Certification and Approval
Certification and approval are central to regulation and quality assurance, and each has a specific role. Notification and accreditation matter in this context too, because they define what testing and certification organizations are allowed and able to do. This page explains the four terms and how they differ and relate to each other.
Certification and approval
Certification is the process in which an independent body (the certification body) confirms that a product, service, or system meets specific requirements, usually set out in standards or regulations. The confirmation is usually documented in a certificate.
Approval is a procedure, often carried out by a government or regulatory authority, that is required before a product or service can be placed on the market or put into service. Approval ensures that the product or service meets the legal requirements and often focuses on safety-critical aspects.
Notification and accreditation
Notification is the process in which a national authority designates an organization and authorizes it to carry out specific tasks under a legal act. These tasks usually include the conformity assessment of products or systems. A notified body is selected for its proven competence and reliability in a specific field.
Accreditation is a formal procedure that confirms that a body is technically competent and able to carry out specific tasks reliably. This often concerns conformity assessment activities such as testing, inspection, and certification. Accreditation is granted by national or international accreditation bodies, which ensure that organizations meet internationally defined standards and requirements.
The distinction matters because notification and accreditation concern different aspects of an organization's competence and responsibility in the regulatory process. Notification is a specific mandate from a government authority. Accreditation is a broader recognition of an organization's technical competence, independent of any specific regulatory task.
The role of testing organizations
In Germany and many other countries, testing, inspection, and certification organizations such as the TÜV companies (Technischer Überwachungsverein, technical inspection associations) play a key role in approval and certification procedures. They often act as notified bodies for a wide range of products and services, including vehicles, medical devices, and industrial equipment. They offer testing, certification, and technical services to ensure that products and installations meet the relevant safety and quality standards.
Certification, approval, notification, and accreditation are building blocks of many European regulatory frameworks, from CE marking and the CRA to sector-specific rules. If you want to understand which procedures apply to your products or organization, we can sort this out with you in a no-obligation call.