ASSE International was formed nearly 120 years ago to be the source from which rules and regulations could be developed for the advancement of public health through sound plumbing practices. ASSE’s first product performance standard was released in 1964, with ASSE’s first product certification following shortly after in 1965. After more than 50 years, the ASSE Seal is proudly displayed on thousands of devices and assemblies throughout North America.

ASSE International's Product Certification Program is accredited to ISO 17065, an internationally recognized standard used for certification bodies around the world, by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) in the U.S. and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) in Canada. Compliance with ISO 17065 means that:

• We safeguard impartiality in our process by empowering a group of individuals to report to ANAB or SCC if they feel we operate impartially
• Certification of any product to ASSE standards requires a technical evaluation of the product and then a review by the Seal Control Board. There are no manufacturer representatives on the Seal Control Board.
• There is an annual audit of every client factory. Audits are carried out in compliance with ISO 17020. Products in new factories cannot be certified unless the factory has been successfully audited.
• There is an annual audit of every certified laboratory. Audits are carried out in compliance with ISO 17025.
• All complaints are addressed and communicated to upper management and affected clients.

Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), International Plumbing Code (IPC), and National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC). With the cASSE Seal, manufacturers can demonstrate that their products have gone through a single, rigorous, bi-national process accredited by ANAB and SCC.

ASSE's laboratory evaluation process includes rigorous tests, decided by industry consensus, which vary based on the product type and standard to be certified. ASSE procedures require laboratories to be in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.

After a product is certified, the manufacturer isn't off the hook – the listing must be renewed annually, and the quality system of the manufacturing source / factory must be inspected for continued compliance every year. The product itself is retested every five years.

ASSE is accredited to certify products to a variety of standards from across the industry, including ASME, AWWA, CSA, NSF, and of course, ASSE. To reduce the time and money associated with using multiple certification bodies, ASSE’s expanded testing capabilities means that both new and existing clients can consolidate all of their certifications, to multiple industry standards, under one umbrella – ASSE International.

The ASSE Seal Control Board is the consensus, volunteer review panel that grants or denies ASSE approvals. Board membership consists of a cross-section of the entire plumbing industry and is made up inspectors, contractors, manufacturers, engineers and general interest members. Since the board is composed of volunteers with balanced interests, no one interest group is allowed to dominate the process.

Also, ASSE has a volunteer-based Impartiality Committee that regularly reviews our internal certification activities to ensure that we issue certification in an impartial manner. Reports are given to upper management. However, if the Impartiality Committee believes that ASSE is not appropriately acting in an impartial manner, members are empowered to report any issues to ANAB or SCC.

In the domain of backflow prevention, ASSE is seen as a leader in the industry for its rigorous product certification and industry-leading professional certification for backflow prevention testers, repairers, surveyors, and administrators.

ASSE product performance standards, which serve as the basis for much of ASSE's certification activities, are developed under the ANAB-accredited process of openness, balance, due process, and consensus. This means that experts from all segments of the industry, from across the country, gather to determine the minimum performance requirements for products. Together, engineers who design products, plumbers who install and repair products, officials who enforce plumbing regulations, and educators who teach our nation’s plumbers join together to offer their expertise and collectively reach consensus on product requirements.

ASSE offers two backflow certification tracks to meet the requirements of jurisdictions. In addition to the nationally recognized ASSE Seal, ASSE also offers a separate 1YT certification mark for manufacturers who have successfully completed a one-year field evaluation, in addition to ASSE's rigorous laboratory evaluation.