- What is a standard?
Visit About standards to learn more about what standards are and how they are developed.
- What is BSI Membership?
BSI Registration and Membership are different. Membership grants no award or status on a company, but is a benefits package available to all companies, organizations and individuals for an annual fee. Visit the Membership pages for full details of benefits, including a 50% discount on the list price of British Standards.
- How can I read a standard if I don’t need to purchase it?
If you are a BSI Member you can borrow international standards from the BSI Library. British Standards are not available for loan.
If you are not a BSI member and wish to read a standard without purchasing a copy, you may be able to do so in a local reference library. A list of libraries with a licence to hold British Standards is available from our education website.
- Where can I see a list of standards on my industry?
You can search our global shop to purchase standards that relate directly to your industry.
- How can I be sure my standards are up to date?
If you are a BSI Member then you can take advantage of the PLUS scheme to ensure that all you are automatically notified of any updates and changes to standards. Details of the PLUS scheme and the Update Standards magazine can be found on our Membership pages.
You can also search our global shop for recently updated and replaced standards.
- How can I get information on Legal Requirements and Regulations?
The BSI websites and Customer Service team in the UK can help you to purchase standards, supporting products and publications and training courses and seminars. If you need to purchase publications covering wider aspects of legal requirements and regulations from government and parliament then please visit the TSO (The Stationery Office) website. BSI Members receive free p&p when ordering from the Members' online bookshop at TSO.
- Do you supply standards from other countries?
Worldwide Standards Direct is our fast, cost-effective service for all your international and foreign standards needs. We have the knowledge and contacts to meet your requirements, sourcing any standard from any country in the world.
- Does BSI provide information for students and teachers?
BSI provides a dedicated website to support students in the 7-19 age group and their teachers. Students in higher education should visit our specialist Higher Education website.
If you have not been able to find the answer to your question on this page, please visit the Help page or our global news room where you will be able to find answers to general questions about the BSI Group or specific management systems (eg ISO 9001) and types of registration (eg the Kitemark).
