Frequently asked questions about ISO 55001

ISO 55001 is the international standard for an asset management system, issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) . Below are the questions that business owners and quality managers ask most often. Each answer is short and refers to the page that explains it in full.

If you want to go through the ISO 55001 audit, you will find it on audit and certification.

Questions about time, costs and advisers

How long does an ISO 55001 project take?

That depends on your starting point. A project from zero takes longer than an organisation that only needs to formalise what it does. The full overview is on costs and timeline.

Do I need an adviser?

The standard does not require an adviser. You should, however, look carefully at the party that certifies you. An adviser can help with the baseline measurement and the SAMP. The certification body must be independent: the party that certifies you does not advise you. Kiwa keeps advisory work and certification strictly separate.

The step-by-step plan shows which tasks you can do yourself, see the step-by-step plan. You can carry out the policy, the register and the internal audit yourself. You mainly bring in an external adviser for the gap analysis and the preparation.

Questions about the certificate

Is ISO 55001 a certificate like ISO 9001?

Yes, it works in the same way. An independent, accredited body checks your system and issues a certificate that is valid for three years. The subject is different, though. ISO 9001 is about the quality of your products and services. ISO 55001 is about managing physical or other assets across their whole lifecycle, according to the standard at ISO .

When choosing your certification body, check the accreditation. Make sure the accreditation applies specifically to ISO 55001, and not only to other ISO standards.

There is also a new version. The current standard is ISO 55001:2024, which was published in July 2024. Many certificates currently in force are still based on the 2014 version. According to Glocert , the transition period is usually three years. Ask your certification body for the exact date. The differences per chapter are on the 2024 version page.

If you want to know how the two fit together, read combining ISO 55001 with ISO 9001 and 14001.

What is the difference with maintenance management?

Maintenance is a part of asset management, not the whole. A maintenance manager plans the maintenance of a pump. Asset management looks further. Will that pump need replacing in fifteen years, or the whole station? What does that cost, and does it fit the goals of the organisation? You cannot answer those questions with a maintenance schedule alone. You need a long-term plan and a budget for it.

An example from a fictional drinking water company: the maintenance manager plans an annual inspection of pump 3. Asset management looks at all three stations and decides which pumps are replaced before 2030. That decision follows from the SAMP, not from the maintenance schedule. You can read more about the link with risk on risk-based maintenance.