SOC 2
Is SOC 2 required by law?
Short answer
No. SOC 2 is a voluntary attestation developed by the AICPA, not a law or a government mandate. Companies pursue it because customers require it in contracts and security reviews, not because a statute compels it. That is different from HIPAA, PCI DSS, or GDPR, which are legal or contractual obligations tied to specific data.
SOC 2 is market-driven, not statutory
SOC 2 is a report framework created by the AICPA. No law requires a company to have one. What drives adoption is the market: enterprise buyers, and increasingly mid-market buyers, ask for a SOC 2 report before they will trust you with their data, so it becomes a de facto requirement to sell.
How it differs from legal mandates
HIPAA (US health data), PCI DSS (card data, a contractual card-brand requirement), and GDPR (EU personal data) attach to specific kinds of data and carry legal or contractual force. SOC 2 is voluntary and general; you choose it to prove security posture, not because a regulator requires it.
So should you get one?
If your buyers ask for SOC 2, or you sell to companies that run vendor security reviews, a report removes a sales blocker. If no one is asking and you have no data obligations, you may not need it yet. Keel helps you get ready efficiently when the time comes.
FAQ
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If it is not legally required, why do companies get SOC 2?
- Because customers demand it. A SOC 2 report shortens security reviews and unblocks deals, so it functions as a commercial requirement even though no law mandates it.
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What compliance obligations are actually legal?
- It depends on your data: HIPAA for US protected health information, GDPR for EU personal data, and PCI DSS (a card-brand contractual mandate) for payment card data. SOC 2 is not in that category.
Next step
Get audit-ready with Keel
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