Your startup has twelve people, a live SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Security matters, but nobody holds “compliance manager” in their job title. A potential enterprise customer next requests a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. The real first step is to make a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Decide What Your First SOC 2 Audit Should Cover
SOC 2 measures controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Every report must include Security. The other areas are added when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. If a startup is running a straightforward business application, starting with Security alone may be enough, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be mapped out before collecting evidence. A broader scope brings extra work, though not always a more useful report.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
There are two reporting options for anyone searching for how to get SOC 2 certified. Type 1 looks at the design of controls as of a specified date. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both their design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, provided the customer accepts it.
For businesses researching how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, usually three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You do not have to complete Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Start With Everyday Security Gaps
Connecting security controls to ordinary business activities makes SOC 2 preparation more manageable. For instance, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, create a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions regularly.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals inside the engineering team. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by leadership. Policies must reflect what employees actually do. A beautifully written procedure offers limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before Problems Start
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 harder than collecting them as activities occur. CertAssist helps small teams structure this work through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Teams add evidence themselves and can provide auditors with read-only access.
Know What the Independent Audit Requires
What SOC 2 produces is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. Software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it can’t replace the independent auditor.
On the software side, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate expense. Request an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
Keep Compliance Sustainable After the First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security work. Your operations keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. It matters that your controls remain relevant.
Make sure each responsibility has a clear owner, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed periodically against reality. As your startup grows, that discipline makes future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.