Supplier certificate not in the online directory?
A missing directory result does not by itself prove a supplier's certificate is invalid. Check the exact issuing entity and reference, then seek written confirmation through independently verified issuer contacts. Keep approval pending until the evidence is resolved. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate these checks with its own staff in China.
Identify the document and the issuing entity
Save the complete document, including its annexes, before searching again. Record the certificate holder, factory address, issuing entity, certificate reference, scope and dates. Identify whether you have a certificate, a test report or a declaration. Our certification guide explains these distinctions.
Use the legal entity named as issuer, rather than assuming the logo identifies the right directory. A group brand, local office, testing laboratory and certification body may have different roles. Ask the supplier which entity issued this document and which directory covers its records; verify that answer independently.
Search with the right reference
Read the directory's search instructions. Enter the certificate reference in the requested format, preserving prefixes and suffixes where required. Do not substitute a report reference, application reference, body identification number or supplier order reference. Try the holder's exact name if that search is available. Record each search term, filter, date and result.
For a claimed UK approved body, check its appointment separately from the certificate. The government's UK Market Conformity Assessment Bodies service is a database of assessment bodies, rather than an issuer's certificate directory. Finding a body there does not authenticate your document. The body approval guide covers that separate check.
Ask the issuer directly
Find the issuer's contact details independently through its own website or a trusted body listing. Do not rely solely on a supplier's forwarded email, document link or scanning code. Send the complete document and explain which directory and reference produced no result. If the issuer needs the holder's consent, ask the supplier to authorise disclosure.
Ask whether the issuer issued this exact document, whether it is currently valid, and whether the holder, site and scope match its records. Ask about amendments, replacement documents, suspension or withdrawal, and why the public search failed. Request a written reply identifying the reference checked. An acknowledgement or unanswered enquiry leaves verification pending.
Record the finding without overstating it
Use precise findings: search unresolved; issuer confirms issue and current validity; issuer confirms suspension, withdrawal or expiry; or issuer denies issuing the document. A missing result or silence supports only an unresolved finding. Treat a possible search limitation or publication delay as a question for the issuer, not an explanation you have established.
A denial of issue differs from a genuine certificate that has expired. A genuine certificate for another site or product differs again. Record the exact discrepancy and the issuer's words. Even a confirmed genuine document still needs a scope check against your purchase; our test report guide covers the product evidence review.
Keep the order decision separate
As a purchasing control, keep any approval that depends on this certificate pending. Tell the supplier what evidence is missing, who must provide it and which order decision remains on hold. Agree a response deadline in writing. Check your contract before changing payment or shipment instructions.
Retain the original document, search records, issuer correspondence and your decision. If the issuer confirms a problem, ask for corrected evidence or an agreed alternative assessment, then verify it afresh. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can collect the supplier's records and coordinate enquiries; the buyer retains its approval decision.
Frequently asked questions
Does no directory result mean the certificate is fake?
No. Record the search as unresolved until the issuer clarifies it. A missing result alone does not establish forgery, expiry or withdrawal.
Which number should I use to search a certificate?
Use the certificate reference requested by that directory. A report reference, application reference or issuing body's identification number may refer to a different record.
What if the certificate issuer does not reply?
Keep verification pending. Follow up through independently verified contacts and ask the supplier to authorise disclosure if needed. Silence is neither confirmation nor proof of invalidity.
Can I accept a supplier's screenshot of a valid result?
Use it as a lead, then reproduce the search yourself or obtain direct issuer confirmation. Check the holder, site, scope and reference against the complete document.