Your startup counts twelve team members, a working SaaS product, and a steadily growing customer base. Security matters to everyone, yet nobody has “compliance manager” as a job title. One day, a potential enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
What do you do next?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step isn’t to collect dozens of policies straight away. Instead, start by making a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Start by Defining Your Audit Scope
SOC 2 measures controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Security is required. The other categories are added when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. Provided that scope meets customer expectations, a startup with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
Before you collect any evidence, identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. More scope means extra work, but not necessarily a more useful report.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
Anyone asking how to get SOC 2 certified quickly finds two reporting options. Type 1 examines the design of controls at a specified date. Over a defined period, Type 2 examines both their design and operating effectiveness. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, assuming the customer accepts it.
For businesses researching how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, usually three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 isn’t a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
If security controls are tied to everyday business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. A sensible place to start is enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals within the development team. Document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the leadership level. Draft policies that reflect what employees actually do. When nobody follows it, even a well-written procedure offers limited value.
Collect Evidence as You Go
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor could request records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding these records months later is far harder than gathering them as activities occur. CertAssist supports small teams manage this work through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
The platform does not require direct integrations with company systems. Evidence is uploaded by the team, and auditors can be provided with read-only access.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
Strictly speaking, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. The independent auditor cannot be replaced by compliance software, though it helps prepare and organize evidence.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are separate. An auditor’s quote reflecting your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.
What Happens After Your First SOC 2 Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security activities. Over time, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Your controls need to stay relevant.
Define clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, that discipline makes future examinations easier while supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.