Fees & Costs
Certification Fees & Costs
PCO’s Certification Services and Fees Guide makes it easier to understand and estimate your annual certification costs. Our goal is simple: fewer surprises, clearer expectations, and a more equitable approach to pricing.
PCO Certification Services and Fees Guide
The guide separates your costs into two groups.
Services reflect the certification requirements and choices of your business.
Fees generally arise from administrative, compliance, or other circumstances that require additional work.
Renewing clients receive one invoice for their annual Certification Service, typically sent in February after the Annual Update is submitted. New applicants are billed after application screening, and payment must be received before application review. Inspection costs are billed separately after your inspection, so everything is easy to track.
Most of what you need throughout the year is included in your annual Certification Service.
For exact amounts, see our Certification Services and Fees Guide linked below!
Services
Certification Services
1
Your annual Certification Service starts with an amount based on your gross organic sales. Additional services that apply to your operation are added to that amount:
Gross organic sales: based on your organic sales from the previous calendar year. Some operations, such as brokers and service businesses, report sales differently, so see the guide for details.
Additional scopes: operations certified for Livestock or Processor/Handler pay an added amount for each scope, covering the extra time, paperwork, and reviewer expertise. The crop scope is included in the annual service fee.
Optional additional services: such as an additional Organic System Plan, international export verification, or the Organic Plus Trust Grass-Fed Program, added when they apply.
Your Certification Service includes:
Review of your certification documents for compliance with the regulations
Non-expedited mid-year changes, label and product reviews, material reviews, and standard export certificates
The PCO certification manual, material list, newsletter, and educational events and materials
Direct access to certification specialists by phone, mail, or email
New applicants also pay a one-time New Applicant Fee, which covers application processing.
Affiliate Poultry Certification Program: Qualified PCO Certified vertically integrated poultry handlers with affiliated farms may be eligible for our Affiliate Poultry Certification Program. The handler pays all certification costs for itself and its affiliate farms. Contact PCO to see if you qualify.
Inspection Services
2
Other Fees
Annual inspections are required. The cost covers the inspector’s preparation, onsite time, and report writing, plus travel time and expenses such as mileage, lodging, and meals. The price varies by year based on the operation’s complexity (size, scopes, products, open compliance issues) and whether PCO can group the inspection with others nearby. Scheduling promptly and having your records organized and ready can lower the price. Use the inspection estimate in the guide to budget.
Large or high-risk operations may need more than one inspector.
Operations pay for extra inspections outside the annual inspection, such as adding fields, sites, or facilities, or confirming compliance when forms or records are incomplete.
Unannounced inspections and residue testing are usually free. They may be charged if a Settlement Agreement requires them, added oversight is needed, or compliance could not be shown at a past inspection. Elevated Compliance Oversight Fees may also apply.
PCO may use a third-party inspector, with all costs billed to the operation.
Refusing an inspection, or canceling with less than 5 days’ notice, results in the Inspection Refusal or Cancellation fee. This includes, but is not limited to, not responding to scheduling requests, violating PCO’s Code of Conduct, or not cooperating.
Expedited Services (Optional)
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If you need a faster review, Expedited Services are available for applications, scope or site additions, label and product reviews, export certificates, and material reviews. You choose whether to use them. They are billed in addition to your Certification Service and do not guarantee approval.
Fees are not part of a typical certification year. They apply only when a situation needs extra administrative or compliance work, such as a missed deadline, a late payment, reinstatement, or oversight beyond the regular certification process. The guide outlines our fees so you know what to expect.
Discounts and Funding Resources
Operations transferring from another certifying agency receive 20% off the New Applicant Fee and the first Certification Service invoice (up to $750 combined).
Certified operations can be reimbursed through the USDA Organic Certification Cost Share Program for up to 75% of certification costs, up to $750 per scope per year. Apply through your local FSA office.
PCO Certification Services and Fee Guide
Terms & Conditions
✓A late submission of the Annual Update after the deadline will result in a late fee.
✓If the certification hasn’t been surrendered before invoicing, the renewal fee will apply.
✓All fees are non-refundable once they’ve been billed.