AS9100D is the quality management system standard for aviation, space and defence organisations, built on ISO 9001:2015 with added aerospace requirements. SAE International issued Revision D on 20 September 2016 and still lists it as current, while the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) prepares its successor under the new name IA9100.
This guide is for quality managers at machine shops, special-process suppliers and distributors entering the aerospace supply chain, and for certified suppliers planning ahead for IA9100.
What does AS9100D add to ISO 9001?
AS9100D contains every ISO 9001:2015 requirement and then adds aerospace requirements, definitions and notes. SAE's AS9100D page describes the 2016 revision as a move to the ISO 9001:2015 clause structure, with the industry additions revised at the same time. The standard is written by the IAQG and published in the Americas by SAE, in Europe as EN 9100 and in Japan as JIS Q 9100.
Clause 3 adds terms that run through the whole standard: special requirements, critical items, key characteristics, counterfeit part and product safety. Most of the new requirements sit in clause 8, Operation. The table maps the main additions using the clause numbers in IAQG's own revision overview. The evidence column is AGS's interpretation of what auditors commonly ask for, not the standard's wording.
| Clause | Aerospace addition | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 7.3 | Staff awareness of their contribution to product safety and of the importance of ethical behaviour | Awareness training records, toolbox talk attendance, staff who can explain the effect of their work |
| 8.1 | Planning for on-time and on-quality delivery, and risk control when work is transferred | Production plans, work transfer plans and the verification done after a transfer |
| 8.1.1 | Operational risk management | A risk register covering contract review, new technology and supplier selection |
| 8.1.2 | Configuration management | Configuration baselines, change records, configuration audit reports |
| 8.1.3 | Product safety across the product life cycle | Design and process FMEAs, control of critical items, safety event reports |
| 8.1.4 | Prevention of counterfeit parts | Approved source lists, traceability to the original manufacturer, quarantine and reporting records |
| 8.5.1.2 and 8.5.1.3 | Validation of special processes and production process verification | Process qualification records, first article inspection reports |
| Clause 9 | On-time delivery performance as part of performance evaluation | Delivery and quality metrics reviewed at management review |
| 10.2 | Human factors considered in nonconformity root cause analysis | Corrective action reports that record the human factors reviewed |
IAQG publishes free support material on its 9100 standard page. It includes a gap assessment worksheet, an FAQ and a clarification table for the 9100:2016 series dated February 2024.
Is AS9100, AS9110 or AS9120 the right standard for you?
The 9100 family has separate standards for different kinds of work. 9100 covers organisations that design, produce or provide aviation, space and defence products and services. 9110 is written for aviation maintenance organisations.
9120 is for distributors that buy and resell parts and materials. 9115 adds requirements for organisations that deliver software.
A machine shop that makes parts to customer drawings normally works to 9100. A stockist that splits bulk material and ships it with certificates of conformity is a 9120 case. Ask your main customer which standard it flows down before you start, because that decides the audit scope.
IAQG is also developing IA9150, a simpler foundational quality management system standard for smaller organisations such as start-ups and make-to-print providers. IAQG's president wrote in May 2026 that it was scheduled for release later that year. It does not replace 9100 for suppliers whose customers require full 9100 certification.
What is changing with IA9100?
In June 2022 IAQG named SAE International as its single global publisher, as set out in its announcement. New and revised IAQG standards now carry the prefix IA, for International Aerospace. Existing AS, EN, SJAC and JIS Q designations move to IA when each standard is next revised. That is why the next revision of AS9100D will be called IA9100.
In May 2026 IAQG's president described a dual-track approach to revisions. Incremental revisions will make targeted updates between major editions. Full revisions will add new priorities such as cybersecurity, counterfeit part prevention and advanced product quality planning.
Certification bodies describe the timing differently. One, in an update dated May 2026, reports that the first IA9100 will be a limited-change revision on the ISO 9001:2015 base, released in late 2026 or early 2027. It reports that a full revision aligned with the new ISO 9001 will follow. Another, writing in March 2026, reports a single release targeted for late 2026 and aligned with ISO 9001:2026.
