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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Certification

Certification

Authenticating, tracing and protecting a work: all the certificates, titles, licences and labels issued by OIMAP.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 5 min read

Pages in this section

Panel (c. 1780–1840)OverviewPrinciples, process and fees: understand in a few pages how OIMAP certification works.› Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)Certificates of authenticityThe OIMAP certificate of authenticity establishes, through independent expertise and scientific analysis, that the work is indeed the one claimed.› Sweet Melancholy, Joseph-Marie Vien (1756)Provenance certificatesThe provenance certificate reconstructs and attests the chain of ownership of a work, from its creation to its current owner.› Prayer Niche (Mihrab) (c. 1500s or mid-1900s)Digital certificationsA time-stamped fingerprint and a token backed by the paper certificate to follow a work's history without ever separating it from its file.› Miniature Teapot, Mikhail Evlampievich Perkhin (1886–96)Conservation reportsThe condition of a work, certified and dated: examination, restoration recommendations and insurance value in a single document.› Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)Request a certificationCreate an account, submit a case, follow its progress: everything is done online at the OIMAP Desk.› Letter Box, Ogata Kōrin (1700s)Registration of a workEntering a work in the OIMAP Registry: unique number, certified description and work passport, first step of any certification.› The Calumny of Apelles, Giorgio Ghisi (1560)Title of ownershipOfficial recognition of ownership of a work by OIMAP, enforceable against third parties in Member States once published in the Registry.› Boating in Moonlight (1600s)Import and export licenceAuthorisation for the cross-border movement of a work, in conformity with the 1970 UNESCO and 1995 UNIDROIT conventions.› Vanity Case (Nécessaire) (c. 1760)Sales approvalThe compliance check carried out before a public or private sale: due diligence, BIOP, provenance and authenticity verified before the hammer falls.› Portrait of a Woman, Anna Claypoole Peale (1820)Accredited expertsThe network of 360 independent experts who examine works: accreditation, specialties, ethics and public directory.› Annunciation to the Shepherds: Leaf from a Book of Hours (1 of 6 Excised Leaves), Henri d'Orquevaulx (c. 1420–30)Partner laboratoriesThe network of 24 laboratories that carry out the scientific analyses of cases: spectroscopy, dating and imaging.› The Triumph of Mordecai, Lucas van Leyden (1515)Verify a certificateCheck the authenticity of an OIMAP certificate free of charge: by number, by QR code, or report a fake.› Solidus of Justinian I (c. 545–65)Conformity labelThe OIMAP label distinguishes galleries, auction houses and collectors that respect the twelve criteria of due diligence.› Dr. James Stuart; Mary Campbell Stuart, Gilbert Stuart (c. 1815)Directive No. 2019-07The protocol for authenticating cultural property: five titles and twenty-four articles that set the common method of certification.›

One work, one verifiable identity

Fragment of a Border with Standing and Seated Birds Amidst Vegetation (1500s)
Fragment of a Border with Standing and Seated Birds Amidst Vegetation (1500s)

Certifying a work with OIMAP gives it an identity that any buyer, museum or customs service in the 67 Member States can verify in seconds.

The Certification section brings together every act issued by the Desk: registration in the Registry, certificates of authenticity and provenance, title of ownership, import and export licences, sales approval, conservation reports, digital certification and the conformity label.

Every act rests on the same method: an independent accredited expert, proportionate scientific analyses, a reasoned opinion from the committee and an entry in the OIMAP Registry.

  • Authenticity
  • Provenance
  • Ownership
  • Circulation
  • Conservation

Certification in figures

12,847Certifications issued
360Accredited experts
24Partner laboratories
67States recognising the certificates

Source: OIMAP Observatory, 2024 annual report.

A common framework for 67 States

One method, recognised everywhere.

The rules of certification are set by the 2019 OIMAP Directives and, in particular, by Directive No. 2019-07, which describes the protocol for authenticating cultural property.

This common base has a very concrete effect: a certificate issued in Nairobi is read the same way in Geneva or Singapore. Member States mutually recognise OIMAP certificates, which removes redundant expert assessments and secures transactions.

The acts of certification

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)ExpertiseCertificates of authenticity

Establishes that the work is indeed by the artist, workshop or period stated.

›Portrait of Sandford Peacocke, William Wood (1801)TraceabilityProvenance certificates

Reconstructs the chain of ownership from creation to the current owner.

›Seal Color Box (1662–1722)LawTitle of ownership

Official recognition of ownership, enforceable in the Member States.

›Portfolio I, Plate 34: The Blanket Weaver-Navaho, Edward S. Curtis (1904)CirculationImport and export licence

Authorises cross-border movement in accordance with the conventions.

›Compass and Sun Dial (1700–1750)ConditionConservation reports

Condition of the work, restoration and insurance value.

›Portrait of a Man, Nicholas Freese (c. 1795–1800)DigitalDigital certifications

Time-stamped fingerprint and token backed by the paper certificate.

