You have 6 months from the "date created" to complete the questionnaire. At 6 months the questionnaire will expire, becoming locked and unmodifiable. This six-month window is separate from the certificate's expiry date, meaning it’s critical to monitor both timelines to ensure uninterrupted certification. Furthermore, after the successful completion of the CE Basic questionnaire, the Cyber Essentials Plus certification must be scheduled and passed within 3 months. If not completed within this timeframe, the process will require restarting from the beginning including related fees. Additionally, if the questionnaire deadline is missed, a new process and associated fees will be required.
The renewal questionnaire is usually made available two months before your Cyber Essentials certificate's expiration date. This ensures sufficient preparation time for the renewal process, allowing for smooth continuity of certification.
You can see when the questionnaire was setup by logging into the 'CyberCert’ portal and looking under the ‘Application ID’ heading. Here, there will be the date in which the Questionnaire was created.
If your organization requires earlier access to the renewal questionnaire, you can request it be set up ahead of the standard two-month timeline. This option provides flexibility to align with organizational schedules and specific needs.
Key Takeaways:
Cyber Essentials certificates are valid until their expiration date, after which certification ends.
Questionnaires must be completed within six months of setup, regardless of the certification expiration date.
Renewal questionnaires are made available two months before the expiry date but can be requested earlier. For expert help or unique circumstances, contact the support team to assist in managing your certification journey.- After completing the CE Basic questionnaire, the Cyber Essentials Plus certification must be obtained within 3 months.
The Cyber Essentials certification operates as a two-stage process, starting with CE Basic followed by CE Plus.
Understand the "Status" of your questionnaire and reach out to the support team for any specific queries or assistance required during your certification process.