Last-Minute Cyber Essentials: Getting Certified Before Your Deadline

You have just received a tender document, a client email, or a contract clause that requires Cyber Essentials certification. The deadline is days away - possibly tomorrow. Can you still get certified in time?

In most cases, yes. Here is how.

Cyber Essentials certification can be achieved in a single working day. This is not a "fast track" add-on or a premium service - it is the standard process when you are prepared and use a certification body that offers same-day assessment.

With Fig:

• Purchase your Cyber Essentials certification before 12:00 midday
• Complete and submit the self-assessment questionnaire
• Receive your certificate the same working day

Fig provides structured feedback up to three times on your submission, so if there are minor gaps, you can correct and resubmit without waiting until the next day.

Do not purchase your certification until you are confident you can pass. Failing and having to remediate will cost you time you do not have. Spend 30 minutes checking the following:

MFA on all accounts - Under v3.3, every user account accessing organisational data must have MFA enabled. This is the single most common failure point. Check Microsoft 365 admin centre, Google Workspace admin, and any other cloud platforms.

Software updates - Every device in scope must be running supported software with security patches applied within 14 days. Quick check: are all operating systems supported? Are browsers up to date?

Firewall configuration - Is your router's default password changed? Are unnecessary ports closed? Is the admin interface not accessible from the internet?

User accounts - Does everyone have their own account? Are admin privileges limited to those who need them? Are there any shared accounts that need converting to individual accounts?

Malware protection - Is anti-malware software installed and up to date on all devices? Or are you using application allow-listing?

If you can answer yes to all of these, you are ready to certify. If not, fix the gaps first - most can be resolved in under an hour.

08:00-09:00 - Run the readiness checker and fix any gaps

09:00-09:15 - Purchase your Cyber Essentials certification at Fig's pricing page

09:15-11:00 - Complete the self-assessment questionnaire

11:00-11:30 - Review your answers and submit before midday

11:30-17:00 - Fig reviews your submission and provides feedback if needed

Before close of business - Certificate issued

This timeline is realistic for organisations with straightforward IT environments. Larger or more complex organisations may need more time for the questionnaire.

Cyber Essentials Plus requires a third-party technical audit and cannot be completed in a single day. The typical timeline is 1-3 working days after achieving Cyber Essentials.

If your deadline requires Plus specifically, contact us immediately to discuss scheduling. If the requirement says "Cyber Essentials" without specifying Plus, Cyber Essentials is sufficient and can be achieved same-day.

Submissions received after 12:00 midday are assessed the next working day. If your deadline is tomorrow, you need to submit today before midday.

If you are reading this in the afternoon and need certification tomorrow, spend this evening preparing: check your MFA deployment, verify your firewall settings, and gather the information you need for the questionnaire. Then purchase and submit first thing in the morning.

Urgency is not an excuse for inaccuracy. The self-assessment questionnaire requires truthful answers about your security controls. If you claim controls are in place when they are not, you risk:

• Having your certification revoked if audited
• Failing a subsequent Cyber Essentials Plus assessment
• Exposing your organisation to the very threats the controls are designed to prevent

If you genuinely do not meet the requirements, it is better to delay the tender response than to submit a fraudulent certification. Most procurement teams will accept a short delay if you can demonstrate certification is in progress.

If you need certification urgently:

1. Run the readiness checker now

2. Fix any gaps immediately

3. Purchase before midday tomorrow

4. Submit your questionnaire

5. Receive your certificate the same day

Purchase Cyber Essentials certification