Picture a startup with twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Everyone cares about security, yet nobody holds “compliance manager” in their job title. A prospective enterprise customer suddenly asks for a SOC 2 report.
Where do you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step isn’t to collect dozens of policies straight away. Instead, begin by making a few choices that determine what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria serve as the standard that SOC 2 assesses controls against. The criteria address Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Security is mandatory. The other categories are included when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup running a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be listed before anyone starts collecting evidence. An unnecessarily broad scope adds additional work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often find two reporting options. The design of controls at a specified date is what Type 1 evaluates. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates 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.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification starts with an observation period, typically three to twelve months, and ends with an independent examination. You don’t have to get Type 1 before Type 2. Before paying for either examination, confirm your customer’s requirements.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
Connecting security controls to everyday business activities makes SOC 2 preparation more manageable. Good first steps include enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be retained by engineering teams. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by management. What employees actually do must be described in the policies. If nobody follows it, even a well-written procedure has limited value.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may well ask 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. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams manage this work.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Teams upload evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
The outcome of SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, which helps prepare and organize evidence.
On the software side, CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Fees for the independent audit are separate. Ask for an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before budgeting.
What Comes After Your First SOC 2 Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls have to remain relevant.
Three habits help: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and periodically reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, that discipline will make future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.