AIDDLC certification validates that an organisation's development process meets the conformance requirements of the AIDDLC Standard v1.0.
AIDDLC certification is an independent validation that your team:
- Assigns defined human roles with clear authority over AI-assisted development
- Executes all required lifecycle phases in sequence with documented gate approvals
- Produces and retains the required artifacts at each phase boundary
- Maintains Context Packages as the authoritative record of project knowledge
- Logs and attributes all AI generation actions
- Documents all deviations from specification with rationale and approval
For regulated industries, Regulated Conformance additionally validates that compliance obligations are mapped, evidenced, and signed off before deployment.
Certification is not a theoretical exercise. The evidence package is drawn from a real development cycle.
For any team implementing the AIDDLC Engineering Track. Validates full implementation of all seven phases with correct role assignment, artifact production, gate compliance, and audit logging.
For teams building software in regulated industries (healthcare, financial services, pharmaceutical, legal). Extends Engineering Track Conformance with requirements for Compliance Matrix, Compliance Officer independence, pre-deployment sign-off, retention obligations, and Human Oversight Protocol.
10QBIT Technologies is the sole issuer of AIDDLC certification.
Third-party certification bodies are not currently authorised. This is not a gatekeeping decision — it is a quality assurance decision. The standard is new, and the Architectural Board needs direct engagement with early implementations to maintain the standard's integrity.
This policy is reviewed annually and will be updated as the certification programme matures. Any change to the certification authority policy requires an Architectural Board decision record.
The founding cohort — the first ten organisations to achieve AIDDLC certification — is open.
Founding cohort members receive:
- Priority review (target: 10 business days from complete evidence package)
- Permanent recognition in the certified organisations register as a founding member
- Input into v1.1 development — the Architectural Board will consult founding cohort members before publishing minor updates
- Co-authorship credit in the first annual State of AIDDLC report
Applications are reviewed in order of receipt. The founding cohort is expected to fill in 2026.
Work through the Self-Assessment Checklist. This is not a formality — it is designed to identify gaps before you submit your evidence package.
Gather the evidence required per the certification criteria. For regulated conformance, see regulated-conformance.md.
Your evidence package must include:
- Completed self-assessment checklist (with evidence notes)
- Complete Context Package for one completed development cycle
- Gate documentation for all seven phases
- Deviation Register
- Audit log sample (representative 30-day period)
- AI attribution examples from at least three artifacts
Email your evidence package to certification@aiddlc.ai with subject line: AIDDLC Certification Application — [Your Organisation Name].
The Architectural Board will review your submission and respond within 15 business days (10 for founding cohort applications). We may ask for clarification or additional evidence.
If your submission meets all requirements, we issue a certificate with:
- Certificate ID
- Certification level (Engineering Track / Regulated)
- Industry vertical
- Date of issue and expiry date (24 months from issue)
Your organisation will be listed in the certified organisations register unless you request otherwise.
Certification is valid for 24 months. Renewal requires:
- A Post-Deployment Report from a cycle completed within the 24-month period
- Updated self-assessment checklist
- A statement of any changes to role assignments or process since initial certification
Renewal applications should be submitted at least 30 days before expiry.
Certification costs are provided on application. We are committed to keeping certification accessible to small teams and independent consultancies.
Founding cohort pricing is available until the cohort fills. Contact certification@aiddlc.ai for details.
| Path | Description |
|---|---|
| criteria/engineering-track.md | Full conformance requirements — Engineering Track |
| criteria/product-track.md | Conformance requirements — Product Track |
| criteria/regulated-conformance.md | Additional requirements for regulated industries |
| self-assessment/checklist.md | Step-through self-assessment checklist |
| register/certified-organisations.md | Public register of certified organisations |
| process.md | Full application process and timelines |
Certification · AIDDLC Standard v1.0 · 10QBIT Technologies · aiddlc.ai