›
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Centerpiece, Eugène Rousseau (c. 1880)
Centerpiece, Eugène Rousseau (c. 1880)
Leaf from a Psalter and Prayerbook: Calendar Page with Labors (recto) (c. 1524)
Leaf from a Psalter and Prayerbook: Calendar Page with Labors (recto) (c. 1524)

The course of an application

  1. Register the work10 days

    Create an account at the Desk and enter the work in the Registry: description, photographs, known history.

  2. Choose the act1 day

    Authenticity, provenance, ownership, conservation… the Desk directs you to the relevant acts.

  3. Expertise and analyses2 to 6 weeks

    An accredited expert is appointed; laboratory analyses are carried out if necessary.

  4. Committee opinion1 week

    The certification committee examines the expert's reasoned opinion and decides.

  5. Issuance and registration2 days

    The certificate is signed, sealed, given a QR code and entered in the Registry.

Documents, timeframes and validity

The acts of the OIMAP Desk
DocumentTimeframeValidity
Registration and work passport10 daysPermanent, updated with every event
Certificate of authenticity4 to 8 weeksUnlimited, unless new facts emerge
Provenance certificate3 to 6 weeksUnlimited, unless new facts emerge
Title of ownership15 daysPermanent, enforceable after 30 days
Import and export licence10 to 20 days6 months
Sales approval5 days90 days
Conservation report2 to 4 weeks5 years
Digital certification7 daysPermanent
Conformity label30 days3 years, renewable

Timeframes run from a complete file. See the Prices page.

Certifications issued in 2024, by family

Authenticity8,420
Provenance2,180
Digital1,247
Conservation640

Source: OIMAP Observatory, 2024 annual report.

Paper certificate or digital certification

Carnet (1863–1865)

Paper certificate

Signed, sealed document with QR code
  • Recognised by all auction houses
  • Issued with the work passport
  • Verifiable by number or QR code

Essential for a sale, a loan or a shipment.

Portrait of Georges Arnold Fitzwilliam, Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Mémin (c. 1790–1852)

Digital certification

Fingerprint anchored on a distributed ledger
  • Issued in 7 days
  • Time-stamped and tamper-proof
  • Backed by the paper certificate, never replacing it

Useful for tracking the history of transactions.

Key milestones of OIMAP certification

  1. Creation of the Registry

    The 23 founding States create the OIMAP Registry and the first certificates.

  2. Network of experts

    First cohort of accredited experts and first code of ethics.

  3. Directive No. 2019-07

    The authentication protocol becomes mandatory for all Member States.

  4. Digital certification

    Launch of the time-stamped fingerprint and the backed token.

  5. 12,847 certifications

    The network counts 360 experts and 24 partner laboratories.

Key point

Seal of Doge Michele Steno (reverse) (1400–1409)
Seal of Doge Michele Steno (reverse) (1400–1409)
Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum (lid) (late 1800s-early 1900s)
Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum (lid) (late 1800s-early 1900s)
Portrait Head of a Noble or Official (175–200 CE)
Portrait Head of a Noble or Official (175–200 CE)

The certification committee

Dr. Amara N'DiayeCommittee chair

Specialist in 19th-century painting, former curator at the national museum in Dakar.

Prof. Hiroshi TanabeMember, graphic arts

Professor of the history of printmaking, head of the partner laboratories programme.

Dr. Lucía FerrerMember, decorative arts

Expert in European furniture and silverware from the 17th to the 19th century.

The method in one sentence

Teapot with Landscape and Imperial Poem, Chen Hanwen (1762–95)
« A good certificate does not only say what a work is: it says how we know. »
Dr. Amara N'Diaye, chair of the certification committee

Before opening a case

Gather these items to speed up the admissibility check:

Depending on your profile

Collector

Have your works registered and certified before any sale, donation or transfer.

  • Keep invoices and expert reports without time limit
  • Request a conservation report every 5 years

Auction house

Require a valid certificate and a sales approval before listing a lot in the catalogue.

Museum or institution

Benefit from the 30% reduced rate and priority handling of cases for acquisitions and international loans.

A few useful terms

Provenance
Chain of ownership of a work, from its creation to the present day.
Work passport
Unique digital identity gathering certificates, owners and expert reports.
OIMAP Registry
Official database where works, certificates and titles are recorded.
BIOP
International database of protected works, which records thefts and losses.

Frequently asked questions

Is a certificate valid in all Member States?

Yes. Mutual recognition applies in the 67 Member States, subject to national export rules.

Can I have a work certified without moving it?

Yes, for visual examination and imaging. Some laboratory analyses require a sample or a supervised transfer.

What happens if the opinion is unfavourable?

The opinion is reasoned in writing. You may request a review within 30 days, then refer the matter to the Arbitral Tribunal.

How much does a certification cost?

Prices depend on the act and the analyses. See the Prices page.

Useful documents

Contact us

The Doge's Palace, Venice, Richard Parkes Bonington (1826)
The Doge's Palace, Venice, Richard Parkes Bonington (1826)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Open a case

Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne the Younger, Elisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun (1774)

Ready to have a work certified? Open a case at the OIMAP Desk.

Request a certification
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