Quality management · Lead auditor
ISO 9001 Lead auditor
The full auditor course: how to plan, lead and report first-, second- and third-party audits of a complete management system. Usually 4–5 days (about 40 hours) with continuous assessment and an exam. The qualification most auditor job adverts ask for.
1 About this qualification
This is a lead auditor course applied to ISO 9001, the standard for quality management.
The most widely used management-system standard: requirements for a quality management system that consistently meets customer and regulatory requirements and keeps improving. The 2026 edition puts more weight on leadership, quality culture and ethical behaviour, and separates risks from opportunities.
2 UK courses
Course names, certification, duration and delivery as stated by each provider. We do not list prices — they change often; see the provider’s page.
| Course (as named by the provider) | Provider | Certified by | Duration | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CQI and IRCA Certified ISO 9001:2026 Lead Auditor Training Course (PR381)Classroom; Live online; In-house | BSI | CQI and IRCA certified | 4 or 5 days depending on format | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| QMS Auditor/Lead Auditor - CQI & IRCA CertifiedClassroom; Virtual classroom; Blended; In-house | LRQA | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days (classroom and virtual); blended option | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| CQI and IRCA ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Training (A18022)Virtual – tutor led | NQA | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| IRCA-CQI Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2026) Lead Auditor | DNV | CQI and IRCA certified | 40 hours | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Training Course - CQI & IRCA Certified | Bywater | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor Course (QMS) — CQI|IRCA ref PR328Virtual classroom; Classroom; In-house | Batalas | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| CQI and IRCA ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor QMS Training Course (5 Days) | Amtivo (British Assessment Bureau) | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| CQI IRCA ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor Course | ISOQAR | CQI and IRCA certified | 5 days | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
| ISO 9001 Lead Auditor — Quality Management System | Firebrand Training | PECB | See provider | Course pagechecked 3 October 2026 |
Certified by: CQI and IRCA certified (8) · PECB (1). What the schemes mean.
3 How it is assessed
| Scheme | Typical length | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| CQI and IRCA | Approx. 40 hours — usually 5 days (some providers run 4 longer classroom days) | Continuous assessment plus an exam. CQI and IRCA’s course table describes a 2-hour written examination; some providers now use an online multiple-choice exam after the course (Batalas: 1 hour 45 minutes, within 30 days) |
| PECB | 5 days, exam on day 5 | PECB exam — the ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor handbook describes 80 multiple-choice questions, open book, 70% pass mark |
| IBITGQ (GRC Solutions, ISO 27001 only) | 5 days | CIS LA exam; qualification valid for three years |
| Provider-certified (e.g. BSI for some standards) | 4–5 days | Written exam and skills assessment, as stated by the provider |
4 How to prepare
- Lead auditor: a 4-week study planFour weeks of evening study (about 5 hours a week) before a five-day lead auditor course — what to read, what to practise and how to arrive…
- ISO 9001:2026: what changed, for people taking a courseThe ISO 9001:2026 changes that matter if you are studying for an ISO 9001 course or transition — clause by clause.
- ISO 9001: structure and key clausesThe clauses to know before day one.
Practice questions
- ISO 9001:2026 quality management 8 questions
- Harmonized Structure (clauses 4–10) 9 questions
- Audit findings and nonconformities 8 questions
- Certification schemes and auditor registration 9 questions
5 Other ISO 9001 qualifications
- ISO 9001 Foundation / requirements 10 courses
- ISO 9001 Internal auditor 10 courses
- ISO 9001 Implementer / lead implementer 5 courses
- ISO 9001 Auditor conversion 1 courses
- ISO 9001 Transition (new edition) 5 courses