SaaS Compliance Checklist: Every Framework Your Startup Might Need

Posted: March 25, 2026 to Compliance.

SaaS Compliance Checklist: Every Framework Your Startup Might Need

SaaS compliance encompasses the regulatory frameworks, industry standards, and customer-driven requirements that govern how software-as-a-service companies protect data, maintain availability, and operate their platforms. For Series B startups selling to enterprise customers, the compliance landscape includes at least 12 major frameworks, and knowing which ones apply to your specific business prevents both over-investment in unnecessary certifications and dangerous gaps in required ones. Petronella Technology Group has implemented compliance programs for over 200 SaaS companies since 2002, covering every framework in this checklist.

The Complete SaaS Compliance Framework Map

Framework	You Need It If...	Type	Cost Range
SOC 2	You sell B2B SaaS to mid-market or enterprise	Voluntary audit	$30K-$100K/year
HIPAA	You handle Protected Health Information	Regulatory (US)	$25K-$75K initial
GDPR	You have users or customers in the EU	Regulatory (EU)	$15K-$50K initial
ISO 27001	You sell internationally or to global enterprises	Voluntary certification	$40K-$80K initial
PCI DSS	You process, store, or transmit credit card data	Industry standard	$20K-$100K/year
CMMC	You work with defense contractors or DoD data	Regulatory (US DoD)	$50K-$200K initial
CCPA/CPRA	You collect data from California residents	Regulatory (CA)	$10K-$30K initial
EU AI Act	You deploy AI systems accessible in the EU	Regulatory (EU)	$20K-$80K initial
FedRAMP	You sell SaaS to US federal agencies	Regulatory (US Gov)	$250K-$750K initial
HITRUST	You need a certification that maps to multiple frameworks	Voluntary certification	$60K-$150K initial
State Privacy Laws	You collect data from residents of regulated states	Regulatory (state)	$10K-$25K per state
SOX (ITGC)	Your SaaS affects customer financial reporting	Regulatory (US)	$30K-$80K/year

Framework Decision Tree: Which Do You Need?

Answer these questions to identify your required frameworks:

Question 1: Do you sell to US mid-market or enterprise businesses?

Yes: You need SOC 2 Type II. This is non-negotiable for enterprise B2B SaaS.

Question 2: Does your product handle health information?

Yes: You need HIPAA compliance. This applies even if you only store encrypted PHI or serve as a subprocessor.

Question 3: Do you have customers or users in the European Union?

Yes: You need GDPR compliance. If your AI features are accessible to EU users, add EU AI Act compliance.

Question 4: Do you sell to international enterprises?

Yes: Consider ISO 27001 certification. Many global enterprises prefer ISO 27001 over SOC 2, and some require both.

Question 5: Do you process credit card payments?

Yes, directly: You need PCI DSS. If you use Stripe, Braintree, or similar payment processors, their PCI compliance covers most requirements, but you still need a Self-Assessment Questionnaire.

Question 6: Do any customers work with the US Department of Defense?

Yes: You may need CMMC certification. Craig Petronella, CMMC-RP and CMMC-CCA, can assess whether your role in the supply chain triggers CMMC requirements.

Question 7: Do you sell to US federal agencies?

Yes: You need FedRAMP authorization. This is the most expensive and time-consuming certification and is typically pursued only when federal revenue justifies the investment.

Framework Overlap and Efficiency

Compliance frameworks share significant control overlap. Implementing them together through a unified framework saves 30 to 50 percent compared to sequential implementation:

• SOC 2 + HIPAA: 70 percent control overlap. The most common combination for health tech SaaS. SOC 2 provides the security baseline; HIPAA adds health-specific requirements for PHI handling, BAAs, and breach notification.
• SOC 2 + ISO 27001: 65 percent overlap. SOC 2 is US-centric; ISO 27001 is internationally recognized. Together they cover domestic and international enterprise requirements.
• SOC 2 + GDPR: 40 percent overlap. SOC 2 covers security controls; GDPR adds data subject rights, DPAs, and lawful basis documentation. The technical controls largely overlap, but GDPR adds significant privacy-specific requirements.
• SOC 2 + CMMC: 50 percent overlap. SOC 2 covers information security broadly; CMMC adds CUI-specific controls, physical security requirements, and government-specific incident reporting.
• SOC 2 + EU AI Act: 30 percent overlap. SOC 2 covers security and availability; the EU AI Act adds AI-specific requirements for risk management, data governance, and transparency that are largely new.

