Choosing a registrar
How to choose an R2 certification body
Only SERI-authorised, accredited certification bodies can issue R2 certificates. Here's how the accreditation structure works, what to ask before you sign, and why we won't recommend a specific one.
- 3Accreditation bodies
- 6Certification bodies
- 7Questions to ask
- 0Preferred registrars
An R2 certification body — often called a registrar — is the independent organization that audits your facility and issues your R2 certificate. To do that it must be authorised by SERI and accredited by a SERI-recognised accreditation body. The R2v3 programme is currently accredited through three: ANAB in the United States, JAS-ANZ for Australia and New Zealand, and NABCB in India.
That two-layer structure matters. The accreditation body assesses the certification body; the certification body assesses you. It's what makes an R2 certificate mean something to your customers rather than being a logo you bought.
We deliberately don't publish a list
SERI maintains the authoritative, current register of authorised R2 certification bodies. Any list we published here would be out of date within months, and a stale list is worse than no list, so check SERI's directly before you approach anyone.
Who can certify you
R2v3 authorised certification bodies
These certification bodies have been accredited by a SERI-authorised accreditation body to audit R2v3 and issue certificates. Names only, deliberately — we hold no relationship with any of them.
Last reviewed: August 2026 · Check SERI's live register →
-
Perry Johnson Registrars (PJR)
Accredited by ANAB, UKAS, JAB and ACCREDIA. Michigan-based.
pjr.com → -
NSF
Global certification and public health organisation offering R2 certification.
nsf.org → -
AmtivoFormerly Orion Registrar
Formerly Orion Registrar and American Systems Registrar. ANAB-accredited for R2.
amtivo.com → -
SGS Systems & Services Certification
Global inspection, verification and certification organisation.
sgs.com → -
IntertekNow includes SAI Global
Intertek acquired SAI Global Assurance in 2021 and trades as Intertek SAI Global. If you were given both names as separate options, they are the same organisation.
intertek.com → -
NSAI
National Standards Authority of Ireland, offering certification internationally.
nsai.ie →
Why this list carries a date
Registrars merge, rebrand and change accreditation scope. Two entries on this list have already been affected — Orion Registrar became Amtivo, and SAI Global Assurance is now part of Intertek. Treat this as a starting point and confirm current authorisation and appendix scope against SERI's register before you approach anyone.
Seven questions worth asking before you sign
Registrars differ more than their websites suggest. These are the questions that surface the differences that actually affect your project.
01
Are you authorised for every appendix in my scope?
Authorisation isn't blanket. Confirm they can audit the specific appendices you need , particularly Appendix B, D and E, not just the Core Requirements.
02
Who is the accreditation body, and are they an IAF MLA signatory?
This affects whether your certificate is recognised internationally, and it's also a requirement for the EH&S and quality certifications underneath your R2.
03
What is your auditor's actual electronics recycling experience?
An auditor who knows management systems but not ITAD operations will spend your audit learning your business. Ask about the specific auditor, not the firm.
04
Can you also certify our EH&S and quality systems?
Using one registrar for R2v3, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and any quality certification often reduces total audit days and cost. Sometimes it doesn't. Get both quotes.
05
What are your lead times for the initial audit?
Auditor availability, not your readiness, is frequently what determines your certification date. Ask before you build a timeline around it.
06
How do you handle remote surveillance audits?
Some surveillance audits may be conducted remotely at the certification body's discretion. Policies vary, and it affects your ongoing cost and disruption.
07
What is quoted, and what is extra?
Get the full multi-year picture: initial audit, annual surveillance, recertification, travel, and the cost of a follow-up audit if you pick up majors.
Independence
Why we won't recommend one
We have no preferred registrar and no exclusive arrangement with any of them. That's deliberate, and it's the reason our answer to "which registrar should we use" is a set of questions rather than a name.
It also works the other way. A certification body cannot provide consulting support to a facility it audits. That's a conflict of interest under the scheme. So a registrar can't build your system, and a consultant can't certify it. Anyone offering both is worth a hard question.
-
Start here
R2 & RIOS hub The ten Core Requirements, six appendices and where audits fail. Back to the hub → -
3 minutes
R2v3 readiness quiz Score your facility against the areas that generate the most findings. Start the quiz →
Third-party verified
Listed in SERI's R2 Consultant Directory
“I completed the SERI R2v3 Auditor training course and advise facilities on R2v3 readiness.”
That's SERI's own approved wording, and we use it exactly as written. Inclusion in the directory requires completing SERI's R2 Auditor Training course and passing the exam.
SERI is explicit that the directory is not an endorsement, and neither we nor anyone else on it may claim to be “SERI-certified” or “R2 accredited.” Vet us the same way you'd vet any consultant. SERI even publishes a PDF of questions to ask.
See the directory →Sequence
When to approach a registrar
Earlier than most people do. Auditor lead times are a real constraint, and the quote shapes your budget.
Settle your scope first
Which appendices apply determines who can audit you and what it costs. Get this wrong and every quote you collect is wrong too.
Collect two or three quotes
With the same scope description given to each, and the full multi-year cost requested.
Book the audit against a realistic date
Based on your implementation plan, not optimism. Moving an audit is easier than failing one.
Complete your internal audit before they arrive
Full scope, findings closed. This is the single biggest lever on how your certification audit goes.
Common questions
Can Wilkshire Consulting certify us?
No, and no consultant can. A consultant who builds or internally audits your system cannot certify it — that separation is fundamental to the scheme and it protects the value of your certificate. We prepare you; an accredited certification body certifies you.
Where do we find the official list of R2 certification bodies?
SERI maintains it. We point you there rather than reproducing it, because the register changes and an out-of-date list on a consultant's website is a genuine hazard.
Does it matter which accreditation body our registrar uses?
It can. Whether the accreditation body is an IAF MLA signatory affects international recognition, and it's also a requirement for the EH&S and quality certifications that sit underneath your R2v3.
Should we use the same registrar for R2v3 and ISO 14001?
Often it reduces total audit days and cost, because audits can be combined. Not always — get quotes both ways. It also concentrates risk with one supplier, which some organizations prefer to avoid.
Do you get paid if we choose a particular certification body?
We have no preferred registrar and no exclusive arrangement with any of them. We recommend whoever fits your scope, sites and timeline, and we give you the questions to ask so you can check our reasoning.
Next step
Want help scoping before you get quotes?
Scope determines who can audit you and what it costs. Getting it right first makes every quote you collect meaningful.