Cyber Essentials renewal

Renew your Cyber Essentials, without the hassle.

From £320 + VAT

Cyber Essentials lasts twelve months, then you recertify. Whether you certified with us last year or somewhere else, we make renewing straightforward: complete the updated self-assessment, we review it against the current standard, and we certify you ourselves as an IASME-appointed Certification Body.

Get a renewal quote
Same fixed price as a first certification Transfer from another body welcome Reviewed and certified by us
Keep your certification current

Recertify each year, keep the credential customers rely on.

Cyber Essentials is valid for twelve months. Once it lapses, it no longer counts towards contracts, tenders or insurance that ask for it, and it no longer appears as current on the certification register. Renewing on time keeps that recognised signal in place and confirms your controls still meet the current standard.

Because the requirements are refreshed periodically and your environment changes over a year, renewal is a fresh look rather than a rubber stamp. In practice much of your previous submission still applies, so it is usually quicker than your first time round.

We hold it ourselves, too. Plainsight Security is Cyber Essentials Plus and IASME Cyber Assurance Level 2 certified.

The five controls

Rechecked at renewal

  • Firewalls and internet gateways
  • Secure configuration
  • User access control
  • Malware protection
  • Security update management
Start your renewal
Changing certification body

Moving your renewal to Plainsight is simple.

Cyber Essentials is not tied to whoever certified you last time. You are free to renew with any IASME-appointed Certification Body, and moving to Plainsight needs no permission from your previous provider.

Send us your current certificate details and your renewal date, and we take it from there: one supplier, in-house assessment and certification, and the same plain-English support and fixed price whether this is your first certificate with us or your fifth.

Transfer my renewal
What we need from you

To quote your renewal

  • Who you certified with last, if not us
  • Your current certificate expiry date
  • Roughly how many people are in scope
  • Any changes to your systems since last year

Not sure of some of these? Ask anyway. We fill in the gaps on a short call.

How it works

A frictionless route to renewal

  1. Tell us your renewal date

    Share your current certificate details and expiry date. We confirm your fixed price within one working day and set you up.

  2. You complete the self-assessment

    Work through the updated self-assessment at your own pace. We review your responses against the current standard and, if anything has drifted, you get the chance to remediate before we proceed.

  3. We recertify you

    As a Cyber Essentials Certification Body, we certify you ourselves and issue your new certificate, valid for a further twelve months.

Renewal in practice

Supporting Westec Engineering with Cyber Essentials Renewal

Building Services. See how a real client moved their Cyber Essentials renewal to Plainsight and kept their certification current without the fuss.

Read the case study
Common questions

Cyber Essentials renewal, answered.

How do I renew my Cyber Essentials certification?

Tell us your current certification and its renewal date, and we will confirm your fixed price within one working day. You then work through the updated self-assessment questionnaire at your own pace, covering the five technical controls against the current standard. We review your responses, tell you plainly if anything needs fixing before you resubmit, and, as an IASME-appointed Cyber Essentials Certification Body, certify you and issue your new certificate ourselves. It is valid for a further twelve months.

How much does Cyber Essentials renewal cost?

Renewal is priced the same as a first certification, from £320 + VAT as a fixed price, based on how many people are in your organisation. There is no separate renewal premium and no hidden extras. Ask for a quote and we will come back within one working day with a clear figure.

Can I change my certification body when I renew?

Yes. Cyber Essentials is not tied to whoever certified you last time, so you are free to renew with any IASME-appointed Certification Body. If you would like to move your renewal to Plainsight, you do not need permission from your previous provider. Send us your current certificate details and we handle the rest.

When should I start my renewal?

A Cyber Essentials certificate is valid for twelve months. We suggest starting your renewal a few weeks before it expires, which gives you time to work through the self-assessment and remediate anything that has drifted since last year without any last-minute pressure. Ask us and we will help you plan the timing around your expiry date.

What happens if my Cyber Essentials certification has already expired?

Nothing is lost. If your certificate has lapsed you simply certify again, which is the same process as a renewal rather than starting from scratch. We will still guide you through the current self-assessment and get you certified again, so a missed date is easily put right.

Do I have to redo the whole assessment every year?

Yes, renewal is a fresh assessment against the current standard, because the requirements are updated periodically and your environment changes over the year. In practice much of your previous submission still applies, so it is usually quicker than the first time. We review your responses and flag anything that no longer meets the standard before you resubmit.

Will you tell me if something no longer meets the standard?

Yes. If your responses fall short of the current standard, we explain exactly what needs to change in plain English and give you the chance to fix it before we proceed, then recheck. The aim is to get you recertified, not to catch you out.

What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus at renewal?

Cyber Essentials renewal is a verified self-assessment that we review and certify. Cyber Essentials Plus renewal adds a hands-on technical audit, where a tester checks that the controls you have described actually hold up on a sample of your devices. If you hold Plus, you renew both together. Ask us and we will scope the right route for you.

New to the scheme rather than renewing? See Cyber Essentials certification, or step up to Cyber Essentials Plus.

Get a quote

Get your fixed price to renew

Cyber Essentials renewal, from £320 + VAT

A couple of details is all we need. We'll reply within one working day with a clear, fixed price and the next steps.