Complete certification support
We ensure your business achieves complete certification to the AISC standard with a customized management system built around how your shop actually runs.
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For steel fabricators & erectors
AISC Certification Consulting, made straightforward.
Industrial compliance & certification consultants for 27+ years
AISC certification is the American Institute of Steel Construction's program that verifies a fabricator, erector, or component manufacturer runs a documented quality-management system meeting the AISC 207 standard. It is increasingly a precondition to bid public and commercial structural-steel work.
Freer Consulting Co. can help your organization attain AISC certification if you are involved in the manufacturing, fabrication, or erection of structural steel. We build the quality system, prepare your team for the audit, and stay on through certification — so you reach AISC certification without stalling production or guessing at what the auditor wants.
- Custom Support, Auditing, and Implementation
- We Make Certification Simple
Why certify
The benefits of AISC certification.
As a leading authority, the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) sets the standard for quality in the US structural-steel industry. When a company works to obtain AISC certification, the benefits are numerous:
- Increased consistency through documented processes.
- Enhanced communication and continual improvement through management reviews, training, and audits.
- Improved customer deliverables through greater purchasing protocols and AWS-compliant welds.
- Access to customers required to work with AISC-certified vendors.
AISC certification is often accompanied by a positive company-culture shift, where extra effort up front ensures higher quality, prevents nonconformity escapes, and increases customer satisfaction.
What We Provide
Ongoing consultation & technical support
We develop technical solutions — flexible and proven to succeed — that meet your business requirements and improve efficiency and accountability.
Quality-system development
We build (or rebuild) the documented quality-management system the standard requires — quality manual, procedures, forms, and records — fit to how your shop actually works, not a generic template you'll never follow.
Before you start
The two questions every shop asks first.
"What does it cost?" AISC certification has three cost layers: the program and audit fees AISC charges, the internal time to stand up the quality system, and any outside help. The fees are predictable; the internal effort is where most shops underestimate. We break the full picture down on the AISC certification cost page.
"What do we actually need?" At its core, AISC certification is about proving you run a documented quality system that consistently produces conforming steel — covering management responsibility, material control, welding, inspection, and corrective action. The full breakdown, and the step-by-step path to certification, is on the AISC certification requirements page.
Realistic for a small shop?
Is AISC certification difficult for a small business?
The difficulty of AISC certification for small businesses can vary depending on several factors. AISC certification involves meeting specific quality standards in the field of steel construction. While the certification process itself is designed to be rigorous and comprehensive, whether it's difficult for a small business depends on its existing resources, capabilities, and readiness to meet the requirements.
Freer Consulting recognizes the challenges faced by small businesses and offers assistance specifically tailored to their needs. Our extensive experience in AISC certification support has created a turnkey solution designed to guide small businesses through the certification process by providing step-by-step guidance, templates, training, and support. With the right support, small businesses absolutely achieve and keep AISC certification. See how our turnkey AISC solution works »
About Freer Consulting
Freer Consulting Co. has 27+ years of experience in a wide range of business consulting fields. Our well-rounded, experienced team has a proven record of meeting business needs and achieving results on-time and within budget. We work with businesses across the United States and internationally, providing both on-site and remote consultation. In our industry, Freer pioneered the Global Virtual Playbook, which allows us to provide expert remote consultation to our clients across the globe.
We establish long-term, productive relationships with our clients. We can grow with your company and provide services as you need them. Our experience means we get it right for your company the first time. Our standards ensure your company realizes the benefits of getting it right, again and again.
The same engineering bench that guides your AISC certification also supports ISO 9001, API Q1, and AMPP/SSPC programs — so when your shop carries more than one certification, we keep them aligned instead of running disconnected systems.
“I've worked with the Freer Team for over 6 years on our safety, quality, and environmental management system compliance and they've proven time and time again to provide consistent and comprehensive work on all fronts. They are always there when we need them.”
Megan · Hawaii
Trusted by industry leaders
27+ years of quality-systems work for companies you know.
Who we help
Built for the companies AISC certifies.
- Structural steel fabricators pursuing the Building (BU) or Bridge fabricator certification.
