Official Rules

Here are the official rules that state how to develop an ISO standard:

• ISO/IEC Directives Part 1
  Official procedures for the technical work.

• ISO/IEC Directives Part 2
  Principles and rules for the structure and drafting of ISO and IEC documents, together with the 2026 amendment covering management system standards drafting rules.

Supplementary Documents

Here are some supplementary documents that may help guide the standards development process:

• Cooperation with CEN (the Vienna Agreement)
  Committees cooperating with CEN under the Vienna Agreement will need to refer to details on this agreement.

• Global Relevance
  Guidance for how to make sure an International Standard can be implemented as broadly as possible.
• Patent Policy
  Contains guidance for technical committees in case patent rights matters arise.
• Supporting public policy initiatives
  ISO's online resource for public policy makers.
• Using and referencing ISO and IEC standards to support public policy
  The advantages and benefits of using ISO and IEC International Standards to support policy initiatives.
• ISO and IEC International Standards - for policy makers
  A brief summary of  the information found in the brochure "Using and referencing ISO and IEC standards to support public policy".
• Normative References (login required)
  Individuals developing standards are given access to the standards or normative documents referred to in the ISO/IEC Directives.