ISMS operation before certification

This timing is different from one certification body to another - some certification bodies allow you to go for the certification after you finish the internal audit, management review, and close most of your corrective actions; others require a 3 months period of ISMS operation before you can start the certification process.

So the point is - you should ask for quotes from a couple of certification bodies, and ask them to specify their requirements.

These articles will help you:

• Becoming ISO 27001 certified – How to prepare for certification audit https://advisera.com/27001academy/iso-27001-certification/
• Infographic: The brain of an ISO auditor – What to expect at a certification audit https://advisera.com/27001academy/blog/2015/06/22/infographic-the-brain-of-an-iso-auditor-what-to-expect-at-a-certification-audit/
• How to choose a certification body https://advisera.com/blog/2021/01/11/how-to-choose-an-iso-certification-body/