---
title: "Mill Test Certificates — EN 10204 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2 Explained"
description: "EN 10204 certificate types 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 explained: who issues and validates each, what a 3.1 must contain, and how traceability survives cutting."
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![Mill test certificates](/images/uploads/2d8ab431-8e85-46c2-8568-71eda52138d2/mill-test-certificates-service-steel-bundle-identification-tag-1920x1080.jpg)

Category

# Mill test certificates

Mill test certificates: EN 10204 types, what they contain, and traceability

A mill test certificate documents that a delivered batch of steel meets its ordered specification. EN 10204 defines four types of inspection document — the difference between them is who tested the material, whether the results come from the actual delivered lot, and who independently validates them. The certificate belongs to the material, not to any operation performed on it afterwards, which is why every other service on this site defers to this page. This page covers the four types, what a 3.1 or 3.2 must contain, and the traceability questions buyers actually run into: cut material, resellers, and requests made after delivery.

## What drives the price

- Certificate type requested
- Specific vs non-specific testing
- Third-party inspection involvement
- Number of heats in the order
- Urgency of reissue or retrieval

## What to send for a quote

- Grade or material number
- Heat or cast number, if known
- Delivery note reference
- Order reference
- Which certificate type is required

## EN 10204 certificate types

EN 10204

| 2.1 | none · manufacturer | Standard-defined |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 | Non-specific test results · manufacturer | Standard-defined |  |
| 3.1 | specific · manufacturer · Validated by the manufacturer's own representative, independent of the production department | Standard-defined |  |
| 3.2 | specific · manufacturer · Validated by the manufacturer's representative AND an independent inspector or the buyer's representative | Standard-defined |  |

3.1 is the usual buyer default in steel procurement.

## What a 3.1 or 3.2 certificate must contain

- Heat (cast) number
- Chemical composition (product/ladle analysis)
- Mechanical test results applicable to the product standard — for example tensile strength, yield, elongation or hardness
- Delivery condition, such as the heat-treatment state

These apply to specific-inspection documents — types 3.1 and 3.2. A 2.1 carries no test data and a 2.2 carries results not tied to your specific lot.

Standard-defined

## Certificates from stockholders and distributors

A stockholder can pass through the original mill's unaltered 3.1 certificate for material it resells.

A stockholder cannot issue its own 3.1 for material it did not melt and test — only the original manufacturer can.

Indicative

## Traceability after cutting or splitting

The heat number must be transferred onto every cut piece before the original marking is removed, so each piece stays linked to the certificate covering its heat.

Indicative

## Requesting a certificate after delivery

A mill can reissue a certificate it already produced but did not ship with the material.

New specific-inspection results generally cannot be created after the fact for material that was shipped without testing.

Indicative

## Services

What are the EN 10204 certificate types and how do they differ?

EN 10204 defines four inspection document types. A 2.1 is a declaration of compliance issued by the manufacturer with no test results. A 2.2 is a test report — compliance plus test results, but from non-specific inspection, not necessarily the lot you received. A 3.1 is an inspection certificate with results of specific inspection on your delivered lot, validated by the manufacturer's own representative independent of production. A 3.2 adds a second, independent sign-off — either an outside inspector or your own representative — on top of the same specific-inspection results.

What is the difference between a 3.1 and a 3.2 certificate?

Both 3.1 and 3.2 carry specific inspection results — actual test data from the lot you were supplied, not generic production figures. The difference is who validates them. A 3.1 is validated once, by the manufacturer's own authorized representative, who must be independent of the manufacturing department — typically the quality department, not production. A 3.2 is validated twice: by that same manufacturer's representative, and additionally by an independent third-party inspector or by your own authorized representative. That second, independent signature is what 3.2 buys — most buyers who get this wrong assume 3.2 means better material; it means the same material with an extra independent witness.

What is the difference between a 2.1 and a 2.2 document?

A 2.1 is a plain statement that the delivery complies with the order — no test data attached. A 2.2 adds test results, but they come from non-specific inspection: figures the manufacturer holds from its production process, not necessarily generated on the specific lot in front of you. Neither is tied to your delivered material the way a 3.1 or 3.2 is, which is why steel procurement defaults to 3.1 whenever traceability matters.

What must a 3.1 certificate actually contain?

A 3.1 or 3.2 certificate states the heat (cast) number, the chemical composition from the product or ladle analysis, the mechanical test results relevant to the product standard — for example tensile strength, yield, elongation or hardness — and the delivery condition, such as the heat-treatment state. A 2.1 or 2.2 does not carry this level of detail: a 2.1 has no test data at all, and a 2.2's data is not tied to your specific lot.

Which certificate type do most steel buyers need?

3.1 is the usual buyer default in steel procurement — it is the lowest type that ties actual test results to the material you actually received, validated independently of the people who made it. Ask for 3.2 only when your project or client specifically requires the additional independent sign-off; it is not a routine upgrade.

Can a certificate be obtained after delivery?

Certificates are normally supplied with the shipment, and that is the point at which to ask if one is missing. A mill can reissue a certificate it already produced but did not send with the material — that is routine. What is generally not possible is creating genuinely new specific-inspection results after the fact for material that was shipped without testing; the practical fallback there is an independent lab testing retained samples from the same heat, not a certificate conjured after the fact.

If my order is cut into several pieces, does one certificate cover them all?

Yes, one certificate can cover several pieces cut from the same heat, provided the heat number is carried onto every piece before the original marking is removed. The certificate is tied to the heat, not to the piece — so what actually determines whether traceability survives the cut is the marking, not the paperwork.

How is traceability maintained once material is cut or marked?

Traceability rests on marking, not on the certificate alone. When heat-marked material is cut, the heat number has to be transferred onto every resulting piece before the original mark disappears with the offcut. Skip that step and a perfectly valid 3.1 certificate no longer proves anything about the piece in front of you, because nothing links the two anymore.

Can a stockholder issue a 3.1 certificate for material it did not melt?

A stockholder can pass through the original mill's 3.1 certificate unaltered when reselling material it holds in stock. What it cannot do is issue its own 3.1 for material it did not melt and test itself — a 3.1's specific-inspection results belong to the manufacturer that actually produced and tested that heat. If a reseller offers you a 3.1 it generated itself for material from another mill, ask where the original test data came from.

What do you need from me to supply the right certificate?

Send the grade or material number, the heat or cast number if you have it, your delivery note reference, your order reference, and which certificate type you need — 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 or 3.2. Those five things let a provider locate or produce the right document instead of guessing which one you mean.

What does a mill test certificate cost?

There is no industry-wide figure for what a mill test certificate costs — it depends on the certificate type, the inspection body involved, and whether third-party sign-off is required, and that varies by provider. Ask for the certificate cost as part of your quote rather than assuming it is included or a fixed add-on.

How long does it take to get a certificate?

No general lead time can be stated honestly for obtaining or reissuing a certificate — it depends on whether specific inspection or third-party validation is still outstanding, and that varies by provider and by how the request is handled. Ask for a committed date when you request the certificate.

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