How and When to Pick the Right TISAX® Certification Body and Auditor

Table of Contents

Introduction
Why This Article Is Specific to TISAX®
Certification Bodies vs. Auditors
TISAX® Accreditation Is Non-Negotiable
Criteria When Choosing a Certification Body
When to Start the Selection Process
What to Remember
What’s Next?

Introduction

 
You’ve made the decision to get TISAX® certified. You’re doing it for credibility, trust, and compliance. Good move.

But here’s the part nobody warns you about: how and when to choose your TISAX® certification body and auditor. At first glance, it looks simple: Find an accredited provider, book the audit, get the label. Easy, right?

Not quite. Once you start comparing providers, things get messy fast.

What you will learn in this guide:

• The difference between a certification body and an auditor — and why it matters
• What ENX accreditation actually means (and why it’s non-negotiable)
• The right time to start evaluating providers (hint: earlier than you think)
• Key selection criteria to separate the good from the forgettable
• How to avoid delays, bad communication, and bloated costs

Why This Article Is Specific to TISAX®

 
Before we dive in, here’s something important to understand:

This guide is written specifically for companies pursuing the TISAX®® certification and not for ISO 27001, SOC 2, or other frameworks.

Why?

Because the way you choose a certification body for TISAX® is fundamentally different.

In most standards (like ISO 27001), you’ll find hundreds of certification bodies worldwide — all accredited by different national authorities like UKAS (UK), DAkkS (Germany), or ANAB (USA). This gives you lots of options which is great but also overwhelming.

TISAX® doesn’t work that way.

TISAX® is governed by the ENX Association, and they’re the only organization that accredits certification bodies for this standard. If a provider isn’t listed in the official ENX registry, they can’t conduct valid TISAX® assessments. Full stop.

And since TISAX® is still relatively new, your pool of available certification bodies is much smaller than for ISO. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it can help speed up your shortlist. But it does mean:

• You need to stick to ENX-approved providers only
• You’re dealing with a tighter market, so availability and responsiveness really matter
• Choosing a body with relevant sector experience is even more important, since fewer players means more variability in quality

So if you're pursuing TISAX®, this guide will walk you through how to evaluate the smaller set of authorized providers, and how to choose the one that best fits your scope, industry, and expectations.

If you're after ISO 27001, you'll need a broader strategy which this guide doesn't cover.

Certification Bodies vs. Auditors

 
This is where a lot of confusion starts. You’ll hear people using “certification body” and “auditor” almost interchangeably, although they’re not the same thing.

Let’s break it down clearly:

Certification Body = The Organization

A certification body is the company officially authorized by ENX to issue TISAX® labels. They’re responsible for managing the audit process, assigning auditors, reviewing results, and ultimately confirming whether your organization meets the TISAX® requirements.

Think of them as the umbrella organization that holds the accreditation and handles the admin.

Auditor = The Person

An auditor is the individual (or team) sent by the certification body to actually assess your organization. They’ll review your ISMS (Information Security Management System), interview your staff, check your documentation, and determine if you meet the required security level.

Auditors are either employees or contracted experts working under the certification body’s umbrella and they remain independent and impartial.

Why This Distinction Matters

Here’s why you should care:

• Your experience depends on both. You might pick a reputable certification body, but if they assign you an inexperienced or poorly matched auditor, the process can still go sideways.
• You’re allowed to ask about the auditor. When you request a quote or proposal, you can (and should) ask:
  • Who will be conducting the audit?
  • What’s their background in your sector?
  • Do they speak your team’s language?
  • Have they audited companies of your size or complexity?
• They play different roles in accountability. The certification body is ultimately accountable to ENX, while the auditor is accountable to the body. If something goes wrong, it’s the body you escalate to. But it’s the auditor who shapes the experience on the ground.

Think of it like this: The certification body is the airline. The auditor is the pilot. You want both to be competent, reliable, and a good fit for your journey.

One More Thing You Should Know

In many certification bodies, the split between full-time employees and external contractors is heavily skewed — often 1:2 or even more in favour of freelancers.

So while the certification body is the one signing your certificate, it’s highly likely that the auditor you work with is a contractor.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing — in fact, many of these auditors are highly experienced professionals who also work as TISAX®® consultants on other days of the week. Of course, they can’t audit you if they’ve consulted for you: ENX rules prohibit this to ensure impartiality. But it’s worth noting the crossover in the ecosystem.

Interestingly, the day rates for TISAX® consultants are typically slightly higher than for auditors, which reflects the added flexibility and advisory input they provide. So if you’ve already worked with a consultant, don’t be surprised if their audit “colleague” comes from the same world.

The takeaway?

Ask questions. Know who’s walking into your audit. And make sure they’re the right fit for your size, industry, and maturity level.

TISAX® Accreditation Is Non-Negotiable

 
You’ll see it everywhere: “We’re accredited,” “Accredited by ENX,” “Fully certified auditors.”

It sounds impressive — but what does it actually mean? And why should you care?

Unlike other standards (like ISO 27001), where you can choose from hundreds of certification bodies accredited by various national authorities (like UKAS or DAkkS), TISAX® is managed solely by the ENX Association.

That means:

• Only ENX-approved certification bodies can carry out valid TISAX® audits.
• If they’re not on the ENX-approved list, they can’t issue a legitimate TISAX® label.
• Period.

