Discontinuation of the requirement for the written form from 1 January 2025
The Fourth German Bureaucracy Reduction Act came into force on 1 January 2025. It includes among other things an amendment to the Act on the Accreditation Body that removes the previous requirement for the written form for submitting applications to DAkkS. Since 1 January 2025, electronic applications can be submitted via DAkkS-PORT or by e-mail.
Previously, applications for bodies with their registered office in Germany (statutory activity) could only be submitted to DAkkS in writing. Submitted applications had to be signed in the original. In addition to the written application, only alternatives to the written form provided for by law could be used, meaning specifically that the transfer of digital documents was only possible with a qualified electronic signature.
Under the provisions of the Fourth Bureaucracy Reduction Act, Section 2 (1) of the Act on the Accreditation Body (AkkStelleG) was amended on 1 January 2025. The amendment makes it possible to submit applications to DAkkS electronically. This benefits all currently available application types for accreditation as well as applications for scheme evaluation and for the digital accreditation symbol.
How can an application be submitted immediately?
Applying for accreditation
From 1 January 2025, there are two ways to submit electronic applications for accreditation. The application can be submitted via DAkkS-PORT. You can also send the electronic application form and attachments (PDF forms) together in electronic form by e-mail to the DAkkS Application Service at a-nkb@dakks.de. The option of submitting documents by fax was discontinued on 1 January 2025.
More information about the accreditation process
Application for determination of the eligibility for accreditation of conformity assessment schemes
The application process for determining the eligibility for accreditation of conformity assessment schemes is now also available fully electronically. The completed application can be sent in electronic form by e-mail to the DAkkS Application Service, e-mail address a-nkb@dakks.de.
More information on applying for a evaluation of conformity assessment schemes
Application for use of the digital accreditation symbol
As a result of the amendment to Section 2 (1) of the Act on the Accreditation Body, the requirement for the written form for applications to use the digital accreditation symbol no longer applies from 1 January 2025. You can now send the documents required for an application by e-mail to the DAkkS Application Service at a-nkb@dakks.de.
Please note: If the application for use of the digital accreditation symbol is successful, DAkkS will continue to send you an authorisation document by post, despite the discontinuation of the requirement for the written form. To set up your digital identity as an accredited body with the D-Trust trust service, the signed authorisation document must still be sent to DAkkS in the original. Here again, as an alternative to sending the authorisation letter by post, transfer with a qualified electronic signature to a-nkb-qeS@dakks.de is also possible.
More information on applying for the digital accreditation symbol
Application Service and New Client Support
DAkkS Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle GmbH
Spittelmarkt 10 | 10117 Berlin | Germany
T: +49 30 670591-951