With twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and an expanding customer base, your startup is off to a good start. No one on the team has “compliance manager” in their job title, although security matters. Then a would-be enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
Where do you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. What matters is to make a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Start by Deciding What Your First Audit Will Cover
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria serve as the standard that SOC 2 assesses controls against. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the categories they cover. Every report must include Security. Include the remaining areas only when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be mapped out before anyone starts collecting evidence. More scope means extra work, though not always 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. At a specified date, Type 1 examines the design of controls. Type 2 examines those controls’ design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a useful first step, as long as the customer accepts it.
Anyone exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification should expect an observation period, typically three to twelve months, and then an independent examination. Type 2 doesn’t require a Type 1 report first. Make sure you know what your customer requires before you pay for either examination.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable when security controls are linked to everyday business activities. Consider enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Developers should retain evidence of production changes and approvals. Leadership should document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. What employees actually do must be reflected in your policies. A polished procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is what lies at the core of SOC 2 for saas companies. You might be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Reconstructing these records months later is far harder than collecting them as activities occur. With 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. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
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. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, which can help prepare and organize evidence.
CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate cost. An auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period should come first.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security activities. Over time, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. It matters that your controls stay relevant.
Set clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and regularly review whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, keeping this up will make future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.
