FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR)
The new 21 CFR Part 820 (Quality Management System Regulation, QMSR) was published as a Final Rule on 31 January 2024 (89 FR 7496) and applies from 2 FEBRUARY 2026. It HARMONISES the FDA medical device quality system requirements with ISO 13485:2016 by INCORPORATING THAT STANDARD BY REFERENCE under §820.7 + retaining a small number of FDA-specific additions (§820.15 clarifications + §820.35 record controls including audit trail + UDI + reporting + §820.45 device labelling + packaging controls). The QMSR replaces the prior Quality System Regulation (QSR) which had its own elaborate structure (former §820.20 through §820.250 covering management responsibility + design controls + document control + purchasing + production + acceptance + CAPA + labelling + handling + records + servicing + statistical techniques). The QMSR applies to FINISHED MEDICAL DEVICES that are intended for human use + are subject to FDA registration + listing under section 510 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. STRUCTURE - the QMSR Final Rule has 7 substantive sections: §820.1 scope; §820.3 definitions; §820.7 incorporation by reference; §820.10 requirements for a quality management system (incorporating ISO 13485:2016 Sections 4-8); §820.15 clarification of concepts (FDA-specific clarifications + glossary harmonisation); §820.35 control of records (record retention + audit trail + UDI + medical-device reporting + corrections and removals records); §820.45 device labelling and packaging controls (FDA-specific). RELATED FRAMEWORKS: ISO 13485:2016 (incorporated by reference + COPYRIGHTED + NEEDS LICENSED COPY); EU MDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/745) + IVDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/746) parallel medical device + IVD regulations; FDA Part 11 (Electronic Records + Electronic Signatures) for computer system validation + audit trail records under §820.35; FDA Cybersecurity Premarket Guidance + Cures Act 524B for medical device software. The 2-YEAR TRANSITION PERIOD requires FDA-regulated medical device manufacturers to fully implement the harmonised QMSR by 2 February 2026 + the FDA has clarified that the transition does not require re-certification - existing QSR-compliant systems will be evaluated against QMSR during routine inspections after the application date.
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Framework Domains (7)
QMSR: Clarification of Concepts and Definitions (§820.15)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-820.15 | Clarification of concepts (§820.15) |
QMSR: Control of Records (§820.35) - Audit Trail, UDI, Reporting
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-820.35 | Control of records - record retention, audit trail, UDI, medical-device reporting (§820.35) |
QMSR: Coordination with ISO 13485:2016, EU MDR/IVDR, FDA Part 11
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-Coord-ISO13485-MDR-IVDR-Part11 | Coordination with ISO 13485:2016, EU MDR/IVDR, FDA Part 11, Cybersecurity Guidance |
QMSR: Device Labelling and Packaging Controls (§820.45)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-820.45 | Device labelling and packaging controls (§820.45) |
QMSR: Quality Management System Requirements (§820.10 incorporating ISO 13485:2016 Sec. 4-8)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-820.10 | Requirements for a Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016 Sections 4-8 incorporation (§820.10) |
| QMSR-ISO13485-Sec5 | Management responsibility (ISO 13485:2016 Section 5 - incorporated via §820.10) |
| QMSR-ISO13485-Sec6 | Resource management (ISO 13485:2016 Section 6 - incorporated via §820.10) |
| QMSR-ISO13485-Sec7_DesignControls | Product realization - Design and Development controls (ISO 13485:2016 Section 7.3) |
| QMSR-ISO13485-Sec7_Purchasing | Purchasing controls + supplier management (ISO 13485:2016 Section 7.4) |
| QMSR-ISO13485-Sec8 | Measurement, analysis and improvement (ISO 13485:2016 Section 8) |
QMSR: Scope, Definitions, Incorporation by Reference (§§820.1-820.7)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-820.1_3_7 | Scope, definitions and incorporation by reference (§§820.1, 820.3, 820.7) |
QMSR: Transition Plan from Prior QSR, FDA Inspection Approach, Status
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| QMSR-Status | FDA QMSR - corpus status, enforcement landscape, future evolution |
| QMSR-Transition | Transition from prior QSR + 2 February 2026 application + FDA inspection approach |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR), you already cover:
ICH E6(R3) - Good Clinical Practice
46%
6 controls mapped
Compare →SWIFT CSCF
38%
5 controls mapped
Compare →ISO 45001:2018
38%
5 controls mapped
Compare →+ 157 more: ISO 20000-1 (38%), ISO 14001 (38%)
See all 160 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 160 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR)?
FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) is a compliance framework from United States with 7 domains and 13 controls. The new 21 CFR Part 820 (Quality Management System Regulation, QMSR) was published as a Final Rule on 31 January 2024 (89 FR 7496) and applies from 2 FEBRUARY 2026. It HARMONISES the FDA medical device quality system requirements with ISO 13485:2016 by INCORPORATING THAT STANDARD BY REFERENCE under §820.7 + retaining a small number of FDA-specific additions (§820.15 clarifications + §820.35 record controls including audit trail + UDI + reporting + §820.45 device labelling + packaging controls). The QMSR replaces the prior Quality System Regulation (QSR) which had its own elaborate structure (former §820.20 through §820.250 covering management responsibility + design controls + document control + purchasing + production + acceptance + CAPA + labelling + handling + records + servicing + statistical techniques). The QMSR applies to FINISHED MEDICAL DEVICES that are intended for human use + are subject to FDA registration + listing under section 510 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. STRUCTURE - the QMSR Final Rule has 7 substantive sections: §820.1 scope; §820.3 definitions; §820.7 incorporation by reference; §820.10 requirements for a quality management system (incorporating ISO 13485:2016 Sections 4-8); §820.15 clarification of concepts (FDA-specific clarifications + glossary harmonisation); §820.35 control of records (record retention + audit trail + UDI + medical-device reporting + corrections and removals records); §820.45 device labelling and packaging controls (FDA-specific). RELATED FRAMEWORKS: ISO 13485:2016 (incorporated by reference + COPYRIGHTED + NEEDS LICENSED COPY); EU MDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/745) + IVDR (Regulation (EU) 2017/746) parallel medical device + IVD regulations; FDA Part 11 (Electronic Records + Electronic Signatures) for computer system validation + audit trail records under §820.35; FDA Cybersecurity Premarket Guidance + Cures Act 524B for medical device software. The 2-YEAR TRANSITION PERIOD requires FDA-regulated medical device manufacturers to fully implement the harmonised QMSR by 2 February 2026 + the FDA has clarified that the transition does not require re-certification - existing QSR-compliant systems will be evaluated against QMSR during routine inspections after the application date. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) have?
FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) has 13 controls organised across 7 domains. The largest domains are QMSR: Quality Management System Requirements (§820.10 incorporating ISO 13485:2016 Sec. 4-8) (6 controls), QMSR: Transition Plan from Prior QSR, FDA Inspection Approach, Status (2 controls), QMSR: Clarification of Concepts and Definitions (§820.15) (1 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) map to?
FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) maps to 160 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are ICH E6(R3) - Good Clinical Practice (46% coverage), SWIFT CSCF (38% coverage), ISO 45001:2018 (38% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with FDA Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) compliance?
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