Nadcap vs AS9100: The Definitive 2026 Comparison

Nadcap vs AS9100 is not really an either-or choice: AS9100 certifies your whole quality management system, while Nadcap accredits specific special processes such as heat treating, welding, chemical processing or non-destructive testing. If you perform special processes for aerospace primes, you will usually need both. If you only machine or assemble parts and send special processes out, you may need AS9100 alone, while your processors need Nadcap.

This Nadcap vs AS9100 guide compares the two side by side, explains how they fit together, and helps you work out which your customers will expect.

Nadcap vs AS9100: The Short Comparison

Factor	AS9100	Nadcap
What it is	Quality management system standard for aviation, space and defense	Industry-managed accreditation program for special processes and products
Owner	International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG); published by SAE as AS9100D	Administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI) under the Nadcap Management Council
Scope	Whole organization or defined scope: management, design, purchasing, production, release, improvement	Only the special processes you are accredited for, such as heat treating or NDT
Assessor	Accredited third-party certification body using authenticated aerospace auditors	PRI-approved auditors with deep technical expertise in the process
Audit focus	System effectiveness, process interaction, records and risk	Technical compliance with process specifications, job audits, equipment, pyrometry, operator qualification
Decision	Certification body issues certificate	Task Group of industry subscribers reviews and grants accreditation
Cycle	Three-year certificate with surveillance audits	Initial accreditation typically 12 months; strong performers can earn longer cycles through merit
Public record	IAQG OASIS database	PRI’s eAuditNet and Qualified Manufacturers List
Required by	Most aerospace primes and many tier suppliers	Primes that subscribe to Nadcap, for the specific processes they specify

What AS9100 Covers

AS9100 Rev D is the aerospace quality management system standard. It contains all of ISO 9001:2015 plus aerospace requirements for configuration management, product safety, counterfeit parts prevention, risk management, first article inspection, supplier control and on-time delivery. It is the baseline expectation for most suppliers to aircraft, engine and defense manufacturers. As of October 2026, AS9100D remains the certifiable revision; its successor, IA9100, has not been published yet.

AS9100 does address special processes. Clause 8.5.1.2 requires validation and control of special processes, which are processes where the result cannot be fully verified by subsequent inspection. But an AS9100 auditor checks that you have a validation and control system, not whether your furnace uniformity surveys meet a specific pyrometry specification. That technical depth is what Nadcap adds.

Our AS9100 vs ISO 9001 guide lists the aerospace additions in detail.

What Nadcap Covers

Nadcap was founded in 1990 by aerospace manufacturers to replace the many separate process audits each prime used to run on the same suppliers with one standardized, industry-accepted audit. According to the Performance Review Institute, the program covers 24 critical process areas, each managed by a Task Group of subscriber experts, PRI staff engineers and accredited suppliers, and more than 4,500 suppliers hold accreditation.

Commodity areas include processes such as:

• Heat treating
• Chemical processing (plating, anodizing, passivation, cleaning)
• Non-destructive testing (penetrant, magnetic particle, ultrasonic, radiography, eddy current)
• Welding and brazing
• Coatings
• Materials testing laboratories
• Composites
• Measurement and inspection

Nadcap audits are deeply technical. Auditors review the applicable specifications, equipment calibration and certification, operator training and qualification, and run job audits that trace real orders through the process. Findings must be closed to the Task Group’s satisfaction before accreditation is granted.

How Nadcap and AS9100 Fit Together

The two are designed as layers. Nadcap generally expects an acceptable quality management system to be in place before process accreditation, and AS9100 certification is the usual way suppliers demonstrate that. In practice, a special process supplier to primes typically holds:

1. AS9100 certification for the quality system
2. Nadcap accreditation for each special process the customer requires it for
3. Customer-specific process approvals, where a prime still requires its own approval on top

Check PRI’s current requirements for the commodity you need, because quality system prerequisites and audit checklists are set per program.

Nadcap vs AS9100: Which Do You Need?

