EN ISO 21043-5:2025

Forensic sciences - Part 5: Reporting (ISO 21043-5:2025)

This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations for reporting of forensic work.
This document is applicable to the reporting of forensic work performed at a scene and within a facility. The requirements facilitate the preparation and issuing of reports that are accurate, clear, transparent, complete, unambiguous, impartial and suitable for their intended use.
This document also includes requirements relating to the review of case records and reports, the issuance and control of reports, and requirements related to testimony.

Forensik - Teil 5: Berichterstattung (ISO 21043-5:2025)

Dieses Dokument legt Anforderungen fest und gibt Empfehlungen für die Berichterstattung zur forensischen/kriminaltechnischen Arbeit.
Dieses Dokument ist anwendbar für die Berichterstattung zu forensischen Arbeiten, die an einem Ereignisort und in einer Einrichtung durchgeführt werden. Die Anforderungen erleichtern die Erstellung und das Vorlegen von Berichten, die genau, eindeutig, transparent, vollständig, unmissverständlich, unparteiisch und für den vorgesehenen Zweck geeignet sind.
Dieses Dokument enthält auch Anforderungen in Bezug auf die Überprüfung von Fallakten und Berichten, die Ausgabe und die Lenkung von Berichten sowie Anforderungen in Bezug auf Zeugenaussagen.

Criminalistique - Partie 5: Rapports (ISO 21043-5:2025)

Le présent document spécifie les exigences et fournit des recommandations pour l’établissement de rapports pour les travaux criminalistiques.
Il s’applique à l’établissement de rapports de travaux criminalistiques effectués sur une scène (d’incident) et dans des installations. Les exigences facilitent la préparation et l’émission de rapports précis, clairs, transparents, complets, non ambigus, impartiaux et adaptés à l’usage auquel ils sont destinés.
Le présent document comprend également des exigences relatives à la revue des enregistrements et rapports de l’affaire, à l’émission et au contrôle des rapports, ainsi que des exigences relatives aux dépositions.

Forenzične znanosti - 5. del: Poročanje (ISO 21043-5:2025)

Ta dokument določa zahteve in podaja priporočila za poročanje o forenzičnem delu.  Uporablja se za poročanje o forenzičnem delu, opravljenem na kraju dogodka in v forenzičnem laboratoriju. Zahteve omogočajo pripravo in izdajo poročil, ki so natančna, jasna, pregledna, popolna, nedvoumna, nepristranska in primerna za predvideno uporabo.  Ta dokument vključuje tudi zahteve v zvezi s pregledom evidenc primerov in poročil, zahteve v zvezi z izdajo poročil in nadzorom nad njimi ter zahteve v zvezi s pričevanjem.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 17-Jun-2025
• ICS: 07.140 - Forensic science
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 419 - Project Committee - Forensic science services
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 419 - Project Committee - Forensic science services
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 18-Jun-2025
• Completion Date: 18-Jun-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO 21043-5:2025 - Forensic Sciences - Part 5: Reporting (ISO 21043-5:2025)

Overview

EN ISO 21043-5:2025 - Forensic sciences: Part 5 Reporting is a CEN-endorsed international standard that specifies requirements and provides recommendations for the preparation, review, issuance and control of forensic reports. It applies to reporting of forensic work performed both at a scene and within a facility and aims to ensure reports are accurate, clear, transparent, complete, unambiguous, impartial and suitable for their intended use.

Key topics and technical requirements

• General reporting principles
  • Reports must be accurate, clear, transparent, complete, unambiguous and impartial.
  • Examiners must be authorized to issue reports and must not report beyond their expertise or the available information.
  • Known limitations and any deviations from documented methods must be clearly stated or made available on request.
• Report contents
  • Mandatory elements: description of items examined with unique identifiers, description of examinations undertaken, results (observations and opinions), and identification of responsible person(s).
  • Recommended/additional elements: who requested the work, request date, item receipt date, scene identifiers, methods used, supporting information, items accepted but not analysed, environmental conditions, and signatures/e-signatures.
• Technical details to report
  • Item integrity and chain-of-custody considerations.
  • Measurement uncertainty and significant figures where relevant.
  • Reporting opinions - guidance on expressing probabilities, likelihood ratios and estimations to avoid ambiguity.
• Case file review and quality control
  • Requirements for technical and administrative review of case records and reports.
  • Procedures for issuing, supplementing, amending, withdrawing and controlling reports.
• Testimony
  • Requirements related to testimony, including testimony training and evaluation for witnesses.