- Steel erectors seeking the Certified Steel Erector (CSE) program.
- Metal component & bridge-component manufacturers needing program certification to stay on approved-vendor lists.
- Shops adding an endorsement — Sophisticated Paint (SPE), Fracture-Critical (FCE), or Hydraulic Structures — to an existing certification.
Explore AISC certification
Answers to what shops ask us most.
AISC certification requirements
What the AISC 207 standard requires, the documents you need, and how the certification process works step by step.
AISC certification costWhat to budget — AISC program fees, annual audit fees, and the internal effort behind the quality system.
How to become an AISC certified fabricatorThe fabricator programs (BU, IBC, SBI, CBI, ABF), what each requires, and the path to earning — and keeping — your certification.
How to become an AISC certified erectorThe Certified Steel Erector (CSE) program, what the audit covers in the field, and how erector certification differs from the shop.
Bid on the line
A bid requires AISC — and you're not certified yet.
It's the single most common reason shops call us. The good news: you usually have more room to maneuver than the spec makes it look, and there are legitimate ways to stay in the running while you pursue certification. The worst move is guessing your way through it. Call us and we'll tell you straight what's achievable in your timeline — and what isn't.
If a deadline is driving this
When your bid requires AISC: how to move efficientlyBidding without AISC certification isn't always a dealbreaker — there are legitimate paths to stay compliant and competitive while you pursue it. Here's what you can (and can't) do. Read more »
AISC certification, in plain terms
What is AISC certification?
What is AISC?
AISC is the American Institute of Steel Construction — the body that sets standards and specifications for structural-steel design, fabrication, and erection in the United States, and that runs the certification programs for steel companies.
What does AISC certification mean?
It means a company has demonstrated, through an independent on-site audit, that it operates a documented quality-management system meeting the AISC 207 standard for its program. In practice it signals to owners and engineers that the company has the systems to consistently produce conforming structural steel.
Who needs AISC certification?
Structural-steel fabricators, steel erectors, and metal-component manufacturers — particularly those bidding public-agency or major commercial work, where certification is often a contract requirement. If your customers or the projects you chase require it, you need it.
Is AISC certification mandatory?
It's not a legal requirement, but it's frequently a contractual one. Many owners, agencies, and engineers of record specify AISC-certified fabricators and erectors, so for a large share of structural-steel work it's effectively mandatory to compete.
How is AISC certification different from ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is a general quality-management standard for any industry. AISC certification is steel-specific — it builds on the same quality-system discipline but adds requirements for welding, material control, inspection, and the structural-steel codes. Shops that hold ISO 9001 have a strong head start on AISC.
What's the difference between fabricator and erector certification?
Fabricator certification covers shop processes — material control, welding, and inspection in a controlled environment. Erector certification covers field operations — erection planning, field welding and bolting, and erection quality control. See our fabricator and erector pages.
How do you verify a company's AISC certification?
Check AISC's public directory of certified companies. It's the authoritative source and shows each company's active programs and endorsements — more reliable than a certificate posted on a company website.
How long does AISC certification take, and what does it cost?
Plan on several months for a shop building a quality system from scratch, and budget for both an up-front cost and a recurring annual one. We break the timeline down on the requirements page and the full budget on the cost page.
Further reading
More on AISC certification from our desk.
The AISC certification audit: what to expect
How the on-site audit runs and how to prepare so you pass the first time.
AISC certification checklistA strategic roadmap for steel fabricators working toward certification.
AISC 207-2025 updatesWhat changed in the latest revision of the standard, and what to watch for.
How to get AISC certified in IndiaA guide for fabricators and manufacturers outside the US bidding American work.
Cómo obtener la certificación AISC en MéxicoGuía en español para fabricantes de acero que buscan acceder a proyectos en EE. UU.
AISC N690 certification (nuclear)Why the N690 endorsement matters for shops chasing nuclear and high-spec work.
Ready to start
Pursuing AISC certification, or stuck on a finding from your last audit?
Book a free 30-minute scoping call. We'll tell you where you stand and what the path looks like — no obligation.