So while in other frameworks “accreditation” is a quality signal, in TISAX® it’s more like a gatekeeper. Either they’re in, or they’re out. No grey area.

You find the official list of accredited TISAX® audit providers on the ENX website.

Criteria When Choosing a Certification Body

 
So, you’ve confirmed that a provider is ENX-accredited. Great, that’s the bare minimum. But now comes the harder part: choosing the right one for you.

Because while every TISAX® audit follows the same baseline criteria, the experience you have (how stressful it is, how insightful it feels, how well it reflects your business) can vary massively depending on who you pick.

Here’s what to actually look for:

1. Sector Experience

Not all auditors are created equal — especially when it comes to understanding your industry.

• Are they familiar with your kind of business (e.g. automotive suppliers, cloud platforms, tech startups)?
• Have they audited companies of your size and complexity?
• Do they understand the real-world risks your ISMS is trying to control?

An auditor who “gets it” won’t waste time asking irrelevant questions or overfocusing on low-risk areas.

2. Responsiveness, Support, and First Impressions

This one matters more than most people realize.

What was your very first contact like? Did they…

• Respond quickly?
• Understand your scope and situation?
• Explain things clearly, without fluff or pressure?
• Offer to connect you with someone technical — not just sales?

We’ve seen it all:

• One certification body took three weeks to send an offer. Another responded in under 24 hours.
• One sent an outdated Word document in a painful format. Another provided a clean, intuitive online questionnaire.

The early interactions often tell you everything you need to know. If they’re slow, vague, or just send over a generic brochure, imagine what it’ll be like mid-audit when something urgent comes up.

You're not just hiring a service — you're entering a relationship. Choose someone who acts like a partner from day one.

3. Use of Technology

Ask them what tools they use to manage the audit.

• Will you be sending sensitive files via email?
• Is there a secure, user-friendly platform for uploading evidence?
• Can you track progress or feedback online?
• Will you get clear documentation and reporting at the end?

Some providers still use spreadsheets and outdated portals. Others offer a streamlined, modern process. When you're coordinating across teams, that difference matters a lot.

4. Timing & Availability

TISAX® audits are time-sensitive. You might be aiming to meet a customer deadline, align with an internal milestone, or renew an expiring label and not all certification bodies can meet your timeframe.

• Many providers are booked out for months.
• Others may have auditors available almost immediately.
• Lead times vary by scope, region, and language needs.

Don’t just ask for pricing. Ask when they can start, how long the process takes, and what the steps look like.

5. Price (But Not Just Price)

Yes, costs for TISAX® audits do vary, but not dramatically. Some providers offer fixed-price packages, while others charge daily rates. Generally, prices range from €4,800 to €25,000, depending on the scope and complexity of the audit.

Ultimately, TISAX® audit services are based on a standardized process, and most providers are aware of their competitors’ pricing. As a result, you will not see significant price differences between TISAX® audits, unlike the wider cost variations found with ISO 27001 audits.

Always request quotes from at least two TISAX® audit providers. Not just to compare prices, but also to evaluate your initial customer experience and support with each provider. This helps ensure you select a partner who meets your service expectations as well as your budget.

6. Reputation & Recognition are Given

You don’t need to focus as much on reputation and recognition when choosing a TISAX audit provider as you would for ISO 27001 certification. TISAX assessments are centrally governed by the ENX Association with standardized requirements, making provider reputation less critical compared to ISO 27001, where certification bodies’ international recognition can significantly impact the credibility and acceptance of your certificate.

Focus instead on fit, availability, and experience in your specific sector.

When to Start the Selection Process

 
You know how to choose the right certification body. But here’s the other critical piece: when you should start.

Timing can make or break your TISAX® certification timeline — especially if you have a customer deadline or project milestone tied to your audit.

The Short Answer: Start as soon as you have received the “scope excerpt”

Here’s why:

• Most certification bodies are booked out for months, especially for Level 3 (on-site) audits.
• Most certification bodies will only issue a quote if you have registered already at the ENX portal and you can provide the “scope excerpt”.
• The scope excerpt is crucial as it outlines the boundaries and focus of your information security assessment. However, scope alignment and pre-registration clarifications can take several weeks, even if you think that you are prepared.

What to Remember

 
Getting TISAX® certified is a strategic move, but choosing the wrong certification body or delaying the decision can turn it into a painful, expensive exercise.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Only ENX-accredited bodies can issue valid TISAX® labels. No accreditation = no label.
• Auditors and certification bodies aren't the same. You're hiring both, so vet them accordingly.
• The quality of your audit experience comes down to more than technical compliance. Look at:
  • Sector experience
  • Use of modern tools
  • Responsiveness and support
  • Timing and availability
• Trust your first impressions. A slow quote, clunky process, or vague answers now will only get worse later.
• Start as early as possible

What’s Next?

 
Ready to choose your TISAX® audit provider — or still narrowing down your shortlist? Wherever you are in the process, we’ve got a simple way to help:

The TISAX® Auditor Checklist

Get a clear, practical checklist to help you compare providers, ask the right questions, and avoid costly mistakes.

Need a recommendation or second opinion?

We’ve worked with multiple ENX-accredited providers and can point you in the right direction based on your scope, timeline, and sector.

Just send an email to ix@isegrim-x.com for the TISAX® Auditor Selection Checklist or a recommendation.