# Employer-based vs central certification

> Employer-based certification (for example under SNT-TC-1A) is issued by the technician's employer and expires when they leave; central certification (ISO 9712 via PCN, AINDT and others) is issued by an independent body and travels with the technician.

- Source: https://amps.global/glossary/employer-based-vs-central-certification/
- Type: Glossary
- Published: 2026-09-05
- Tags: NDT, certification

## Key facts

- Employer-based: fast to set up, tailored to the company's scope, but every training and exam record must be kept by the company
- Central: portable and independently verified, but training and exams are external and take longer
- Many companies run both because clients specify one or the other
- Accreditation assessors check that the scope of certification matches the work actually signed off

Also known as: in-house certification, third-party certification, central certification.

## Choosing between them

Employer-based schemes suit companies with a resident Level 3 and stable methods; central certification suits mobile workforces and tenders that require independent proof. Neither replaces the company's own procedures, equipment calibration or accreditation.

## Certificates in AMPS

Whatever the scheme, each technician ends up with several dated documents. AMPS keeps personnel and equipment certificates on dedicated personnel and equipment pages, and its flag system warns one month before a certificate, calibration document or scheduled inspection falls due, so managers always know what is missing or expiring.

## Related pages

- [SNT-TC-1A](https://amps.global/glossary/snt-tc-1a/)
- [ISO 9712](https://amps.global/glossary/iso-9712/)
- [Guide: tracking NDT certificates and expiry dates](https://amps.global/guides/tracking-ndt-certificates-and-expiry-dates/)

## Sources

- [ASNT - American Society for Nondestructive Testing](https://www.asnt.org/)
- [ISO - International Organization for Standardization](https://www.iso.org/)