IATF ADP Help Desk

Applies to:
All auditors and key CB non-auditors roles in the IATF auditing scheme, and their related sponsoring CBs

In the Rules for Achieving and Maintaining IATF Recognition, the IATF mandates a joint responsibility between auditors (and identified non-auditor roles) and their sponsoring CB(s) for each individual to achieve 20 hours of Continuing Personal Development activities each year and to track these hours on the ADP website.

According to Rules 5:

Rules 5 section 4.5.2 states:

It is the joint responsibility of both the certification body and each individual auditor to ensure that the annual minimum twenty (20) hours subject-matter-related CPD are achieved (see section 10.0).

The certification body shall be responsible for providing access to a minimum of five (5) hours CPD structured training per calendar year for each sponsored auditor.

Each individual auditor shall be responsible for completing a total of twenty (20) hours continuing personal development per year, which shall be a combination of unstructured and structured (see section 10.0). The total number of unstructured hours shall not constitute more than 25% of the minimum twenty (20) hours.

It is the responsibility of the auditor to maintain the CPD records in the online IATF auditor development process.

In addition, Rules 5 section 10.0 defines the categories of "CPD subject matters" as follows:

• Management system related (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, and AS 9100 etc.)
• Auditing related (ISO19011, ISO/IEC 17021-3, and ISO 17025 etc.)
• Technical knowledge related (legislation and regulatory updates) 

Un-structured: two (2) hours accepted as one (1) CPD hour, including;

• open and distance learning that is not assessed and does not lead to a qualification;
• reading of professional and technical books or other publications; 
• non-interactive lectures, seminars, etc. 

Structured: each hour is accepted as one (1) CPD hour including;

• the research, preparation, and first delivery of lectures / training course; 
• active participation at a certification body meeting;
• active participation at a meeting with the relevant IATF Oversight office;
• active participation at a professional body meeting and participation in the development of standards;
• mandatory IATF training and evaluation;
• feedback meeting from IATF oversight office witness audits;
• feedback meeting from certification body internal witness audits;
• open face-to-face training courses / assessments that result in the acquisition of a qualification (e.g., ADP proctored session).

According to Rules 6:

(Effective January 2025)

Although the core requirements for auditors have not substantially changed in Rules 6, the updated requirement increases the scope to include certain non-auditor roles: technical reviewers, internal witness auditors, and internal system auditors.  In addition, it more clearly states that these roles must complete any mandatory IATF ADP Training modules as part of their CPD activities (this was previously implied within the CPD subject matter definitions), and clarifies the consequence for failure to meet these CPD responsibilities.

Rules 6 section 4.4.2 states:

It is the joint responsibility of the certification body and personnel performing any of the roles listed in section 4.0 a), d), e), and f) to ensure that the annual minimum of subject-matter-related CPD is achieved (see section 10.0).

The certification body shall be responsible for providing access for the personnel performing any of the roles listed in section 4.0 a), d), e), and f) to a minimum of eight (8) hours of structured subject-matter-related CPD per calendar year, including calibration activities, to ensure consistent evaluations (see section 4.0). The certification body shall maintain records to demonstrate that the CPD hours provided were undertaken by the personnel performing these roles.

Each sponsored auditor shall be responsible for completing a total of twenty (20) hours of CPD per calendar year, which may be a combination of unstructured and structured activities (see section 10.0). The total number of unstructured hours shall not constitute more than five (5) hours of the minimum twenty (20) hours.

Personnel performing any of the roles listed in section 4.0 a), d), e), and f) shall successfully complete mandatory IATF ADP training modules within the required timing as part of their CPD activities.

It is the responsibility of the personnel performing the roles listed in section 4.0 a), d), e), and f) to maintain current CPD records in the IATF ADP.

Failure to meet CPD requirements may result in the termination of credentials to perform these roles.

The definitions for "CPD subject matter categories" in Rules 6 section 10.0 have a few minor clarifications compared to Rules 5, but retain the same overall intent:

• Management system related (e.g., ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS 9100, etc.)
• Auditing related (e.g., ISO 19011, ISO/IEC 17021-3, ISO/IEC 17025, etc.)
• Technical knowledge related (e.g., legislation and regulatory updates, quality tools and methods, etc.).

Unstructured: two (2) hours accepted as one (1) CPD hour, including:

• open and distance learning that is not assessed and does not lead to a qualification
• self-study of professional and technical books or other publications
• non-interactive lectures, seminars, etc.

Structured: each hour is accepted as one (1) CPD hour, including:

• development, preparation, and first delivery of lectures/training courses
• active participation in a certification body meeting
• active participation in a meeting with the relevant oversight office
• active participation in a professional body meeting and participation in the development of standards
• completion of mandatory IATF trainings and evaluations
• participation in IATF witness audit feedback meetings
• participation in certification body internal witness audit feedback meetings
• completion of courses and/or assessments that result in the acquisition of a qualification (e.g., IATF ADP proctored session, etc.).