Reported transition periods range from eight months to three years. IAQG had not published final IA9100 dates on its public site when this guide was reviewed, so treat every date as provisional.
Is an AS9100D certificate still valid now that ISO 9001:2026 is out?
ISO 9001:2026 was published on 16 September 2026, and ISO now lists the 2015 edition as withdrawn. AS9100D still contains the ISO 9001:2015 requirements, and SAE still lists it as current. Certification bodies report that AS9100D certificates stay valid through a transition window that opens only once IA9100 is published.
Two practical points follow. If you hold a separate ISO 9001 certificate, that certificate follows the ISO 9001:2026 transition, which our ISO 9001:2026 transition guide explains. And if the two-step plan holds, you may face two rounds of change rather than one. Confirm the dates that apply to you with your certification body.
How does AS9100 certification work?
AS9100 certification runs under the IAQG Certification Scheme, which IAQG owns and oversees. Its rules are set in the 9104 series. 9104/1 covers certification programmes, 9104/2 covers oversight and 9104/3 covers auditor competency and training. Accredited third-party certification bodies carry out the audits to the 9101 audit requirements standard.
The International Accreditation Forum endorsed the scheme in a memorandum of understanding that took effect on 27 June 2023. In 2026 IAQG also moved auditor qualification into its own IAQG Authentication programme.
Results go into OASIS, the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System. OASIS lists certified suppliers, certification bodies and authenticated auditors, and it also holds audit results. IAQG presents it as the reference source for buyers who select and monitor aerospace suppliers.
What will an aerospace auditor ask to see on the shop floor?
Under 9101 the auditor assesses how effective each operation process is and records the result in a process effectiveness assessment report (PEAR). A document set alone will not satisfy that. The auditor follows real orders and asks for the records behind them. The list below is AGS's practical summary, not a quote from the standard.
- First article inspection reports for new parts. IAQG sets out the method in a separate standard, 9102.
- Qualification and control records for each special process, such as heat treatment, plating, welding or non-destructive testing.
- Incoming inspection records that show test report data was checked before parts were accepted.
- Traceability from a finished part back to its original manufacturer, plus quarantine records for any suspect counterfeit part.
- FMEAs and a control plan for the critical items they identify.
- Corrective action reports where the root cause analysis shows human factors were considered.
- On-time delivery figures, with the actions taken when performance slipped.
Operators will also be asked how their work affects product safety. Build that awareness into training early, because it takes time to show up in answers on the floor.
How AGS can help
The QMS-DM 01 AS9100D kit contains 97 editable documents: 96 Microsoft Word files and an Excel compliance matrix. They include a quality manual, 17 procedures (first article inspection, configuration management, FMEA and risk management among them), 47 forms and 8 checklists, including an AS9100D internal audit checklist. The kit is built to AS9100D, not IA9100.
Other quality kits are in the Quality, Excellence and Accreditation collection.
Frequently asked questions
Should I wait for IA9100 before getting certified?
No. Certification today is to AS9100D, which SAE still lists as current. When IA9100 is published, certification bodies will apply the transition rules IAQG sets.
Are AS9100D, EN 9100 and JIS Q 9100 different standards?
No. They are regional publications of the same IAQG 9100 requirements. IA9100 is intended to replace the regional names with one global designation.
How can I check whether a supplier holds AS9100 certification?
Search the OASIS database run by IAQG. It shows certification status and the certification body for each listed supplier.
Does buying documentation mean the organisation will be certified?
No. Documents are a starting point. Certification depends on how the system is implemented and on the certification body's audit findings.
AGS provides independent documentation toolkits. This guide and the referenced kit are not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by IAQG, SAE International or any certification body, and they do not guarantee any audit or certification outcome.
Reviewed October 2026. Facts checked against the sources current at publication.
