Think of a startup with twelve people, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Everyone cares about security, yet no one holds “compliance manager” as a job title. Then, a prospective enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
Where do you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. A handful of choices decides what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Define the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
SOC 2 measures controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. The criteria cover Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Security is the one required category. Include the remaining areas only when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. If a startup is running a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone may work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Before collecting evidence, map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. A broader scope brings additional work, though not always a more useful report.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
There are two reporting options for anyone searching for how to get SOC 2 certified. Type 1 evaluates the design of controls as of a specified date. Type 2 goes further, evaluating design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, provided the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification starts with an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 is not a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Before paying for either examination, verify your customer’s requirements.
Begin With Day-to-Day Security Basics
When security controls are connected to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. Good first steps include enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up 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. Policies must describe what employees actually do. When nobody follows it, even a well-written procedure provides limited value.
Collect Evidence as You Go
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. You may be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding these records months later is much harder than gathering them as activities occur. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist helps small teams manage this work.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be given read-only access.
Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
What SOC 2 produces is technically an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm carries out the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audits are a separate cost. Get an auditor’s quote that reflects your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security activities. Things keep changing: people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers arrive. It matters that your controls stay relevant.
Make sure responsibilities are clearly assigned, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed regularly against reality. For a growing startup, that discipline will make future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.