SA8000® Certification Costs

As the SA8000 scheme owner and accreditation body, respectively, neither SAI nor SAAS sets specific costs for the SA8000 certification process. Prices are determined individually by the accredited certification bodies (CBs) delivering the SA8000 audits. Their fees are based on market prices and the cost can vary based on the size, scope, location, and number of days and auditors needed to conduct the audit. The number of required audit days is determined at the system level (see SAAS Procedure 200).

There are four basic types of out-of-pocket costs associated with SA8000 certification:

Pre-audit work

Activity	Cost (USD)	Paid to	Required?
Implementing corrective/ preventive actions to comply with the Standard	Varies	Internal or consultant/contractor	Depends on organizational readiness
Verifying SA8000 compliance through consultant or internal audit	Varies	Internal or consultant/contractor	Optional

Cost of preparing for the audit

Activity	Cost (USD)	Paid to	Required?
Administrative Costs	Varies	Internal or consultant/contractor	Required
SA8000® Self-Assessment	$300	SAI	Required

Cost of certification cycle

Including initial certification audit and surveillance audits for 3-year cycle.

Cost (USD)	Paid to	Required?
Approximately $400–$1,500 per day (variable based on location and market prices)	Certification Body	Required

Cost of taking corrective actions if nonconformities are identified

Cost (USD)	Paid to	Required?
Varies	Internal or consultant/ contractor	Depends on audit findings

After completing an SA8000 Self-Assessment, the applicant organization may contact a SAAS-accredited certification body to receive a cost estimate for the certification cycle. This quote typically includes the initial certification of the organization’s site(s) and management system and required monitoring visits (surveillance audits) for the three-year cycle. Fees are typically paid in installments throughout the certification cycle.