Yes, registration must be periodically renewed. The process basically consists of ongoing surveillance audits at 6-12 month intervals. Some accredited registrars require a complete reassessment every three years and issue a new certificate stating an additional three-year period of registration that is contiguous with the prior period. Surveillance frequency may be extended to every 12 months in this case. Registrations issued under this arrangement most often will not have an expiration date, implying that the registration is valid unless revoked.
Some registrars offer the choice of either surveillance audit method to their clients.
It is important to note that there are several degrees of nonconformities. Typically, these are minor and major non-conformities and possibly observations. An observation is just that - an observation. It is not a violation of the criteria. It is typically an identification that there may be a better way to monitor a process or document a procedure.