“MTC available” is not a complete document requirement for a steel order. BSSA and SSAB's inspection-document guide explain that EN 10204 identifies types of inspection document. Types 3.1 and 3.2 both report specific inspection results; the difference is who validates them. BVM editorial guide, 14 October 2026. EN 10204 defines the document type, not the steel grade or product specification.
The practical distinction
For 3.1, the manufacturer's authorized inspection representative, independent of production, validates the certificate. For 3.2, that representative and either the purchaser's authorized inspection representative or an inspector designated by official regulations validate it. Both relate to specific inspection results. Type 3.2 does not, by itself, prescribe a universally higher set of tests: the product specification and purchase requirements determine the tests and acceptance limits. BSSA stresses that the certificate type and steel product standard must be specified separately.
Receiving checklist
Match the document to the actual delivery: manufacturer and order reference; grade and product standard; dimensions and quantity; heat or batch identification; required chemical and mechanical results; issue date; and the correct validating representatives. Where material is cut or split, retain a traceable link to the original batch and document. SSAB lists the typical certificate fields, while noting that the product standard determines the particulars.
Specify it at ordering stage
State the grade, product standard and edition, dimensions, delivery condition, EN 10204 document type and any project-specific tests. For a 3.2 document, agree on inspection participation and timing before production or dispatch. Do not assume an existing 3.1 document can simply be relabelled 3.2 after inspections are complete. Sources: BSSA; SSAB. Cover: BVM illustration using Site-owned assets, not a photograph of a certified batch.
