Observe · Regulate · Protect — since 2007. 19th OIMAP General Assembly: Singapore, 10–12 June 2026. Programme
OIMAP
OIMAP
International Organisation
for the Art Market and Heritage
24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Certification

Conformity label

The OIMAP label distinguishes galleries, auction houses and collectors that respect the twelve criteria of due diligence.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

Pages in this section

Coin of Eukratides I (170–145 BCE)CriteriaThe twelve criteria of the conformity label: content, evidence expected and assessment levels.› Tetradrachm: Owl, Crescent Moon, Olive Branch (reverse) (480–449 BCE)ApplicationApplying for the conformity label: file, audit on documents and on site, decision and renewal.› Leopard d'Or of Edward III of England (1327–1377)Label holdersThe organisations labelled by OIMAP: distribution, follow-up, suspensions and withdrawals.›

A verified sign of trust

Sweet Melancholy, Joseph-Marie Vien (1756)
Sweet Melancholy, Joseph-Marie Vien (1756)

The OIMAP conformity label distinguishes professionals and collectors who apply, every day, the rules of due diligence. It is not a mere logo: it presupposes an audit, a written commitment and regular monitoring.

It is addressed to galleries, auction houses, dealers, advisers, but also to collectors who wish to attest to the rigour of their management. It is issued for three years, renewable, for an indicative €1,200 excl. VAT per year.

412 organisations in 51 States hold it. Their list is public, and the label may be withdrawn in case of breach.

  • 12 criteria
  • Audit
  • 3 years
  • Public list

The label in figures

412holders
51States
12criteria
€1,200per year, indicative excl. VAT

Source: OIMAP Observatory, 2024.

Three pages to understand

Noble: Henry VI in Ship with Shield of Arms (obverse); Ornamental Cross with Lis Terminals (reverse) (1422–61)RequirementsCriteria

The twelve criteria in detail and their assessment.

›Dragon Fly Brooch, René Lalique (c. 1900–1910)ProcedureApplication

File, audit, decision and renewal.

›Medal of Claude Joseph Rouget de L'Isle (1760-1836), Alfred Borrel (1911)DirectoryLabel holders

The labelled organisations and the follow-up of withdrawals.

›

Why a label

The art market rests on trust, but trust is hard to verify from outside. The label offers a simple reference point: a buyer or seller who sees the OIMAP mention knows the organisation has been audited on twelve precise points.

For the holder, it is also a concrete advantage: priority processing of cases, simplified sales approval, presence in the directory and recognition by insurers and banks.

Letter Box, Ogata Kōrin (1700s)
Letter Box, Ogata Kōrin (1700s)
Portrait of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga di Ròdigo, 1443–1496, Lord of Sabbionetta (reverse), Antico (1479)
Portrait of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga di Ròdigo, 1443–1496, Lord of Sabbionetta (reverse), Antico (1479)
Pendant (1900s)
Pendant (1900s)

The advantages of the label

What the label brings
AdvantageDetails
Simplified sales approvalLighter checking of lots
Priority processingProcessing time halved
Public directoryVisibility to buyers
RecognitionTaken into account by partner insurers and banks
TrainingAccess to OIMAP Academy sessions

From application to label

  1. Application

    Compliance file and written commitments.

  2. Audit on documents

    Examination of procedures and a sample of files.

  3. Audit on site

    Visit by an independent auditor.

  4. Decision

    The label committee grants or refuses.

  5. Follow-up

    Random checks and renewal every three years.

A label that can be lost

Labelled or unlabelled organisation

Medal Commemorating Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819) and the Battle of Lake Erie, Moritz Fürst (1813)

Labelled

Audit and checking
  • Twelve criteria verified
  • OIMAP mention
  • Listed in the directory

Justified trust.

Seal of Doge Michele Steno (reverse) (1400–1409)

Unlabelled

No audit
  • No systematic checking
  • No mention
  • Liability to be assessed

Nothing proves rigour.

Holders by type of organisation

Galleries168
Auction houses96
Dealers and advisers87
Collectors61

412 organisations. Source: OIMAP Observatory (indicative).

History of the label

  1. Due diligence charter

    First voluntary commitments.

  2. Creation of the label

    Twelve criteria and audit.

  3. First holders

    One hundred labelled organisations.

  4. 412 holders

    Presence in 51 States.

Provincial Coin: Head of Antoninus Pius (obverse); Apollo Sauroktonos (reverse) (138–161 CE)
Provincial Coin: Head of Antoninus Pius (obverse); Apollo Sauroktonos (reverse) (138–161 CE)
Spiral Ring with Isis and Serapis (1–100 CE)
Spiral Ring with Isis and Serapis (1–100 CE)
Portrait of John VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (obverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)
Portrait of John VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Constantinople, 1424-1428 (obverse), Pisanello (c. 1438–1439)

Why do it

Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)
« The label does not make a professional honest. It makes their honesty verifiable. »
Dr. Amara N'Diaye, chair of the certification committee

Vocabulary of the label

Conformity label
Distinction awarded after an audit.
Audit on documents
Examination of documents and files.
Audit on site
Visit by an independent auditor.
Retrieval
End of the label by reasoned decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is the label mandatory?

No, it is voluntary.

How long does the procedure last?

About thirty days for processing, plus the time to prepare the audit.

Can a collector obtain it?

Yes, if their management meets the criteria.

What happens in case of refusal?

The reasons are communicated; a new application is possible after six months.

Useful documents

Contacts

A Palace with an Arched Bridge (A Roman Villa), Hubert Robert (1760)
A Palace with an Arched Bridge (A Roman Villa), Hubert Robert (1760)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Discover the criteria

Coin of Kushan King Vasudeva I (c. 142/145+)

Start with the twelve criteria.

See the criteria
Image credits (22)
▲