Use your customers’ purchase orders and supplier quality manuals as the deciding source. Then apply these general rules:

• You machine, fabricate or assemble and outsource all special processes: AS9100 is usually the requirement. Your special process suppliers need Nadcap if the prime specifies it, and your supplier management process must verify it.
• You perform special processes in-house for parts you make: AS9100 plus Nadcap for those processes if your customers require it.
• You are a specialist processor (heat treat, plating, NDT lab): Nadcap is usually the main commercial requirement, with AS9100 as the system foundation.
• You distribute parts: AS9120 rather than AS9100, and Nadcap normally does not apply.

Nadcap vs AS9100: Cost and Effort Considerations

Both programs carry audit fees, preparation time and ongoing maintenance. Nadcap typically demands more technical preparation per process: specification compliance reviews, pyrometry and calibration records, job audit readiness and operator certification. Because accreditation is per process, a processor with several commodities faces several audits.

For AS9100, see our AS9100 certification cost breakdown for typical ranges. For Nadcap, fees are set by PRI per audit and commodity; request a current quote through eAuditNet rather than relying on published estimates.

Managing Nadcap Suppliers Under AS9100

If you buy special processes, your AS9100 supplier management must ensure you use approved sources. Many primes require their suppliers to use only Nadcap-accredited and customer-approved special process sources, and AS9100D clause 8.4.3 requires you to flow down the use of customer-designated or approved providers. Practical steps:

• Record Nadcap accreditation and its expiry in your external provider register
• Verify status in eAuditNet or the Qualified Manufacturers List before approval and periodically after
• Check that the accreditation covers the exact process and specification on your purchase order
• Flow down customer special process requirements on every relevant order

Getting the AS9100 Layer Right

Nadcap auditors expect a solid quality system underneath the process controls. The AS 9100 Toolkit includes 38 editable templates, including special process control, calibration and supplier management documents, aligned to AS9100D and cross-referenced to Nadcap where applicable. For an overview of where AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120 fit, see our guide to aerospace quality management.

Preparing for Both Audits Efficiently

Organizations facing Nadcap vs AS9100 decisions often end up maintaining both, so design the evidence once and use it twice. Your AS9100 special process validation records, calibration program, training matrix and supplier controls are the same records a Nadcap auditor will test, only in more technical depth. Practical tips:

• Keep process specifications, customer flow-downs and revision status in one controlled library
• Maintain operator qualification records per process and specification
• Run internal job audits that mirror the Nadcap job audit format
• Schedule AS9100 surveillance and Nadcap audits so findings from one inform preparation for the other

Treating Nadcap vs AS9100 as one integrated quality effort rather than two separate projects saves time and reduces findings in both.

Common Misconceptions About Nadcap vs AS9100

• “Nadcap is a higher level of AS9100.” It is not. They assess different things: one the system, the other specific technical processes.
• “AS9100 covers our special processes, so we do not need Nadcap.” AS9100 requires special process validation, but a customer that specifies Nadcap will not accept AS9100 as a substitute.
• “Nadcap accreditation covers everything we do.” Accreditation applies only to the commodities and scope audited. Check the scope against each purchase order.
• “Once accredited, always accredited.” Accreditation must be renewed through re-audit, and lapses are visible to customers.

Clearing up these points early helps leadership budget correctly and avoids surprises when a new customer’s requirements arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Nadcap replace AS9100?

No. Nadcap accredits specific processes and assumes a sound quality system beneath them. Primes that require AS9100 will still require it from Nadcap-accredited suppliers.

How long is Nadcap accreditation valid?

The initial accreditation cycle is typically 12 months. Suppliers with strong performance can earn extended cycles through the Nadcap merit program, commonly 18 or 24 months.

What is the main difference in Nadcap vs AS9100 audits?

AS9100 audits test whether your whole quality system is effective. Nadcap audits test whether specific special processes comply with detailed technical specifications, using job audits on real orders.

Do distributors need Nadcap?

Generally no. Distributors usually certify to AS9120, and Nadcap applies to organizations performing the special processes. A distributor that also performs a special process, such as cutting or testing material, should check its customers’ requirements for that activity.

Should a small machine shop pursue Nadcap?

Only if you perform a special process in-house and your customers require accreditation for it. If you outsource special processes, focus on AS9100 and on verifying that your processors hold the accreditation your customers specify. Pursuing Nadcap without a customer requirement adds audit cost without a commercial return.