Practice quiz · 9 questions

Certification schemes and auditor registration

CQI and IRCA, PECB and how auditor grades work — useful before choosing a course.

Practice questions, not official exam questions. Written by ISO Me to help you revise; real exams differ by scheme and provider.

Q1 Does ISO certify individuals or issue certificates?

A Yes, through its national members
B No — ISO states it does not perform certification or issue certificates
C Only for lead auditors
D Only for ISO 9001

Answer and explanation

Answer: B. Certification of organisations is done by certification bodies; courses and individuals are certified by schemes such as CQI and IRCA or PECB.

Reference: iso.org/certification.html

Q2 CQI and IRCA certified internal auditor courses sit at which level?

A Foundation
B Practitioner
C Professional
D Chartered

Answer and explanation

Answer: B. Foundation (new to quality/auditing), Practitioner (internal auditor and transition), Professional (lead auditor and conversion).

Reference: CQI and IRCA training levels

Q3 CQI and IRCA’s course table gives a lead auditor course length of approximately:

A 7 hours
B 14 hours
C 24 hours
D 40 hours

Answer and explanation

Answer: D. Lead auditor approx. 40 hours; conversion approx. 24; internal auditor approx. 14; foundation approx. 7.

Reference: CQI and IRCA course table

Q4 To register as an IRCA Lead Auditor you need, in total:

A 1 audit
B 4 audits, 20 days
C 7 audits, 35 days (25 on site), at least 3 as team leader
D 10 audits as an observer

Answer and explanation

Answer: C. IRCA: the Auditor requirement (4 audits, 20+ days, 15+ on site) plus 3 full audits as team leader (15+ days, 10+ on site).

Reference: quality.org Lead Auditor grade

Q5 How long does IRCA certification last before recertification?

A 1 year
B 3 years
C 5 years
D For life

Answer and explanation

Answer: C. IRCA certification lasts five years; recertification looks at recent audits and CPD.

Reference: quality.org IRCA recertification

Q6 PECB certifications are valid for:

A 1 year
B 3 years
C 5 years
D 10 years

Answer and explanation

Answer: B. PECB certifications last three years, maintained with CPD and an annual maintenance fee.

Reference: PECB candidate handbook

Q7 For the PECB ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor credential, how much audit experience does PECB list?

A None
B 200 hours
C 300 hours
D 1,000 hours

Answer and explanation

Answer: C. Provisional Auditor: none; Auditor: 200 hours; Lead Auditor: 300 hours; Senior Lead Auditor: 1,000 hours.

Reference: PECB ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor page

Q8 A CQI and IRCA auditor conversion course is for:

A Complete beginners
B People who already completed lead auditor training in another discipline
C Top management only
D Certification body managers only

Answer and explanation

Answer: B. Conversion courses (approx. 24 hours, 1 hour 40 minute written exam) move a trained lead auditor into another standard.

Reference: CQI and IRCA course table

Q9 For the IRCA Internal Auditor grade, the minimum audit experience is:

A Five internal audits of at least three hours each
B One full-system audit
C Seven audits as team leader
D No audits

Answer and explanation

Answer: A. At least five internal audits, each at least three hours, covering the whole audit cycle and not in your own work area.

Reference: quality.org Internal Auditor grade