IACS class status codes explained
The IACS Vessels in Class dataset uses five class statuses. Delivered, Reinstated and Reassigned mean the ship is in class; Suspended means class is temporarily invalid; Withdrawn means the society no longer classes the ship. Each status change can carry a reason, such as "Survey overdue" or "Transfer of class to a non-IACS society".
IACS class statuses
| Status | In class? | Ships | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivered | Yes | 46,063 | In class. The ship entered this society's class and has had no later suspension or withdrawal. |
| Reinstated | Yes | 3,381 | In class again after a suspension. |
| Reassigned | Yes | 1,382 | Class assigned again after a withdrawal or transfer. |
| Suspended | No | 575 | Class temporarily not valid until the society's requirements are met. |
| Withdrawn | No | 4,848 | No longer classed by this society. |
Delivered
The normal in-class status. The ship entered this society's class (typically on delivery as a newbuilding, or on transfer from another society) and no suspension or withdrawal has been recorded since. 46,063 ships (76.5% of the dataset) currently have this status.
Reinstated
Class was suspended at some point (for example for an overdue survey) and has since been reinstated once the society's requirements were met. The ship is in class. 3,381 ships (5.6% of the dataset) currently have this status.
Reassigned
The ship had class withdrawn or transferred and was later assigned class again. The ship is in class; the history is worth a look in due diligence. 1,382 ships (2.3% of the dataset) currently have this status.
Suspended
Class is temporarily invalid, most often because a survey is overdue or a condition of class was not dealt with in time. Until it is reinstated the ship should be treated as not in class, which typically matters for insurance, charter parties and port state control. 575 ships (1.0% of the dataset) currently have this status.
Withdrawn
The society no longer classes the ship. Reasons range from routine (transfer to another IACS member, sale for recycling) to red flags (transfer to a non-IACS society, non-compliance, owner's request with no new class). 4,848 ships (8.1% of the dataset) currently have this status.
Reasons for status changes
IACS records a reason with many status changes. These are all the reasons in the current dataset:
| Reason | Ships |
|---|---|
| by society for other reasons | 3,645 |
| Survey overdue | 1,589 |
| Transfer of class to another IACS member | 1,316 |
| Owner's request for other reasons | 644 |
| Transfer of class to a non-IACS society | 431 |
| Sold for recycling (scrap) | 266 |
| Non-compliance with conditions of class / recommendations | 178 |
| Casualty | 67 |
A reason describes the ship's latest status change, so it can appear alongside an in-class status (for example "Survey overdue" on a ship that was suspended and later reinstated).
Status in the API
Every record from /vessels includes status, reason_for_status and date_of_latest_status, so you can filter a fleet for suspended or withdrawn ships in one request:
{
"imo": 1000617,
"class": "LRS",
"status": "Withdrawn",
"reason_for_status": "Survey overdue",
"date_of_latest_status": "25/01/2025",
"date_of_next_survey": "30/12/2026"
}Check a whole fleet at once
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Get a free API keyFrequently asked questions
What does 'Delivered' mean in IACS class status?
It is the normal in-class status: the ship entered the society's class (typically on delivery as a newbuilding, or on transfer from another society) and has had no suspension or withdrawal since.
What is the difference between class suspended and class withdrawn?
Suspended means class is temporarily invalid, usually because of an overdue survey or an unmet condition of class, and can be reinstated. Withdrawn means the society no longer classes the ship at all.
Is a ship with Reinstated or Reassigned status in class?
Yes. Reinstated means class was restored after a suspension; Reassigned means class was assigned again after a withdrawal or transfer. Both are in-class statuses, though the history is worth reviewing in due diligence.
What does 'Transfer of class to a non-IACS society' mean?
The ship left an IACS member for a society outside IACS. It is recorded for 431 ships in the current dataset and is often treated as a risk indicator in vetting and sanctions screening.
How can I check a ship's IACS class status?
Enter its IMO number in the lookup on this page, or query up to 100 IMO numbers at once through the Vessel Class Finder API. Data comes from the IACS Vessels in Class dataset and is refreshed weekly.
Status meanings summarise how the statuses are used in the IACS dataset. Class certificates and the classification society's own records remain authoritative.