This article explains the Not Accepted status — what it means, how a product reaches it, and what you need to do next.
01/ What does "Not Accepted" mean?
Not Accepted means that your product has been through the certification process, but did not result in an active certification. Specifically, it means that either:
- No certification body has been assigned to the product, so no certification review has taken place, or
- A certification body was assigned and has taken action — for example, they declined the assignment or removed their certifications — leaving the product without any active ZDHC MRSL certification.
Not Accepted status does not mean your product will be deleted or blocked. It simply means that no CB has issued a valid, active certification for the product at this time.
02/ How does a product reach Not Accepted status?
A product can move into Not Accepted status in the following scenarios:
| Scenario | What happened |
| No CB assigned | You created the product, and it is complete, but you have not yet assigned a certification body. Without a CB assignment, no certification can be issued. |
| CB declined | A certification body formally declined the assignment. The product status reflects that no active certification exists. |
| CB removed their certification. | A CB that previously certified the product toggled off their certifications. The product's ZDHC MRSL level drops to None. |
| All certifications expired | The ZDHC MRSL standards that underpinned your product's certification have expired, and no replacement certifications have been issued. |
03/ How does Not Accepted differ from Declined?
| Not Accepted | Declined | |
| Visible to | You (formulator) | You (formulator) + visible on Certificates tab |
| Set by | System (automatically, when no active cert exists) | Certification body (explicit action) |
| Requires action from | You (assign or re-engage a CB) | You and/or the CB (re-assign and re-review) |
A product can be Not Accepted without any CB having explicitly declined it — for example, if you never assigned one.
04/ Can a Not Accepted product be published?
No. A product must have at least one active certification (Accepted status) before it can be published and made visible in the ZDHC Gateway search.
05/ What can I do if my product has a Not Accepted status?
If your product has a Not Accepted status and you want to move it toward certification:
- Open the product from your portfolio.
- Go to the Certificates tab to check whether a CB is assigned and what their current status is.
- If no CB is assigned, assign a certification body.
- If a CB has declined, review the decline reason visible on the Certificates tab, address the issue (for example, update your SDS), then contact the CB to re-engage. The CB can reopen the review once you unassign and reassign them.
- If certifications have expired, contact your CB to issue updated certifications against a current ZDHC MRSL standard.