Does an internal auditor need to be certified?

Whether an internal auditor needs to be certified depends on the requirements of the organization and the industry in which they work. There are organizations and industries that consider internal auditor certificates to be an important element of confirming the competence and skills of auditors. In such cases, having a certificate may be required or strongly recommended.

However, there are also organizations and industries where certification of internal auditors is not mandatory. In these cases, it is important that the internal auditor has the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, which can be confirmed in other ways, for example through education, professional practice and documented achievements in the field of internal audits.

It is also worth noting that having an internal auditor certification can bring benefits in terms of credibility, recognition, and professional development. Certification may demonstrate compliance with certain standards and a commitment to improve auditing skills.

The final decision on whether to obtain an internal auditor certification depends on the requirements of the specific workplace, industry, and the internal auditor’s personal career goals.

ISO 19011 and management system requirements do not require an internal auditor certificate. However, auditors conducting audits on behalf of a certification body often want to see such a certificate confirming the competence of a given internal auditor.