4 Key Differences Between MAQMSR and IATF 16949®

Learn the main differences between MAQMSR compliance and IATF 16949® certification, and which option may be best for your company’s needs.

1) Who Would Benefit From MAQMSR?

MAQMSR (Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements) was written by FCA and Ford and is permitted as part of development toward IATF® certification. MAQMSR is geared for sub-tier suppliers that are deemed by their IATF® customers to be of lower risk and given a longer timeline to work toward IATF® certification. They may be suppliers with a small percentage of automotive business, or provide products or commodities that are less risk to the safety and performance of the vehicle.

Certification to IATF 16949® is required for Tier 1 automotive suppliers to OEMs, and is being flowed down to lower Tier automotive suppliers to work toward IATF® certification.

2) Compliance vs. Certification

MAQMSR aligns the Automotive QMS Requirements with the corresponding IATF 16949:2016 section(s). However, it is not certifiable as a third party auditable standard, though the guideline may be referenced during a second party audit.* The progression for MAQMSR compliance, does require certification to ISO 9001:2015 through a Certification Body as a first step.
*(by customer or with a qualified 2nd party like simpleQuE)

The customer determines the supplier’s path and steps, so approval must first be obtained before proceeding with MAQMSR

PATH 1  Certification to ISO 9001 through 3rd party audits
PATH 2  Certification to ISO 9001 +compliance to MAQMSR through 2nd party audits*
PATH 3  Certification to ISO 9001 + compliance to IATF 16949® through 2nd party audits
PATH 4  Then finally certification to IATF 16949® through third-party audits with a Certification Body

IATF 16949:2016 is not a stand-alone quality management standard, but is implemented as a supplement to, and in conjunction with, ISO 9001:2015. Companies being audited for IATF 16949® are still going to be audited to the ISO 9001:2015 requirements, as well as the additional requirements of the IATF® standard. Certification to IATF 16949:2016 is attained through a Certification Body.

3) Requirements and Sections

MAQMSR is in addition to ISO 9001:2015, which contains 66 clauses and sub-clauses of requirements. MAQMSR comes from IATF 16949®, but has many requirements removed. In MAQMSR, there are only 46 clauses and sub-clauses of automotive requirements.

IATF 16949® contains 107 clauses and sub-clauses of automotive requirements in addition to ISO 9001:2015, which contains 66 clauses and sub-clauses of requirements.

4) How long will it take to become Compliant/Certified?

For MAQMSR compliance the amount of time it will take depends on whether you are already ISO 9001 certified, have a management system in place, or are just developing one. From program inception to compliance usually takes up to 12 months. MAQMSR is often used as an interim stepping stone of progress toward IATF 16949® certification or compliance.

The amount of time it will take for IATF 16949® certification depends on whether you are already ISO 9001 certified, have a management system in place, or are just developing one. From program inception to registration usually takes 8 to 24 months.

Understand Your Options

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MAQMSR vs IATF 16949®

Further Guidance and Reference Documents

For more information on MAQMSR visit “Not Ready For IATF® Certification? MAQMSR May Be An Option“

MAQMSR reference documents:

• Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements for sub-tier suppliers
• IATF Sanctioned Interpretation #8
• IATF OEM Customer Specific Requirements
• ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems Requirements

For more information on IATF 16949® check out our article on “What You Should Know When Preparing For IATF 16949® Certification“

IATF 16949®  reference documents:

• IATF 16949:2016 Automotive Quality Management System Standard. (Purchase from AIAG.org)
• Rules for Achieving and Maintaining IATF Recognition – 5th Edition
• IATF 16949:2016 Sanctioned Interpretations
• IATF 16949:2016 Frequently Asked Questions
• IATF OEM Customer Specific Requirements
• ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems Requirements

SimpleQuE strives to be an informational source that provides value to our customers by examining some of the challenges identified by the automotive industries and providing insight into the IATF 16949® requirements to help your organization maintain compliance.  Contact us for a consult and see the difference that our experts can bring to your quality management process.

We Can Help: IATF 16949^® Experts a Click Away

If you’re searching for an IATF 16949:2016 consultant, our team at simpleQuE is well-positioned to support your IATF 16949® and MAQMSR consulting (Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements), certification, maintenance, training and internal auditing needs. Our consultants are qualified, certified, and are experts on the automotive standards, customer-specific requirements, and AIAG or VDA core tools. In addition, many are current or former 3rd party auditors who bring valuable insight because of the knowledge gained from auditing for certification bodies.

SimpleQuE also offers a full line-up of IATF 16949 training courses which includes AIAG and VDA Core Tools, Root Cause Analysis and Problem Solving, Requirements and Implementation.  With IATF® also putting a major focus on internal auditor competency, it is essential to have IATF 16949® Internal Auditor Training. Our IATF 16949® auditor training utilizes the process audit approach. Contact Our IATF® consultants to learn more about the customized services offered to match your certification and training needs.

Obtaining and maintaining IATF 16949®, and meeting all of the related Customer Specific Requirements (CSRs), is difficult, which is why we’ve created free IATF 16949® tools, checklists and resources for your use. 

SimpleQuE is not associated with the IATF®, IAOB, ANAB®, IAQG®, and is not a certification body. SimpleQuE is an independent consulting, training, and second-party auditing service provider that assists a company on a path for the company to obtain and maintain certification through accredited certification bodies.