What is ISO/IEC 20000-1?
ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the international standard for IT Service Management (ITSM). It specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a service management system (SMS) for the delivery of IT services.
The current edition is ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018. It aligns closely with ITIL practices and covers the full service lifecycle, including service-level management, incident and problem management, change management and supplier management.
For UK managed service providers and internal IT teams, it provides independent assurance of service quality and is often valued in public-sector and enterprise procurement. It pairs naturally with ISO 27001.
How to get ISO/IEC 20000-1 certified
- Define the SMS scope and the services in scope.
- Establish service-management processes aligned to the standard.
- Implement service-level, incident, problem and change management.
- Operate the SMS and gather service-performance evidence.
- Run internal audits and management review.
- Certify with a UKAS-accredited body and maintain via surveillance and three-yearly re-certification.
Choosing a certification body
For a certificate to carry weight, choose a body accredited by UKAS, the UK's national accreditation body. Accredited certification is recognised by customers and procurement teams; unaccredited certificates often are not. Get quotes from at least three bodies, as fees vary.
How much does ISO/IEC 20000-1 certification cost?
There is no single price — total cost depends on your organisation's size, how much you already have in place, the number of sites, and whether you use a consultant. Broadly, the cost splits into three parts: implementation (building the system), the certification audit (paid to the certification body), and ongoing costs (annual surveillance and a three-yearly re-certification).
- Strong overlap with ISO 27001 means combined audits reduce cost where both are pursued.
- Toolset maturity (ITSM platforms) heavily influences implementation effort.
- Audit length scales with the number of services and supplier relationships.
To get a tailored figure for your organisation, use our free calculator:
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