documentation in place | 6 – 10 months |
| Already certified to ISO 22000 | 3 – 6 months |
After certification, a 3-year cycle follows with annual surveillance and recertification in year 3.
Year 1: Implementation → Stage 1 → Stage 2 → Certificate
Year 2: Surveillance audit (announced or unannounced)
Year 3: Surveillance audit (unannounced, mandatory in the cycle)
Year 3/4: Recertification (new 3-year cycle)FSSC 22000 versus ISO 22000 in costs
FSSC 22000 is structurally more expensive than ISO 22000 alone. The difference lies in:
- More implementation work: 18 additional requirements on top of the ISO 22000 requirements.
- Stricter audit requirements: an unannounced audit is mandatory. With ISO 22000, it is not.
- Higher audit price: certification bodies usually charge more for FSSC audits than for ISO 22000 audits, because the scope is broader.
As a rough estimate, FSSC certification costs about 20–40% more than plain ISO 22000 certification, depending on your starting position and scope. See also FSSC 22000 vs ISO 22000.
Already have ISO 22000? Then you do not pay for everything again. You extend the existing system. The extra costs then mainly lie in consultancy, training for the additional requirements and the difference in audit price.
The unannounced audit: a hidden cost
The unannounced audit costs no extra money if it is already in the audit contract, but it does require extra preparation. Your system must always be ready for a visit. That means:
- Records are always up to date, not only for planned audits.
- Employees know how the system works, not only the quality manager.
- Procedures are followed, even when nobody is watching.
Read more about how the audit works in the audit process.
Next steps
Sources
- Foundation FSSC - FSSC 22000 scheme
- RvA - Accredited certification bodies
- Foundation FSSC - Certification file