# The Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2026, Regulation 14: Interim verification and Interim Document of Compliance requirements in respect of ISM companies responsible for United Kingdom ships


(1) Where the circumstances described in paragraph (2)(a) or (b) apply, a Certifying Authority may issue an Interim Document of Compliance instead of a Document of Compliance to a person who is, or intends to become, an ISM company in respect of a United Kingdom ship to which these Regulations apply.
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1) are those set out in the following paragraphs of the ISM Code—
(a) paragraph 14.1.1 (a company is newly established); or
(b) paragraph 14.1.2 (new ship types are to be added to an existing Document of Compliance).
(3) Subject to payment of any prescribed fee, a Certifying Authority must, on being notified by a surveyor of the matters specified in paragraph (4), issue an Interim Document of Compliance to a person to whom paragraph (1) applies.
(4) The matters referred to in paragraph (3) are that the surveyor—
(a) has carried out an interim verification; and
(b) is satisfied at the date of completion of the interim verification that the person complies with the relevant requirements of paragraph 14.1 of the ISM Code.
(5) An Interim Document of Compliance issued pursuant to this regulation must be in a form corresponding to the model given in the Appendix to the ISM Code.
(6) An ISM company must ensure that a copy of an Interim Document of Compliance issued pursuant to this regulation is—
(a) held on board each United Kingdom ship to which it relates; and
(b) readily available for inspection at all times.
(7) In these Regulations, “interim verification” means a verification of that description for the purpose of issuing an Interim Document of Compliance in the circumstances described in paragraph 14.1.1 or 14.1.2 of the ISM Code and comprises the matters specified in paragraph 14.1 of the ISM Code and in the Annex to Marine Guidance Note 708 (M).

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/194/regulation/14 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-international-safety-management-ism-code-regulations-2026/regulation-14
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.