The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) has published an online guide to manage the transition from ISO/TS 16949:2009 to the new IATF 16949:2016.

IATF 16949 will replace the automotive quality management system standard ISO/TS 16949 when it is published in October. See related story here.

The “Transition Strategy: ISO/TS 16949 > IATF 16949” guide, which can be downloaded at no charge from the IATF website is applicable to all relevant parties (e.g., organizations certified and/or using ISO/TS 16949, certification bodies, and auditors) and supersedes the previously communicated IATF transition plan posted on the IATF Global Oversight website in April 2016. IATF will publish additional clarifications to this strategy in future revisions of this document.

The guide includes important information for current and potential users of ISO/TS 16949, including:

• Transition timing requirements
• Transition audit requirements
• Transition audit team requirements for certification bodies
• Transition audit nonconformity management
• IATF 16949 certificate issuance
• Initial certification to IATF 16949
• Transition FAQs—this portion of the guidance document will be updated as questions arise over time.

Perhaps of most interest to organizations that are currently registered to ISO/TS 16949 are the timing requirements for the transition to IATF 16949. No audits (initial, surveillance, recertification, or transfer) to ISO/TS 16949:2009 will be permitted after October 1, 2017.

Organizations currently certified to ISO/TS 16949:2009 must transition to IATF 16949 through a transition audit in line with the current audit cycle for ISO/TS 16949:2009 (i.e., at a regularly scheduled recertification audit or surveillance audit), according to the allowable timing requirements defined in the IATF Rules, section 5.1.1.

The transition audit shall be a full systems audit equivalent to a recertification audit and must comply with all requirements defined in the IATF Rules, section 6.8.

Transition audits can only be conducted by qualified third-party auditors who have already demonstrated their competence to audit against IATF 16949. Auditors must pass both the IATF 16949 and IATF Rules quizzes in the IATF ADP system before they are allowed to conduct transition audits and initial certification audits according to IATF 16949.

Organizations seeking certification can be certified to ISO/TS 16949:2009 until October 1, 2017. However, the ISO/TS 16949:2009 certificate will only be valid until September 14, 2018. After October 1, 2017, organizations can only be audited and certified to IATF 16949.

To download the “Transition Strategy: ISO/TS 16949 > IATF 16949” guide, visit the IATF website here.