Practical applications and users

• Primary users: forensic service providers, laboratory managers, forensic examiners and analysts who prepare and deliver forensic reports.
• Secondary users: police investigators, prosecutors, defence counsel, courts, accreditation bodies and organizations implementing quality management for forensic reporting.
• Benefits: improves consistency, legal defensibility and transparency of forensic evidence presented in investigations and court proceedings; supports compliant report issuance and controlled communication of findings.

Related standards

• ISO 21043 series: ISO 21043-1 (Vocabulary) and ISO 21043-4 (Interpretation) are directly referenced and should be used alongside Part 5 for consistent terminology and interpretation guidance.

Keywords: EN ISO 21043-5, forensic reporting standard, forensic reports, measurement uncertainty, likelihood ratio, case file review, forensic service provider, testimony training.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2025
Forenzične znanosti - 5. del: Poročanje (ISO 21043-5:2025)
Forensic Sciences - Part 5: Reporting (ISO 21043-5:2025)
Forensik - Teil 5: Berichterstattung (ISO 21043-5:2025)
Science criminalistique - Partie 5: Rapports (ISO 21043-5:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 21043-5:2025
ICS:
07.140 Forenzika Forensic science
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 21043-5
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
June 2025
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 07.140
English Version
Forensic sciences - Part 5: Reporting (ISO 21043-5:2025)
Criminalistique - Partie 5: Rapports (ISO 21043- Forensik - Teil 5: Berichterstattung (ISO 21043-
5:2025) 5:2025)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 26 August 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 21043-5:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 21043-5:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 272
"Forensic sciences" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 419 “Forensic Science
Processes” the secretariat of which is held by NEN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by December 2025, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 21043-5:2025 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 21043-5:2025 without any
modification.
International
Standard
ISO 21043-5
First edition
Forensic sciences —
2025-06
Part 5:
Reporting
Criminalistique —
Partie 5: Rapports
Reference number
ISO 21043-5:2025(en) © ISO 2025

ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
© ISO 2025
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General requirements . 1
5 Report contents . 2
5.1 General .2
5.2 Administrative requirements .2
5.3 Item integrity .3
5.4 Measurement uncertainty and significant figures.3
5.5 Reporting opinions .3
5.5.1 General .3
5.5.2 Reporting probabilities .4
5.5.3 Reporting likelihood ratios .4
5.5.4 Reporting estimations . .4
6 Case file review . 4
6.1 General .4
6.2 Technical review .5
6.3 Administrative review .5
7 Issue and control of reports . 6
7.1 Issuing reports .6
7.2 Supplementing, amending and withdrawing reports .6
7.3 Controlling reports .6
7.4 Communications of observations or opinions other than by way of a report .6
8 Testimony . 7
8.1 General .7
8.2 Testimony training and evaluation .7
Annex A (informative) Reports and other communication of information . 9
Bibliography .10

iii
ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that
this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at
www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 272, Forensic sciences, in collaboration with
the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 419, Forensic science
processes, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna
Agreement).
A list of all parts in the ISO 21043 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
Introduction
This document is part of a series that includes the different components of the forensic process from scene
to courtroom. Other parts of the ISO 21043 series are:
— ISO 21043-1;
— ISO 21043-2;
— ISO 21043-3;
— ISO 21043-4.
The information on reports and other communication of information given in Annex A is provided for
information only.
v
International Standard ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
Forensic sciences —
Part 5:
Reporting
1 Scope
This document specifies requirements and provides recommendations for reporting of forensic work.
This document is applicable to the reporting of forensic work performed at a scene and within a facility.
The requirements facilitate the preparation and issuing of reports that are accurate, clear, transparent,
complete, unambiguous, impartial and suitable for their intended use.
This document also includes requirements relating to the review of case records and reports, the issuance
and control of reports, and requirements related to testimony.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 21043-1, Forensic sciences — Part 1: Vocabulary
ISO 21043-4, Forensic sciences — Part 4: Interpretation
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 21043-1 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
4 General requirements
Reports shall be accurate, clear, transparent, complete, unambiguous, impartial and suitable for their
intended use.
The forensic service provider shall have a documented procedure for formally authorizing examiners to
issue reports.
Examiners shall not report beyond their area of expertise.
Examiners shall not report beyond what can be based on the available information.
Known limitations of methods, procedures, observations and opinions should be stated clearly in the report
or in an appendix attached to the report. If the known limitations are not stated in the report or in an
appendix to the report:
a) the report shall state that the information on the limitations is available; and

ISO 21043-5:2025(en)
b) information about the known limitations shall be provided upon request.
Descriptions of any deviation from documented methods or procedures shall be included in the report if the
deviation can have a substantial impact on the observations or opinions. The reason for any such deviation
shall be explained in the report or in an appendix attached to the report.
Any terms that are not in common usage, or for whic
...