AS9120 certification timelines depend on the maturity of your existing quality management system, the complexity of your distribution operations, the number of sites involved, and the condition of your records. A distributor with clear purchasing, receiving, inventory, supplier, traceability, and release controls will usually move faster than one relying on informal processes. In most cases, AS9120 certification takes several months because the system must be documented, implemented, internally reviewed, and supported by evidence before the certification audit begins.