How Long Does CMMC Compliance Take?

Posted by: Aubrey Felix on February 17, 2026 at 2:52 pm

We get this question almost every time we begin a compliance conversation. “How long until we can say we’re compliant?” It’s usually asked carefully. Most of the time, the person asking already knows it’s not going to be quick.

They’re right.

The real answer depends on which level of CMMC applies to your business and how your company already operates day to day. If your systems are structured, your access controls are consistent, and your policies are already written down and followed, the timeline is usually shorter. But if security practices mostly live in conversations, habits, or “we’ve always handled it this way,” the process takes longer. Not because you’re doing things wrong, but because informal processes eventually have to become formal ones. And that shift takes time.

How Long Does CMMC Level 1 Take?

CMMC Level 1 is the starting point. It focuses on protecting Federal Contract Information (FCI), so things like contract details, project communications, and basic government-related data.

Level 1 aligns with 15 safeguarding requirements under FAR 52.204-21. The Department of Defense provides an overview here:
https://dodcio.defense.gov/CMMC/

Unlike Level 2, Level 1 does not require implementing the full 110 security requirements in NIST SP 800-171. It’s based on an annual self-assessment rather than a third-party audit.

For manufacturers or other businesses with solid IT fundamentals, Level 1 readiness can often be achieved in three to six months. That would mean having things like secure systems, endpoint protection, controlled access, and documented password policies. That is assuming your leadership is engaged and there aren’t major infrastructure gaps hiding in the background.

Even at Level 1, though, documentation still matters. You have to be able to show what you’re doing, not just explain it. If processes aren’t written down yet, someone eventually has to formalize them. That’s usually what stretches the timeline. Compared to Level 2, the lift is smaller and more predictable.

How Long Does CMMC Level 2 Take?

Level 2 is where the conversation changes.

CMMC Level 2 applies to organizations that handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). For manufacturers, that often includes engineering drawings, technical specifications, production data tied to defense programs, or supplier documentation.

Level 2 requires meeting all 110 security requirements in NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2:
https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/171/r3/final

It also introduces third-party assessments for many contractors, as clarified by the Department of Defense:
https://dodcio.defense.gov/cmmc/About/

For manufacturers and businesses who haven’t operated under a structured compliance framework before, reaching audit-ready Level 2 maturity typically takes 12 to 18 months after reaching Level 1. Not because it takes a year to install tools, but because it takes time to build operational discipline. After eight to ten months of steady work, we often see that many organizations are roughly 40% aligned with the 110 requirements. That means they have most of the technical safeguards in place. Firewalls are configured correctly. Multi-factor authentication is deployed. And logging is enabled.

So what slows things down? It’s everything around those tools. That would be the writing policies, defining responsibilities, performing recurring reviews, keeping records, and proving consistency over time. That’s usually when leadership realizes this isn’t just an IT project.

Why CMMC Level 2 Takes 12 Months or More

When companies first hear “110 requirements,” it sounds like a long technical checklist. But it isn’t – It’s 110 expectations about how your organization handles information.

Let me make it practical. At TAZ Networks, we have someone responsible for hardware disposal. When servers or workstations are retired, drives are wiped or destroyed properly. Equipment isn’t left sitting around. Operationally, it’s handled responsibly.

Now, imagine we were the ones pursuing CMMC Level 2 certification ourselves.

Under NIST SP 800-171, media disposal falls under the Media Protection controls (section 3.8 in the publication linked above). Even if we’re doing the right thing operationally, that alone isn’t enough.

We would need:

• A written media sanitization policy
• Defined procedures for wiping or destroying drives
• Clear assignment of responsibility
• Asset tracking from purchase through disposal
• Retained proof that destruction actually occurred

If that process only exists because “Johnny handles it and we trust him,” that does not satisfy the control. It has to be documented. Approved. Repeatable. Demonstrable.

And that’s just one control.

Now multiply that reality across 110 different areas like access control, vendor management, onboarding and offboarding, incident response planning, and executive oversight. That’s why Level 2 often stretches toward 12 months or more after you reach Level 1. It’s not slow because the technology is complicated. It’s not slow because the technology is complicated. It’s slow because maturity isn’t something you install.

CMMC Compliance Is an Operational Shift

Why? Because policies have to be drafted and approved. Procedures have to be written and followed. Reviews have to happen regularly. Evidence has to accumulate. Some controls require history. You can’t demonstrate consistent access reviews or incident response testing without months of documentation behind you. You cannot compress maturity into a few weeks.

And that brings us back to the original question.

“How long until we can say we’re compliant?”

If the goal is simply to say the words, the timeline will feel long and frustrating. But if the goal is to be audit-ready and to confidently demonstrate maturity when a third-party assessor evaluates your organization, then the timeline becomes logical.

For manufacturers in Southeast Michigan requiring CMMC, starting early isn’t about checking a box quickly. It’s about building a structure that can stand up to scrutiny. CMMC compliance is less about installing technology and more about proving that your business runs in a disciplined, defensible way.

And that simply does not happen overnight.