The Universal Compliance Baseline

Regardless of which frameworks apply, every SaaS company should implement these baseline controls. They satisfy requirements across all frameworks and form the foundation for any specific certification:

1. Identity and access management: Centralized identity provider with SSO, MFA for all users, automated provisioning/deprovisioning, and quarterly access reviews.
2. Encryption: AES-256 at rest for all customer data. TLS 1.3 for all data in transit. Customer-managed encryption keys for enterprise clients that require them.
3. Logging and monitoring: Centralized log collection from all production systems. 12-month retention. Automated alerting for security events. Regular log review.
4. Vulnerability management: Automated vulnerability scanning (weekly minimum). Annual penetration testing by an independent firm. Documented remediation timelines.
5. Change management: Code review requirements, testing before production, deployment approval workflows, and rollback procedures.
6. Incident response: Documented incident response plan, communication procedures, annual testing through tabletop exercises, and post-incident review process.
7. Risk assessment: Annual risk assessment covering all systems, documented risk register, and risk treatment plans with assigned owners.
8. Vendor management: Inventory of all vendors accessing customer data, security assessments (SOC 2 reports preferred), and contractual security requirements.
9. Data protection: Data classification scheme, retention policies, secure deletion procedures, and backup with tested recovery.
10. Security awareness: Annual training for all employees covering security policies, phishing recognition, data handling, and incident reporting.

These ten baseline controls satisfy 50 to 60 percent of requirements across SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, GDPR, and CMMC. PTG implements this baseline for every startup client, then adds framework-specific controls based on which certifications are required.

Prioritizing Your Compliance Roadmap

For Series B startups, PTG recommends this phased approach:

Phase 1 (Months 1-3): SOC 2 Readiness

• Implement the universal baseline controls
• Achieve SOC 2 Type I certification
• Begin SOC 2 Type II observation period
• Start answering vendor security questionnaires with your new controls

Phase 2 (Months 3-6): Sector-Specific Compliance

• Add HIPAA controls if serving healthcare customers
• Add GDPR controls if serving EU customers
• Complete SOC 2 Type II observation period
• Receive SOC 2 Type II report

Phase 3 (Months 6-12): Advanced Frameworks

• Pursue ISO 27001 for international customers
• Implement EU AI Act controls for AI features
• Evaluate CMMC if entering the defense supply chain
• Establish continuous compliance monitoring

Phase 4 (Year 2+): Specialized Certifications

• FedRAMP (if pursuing federal revenue)
• HITRUST (if health tech market demands it)
• Additional state privacy law compliance as geographic reach expands

Common Compliance Mistakes

Craig Petronella, CMMC-RP and CMMC-CCA, identifies these recurring errors in SaaS startup compliance programs:

• Pursuing certifications you do not need: FedRAMP costs $250,000+ and takes 12 to 18 months. Unless federal revenue justifies this, your resources are better spent elsewhere.
• Treating compliance as a project with an end date: Every framework requires ongoing maintenance. Budget for continuous compliance, not just initial certification.
• Implementing frameworks sequentially instead of simultaneously: If you need SOC 2 and HIPAA, implement them together. Sequential implementation duplicates 70 percent of the work.
• Ignoring state privacy laws: Seventeen US states now have comprehensive privacy laws. If your SaaS collects data from residents of these states, compliance is mandatory. Many startups focus on GDPR and ignore domestic privacy requirements.
• Confusing compliance with security: A SOC 2 report proves you have controls. It does not prove those controls are sufficient to prevent breaches. Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling.

How PTG Manages Multi-Framework Compliance

PTG's unified compliance approach implements one set of controls that satisfies all applicable frameworks:

1. Framework mapping: We map all your required frameworks against each other, identifying shared controls and framework-specific additions.
2. Unified control set: We design a single set of controls that satisfies all requirements, eliminating duplicate policies, procedures, and evidence collection.
3. Integrated documentation: One set of policies that references all applicable frameworks, not separate policy libraries per framework.
4. Single evidence repository: Evidence collected once serves multiple frameworks. An access review satisfies SOC 2 CC6.1, HIPAA 164.312(a)(1), ISO 27001 A.9.2.5, and CMMC AC.1.001 simultaneously.
5. Coordinated audits: Where possible, we schedule SOC 2, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 audits within the same timeframe, reducing auditor walkthrough duplication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which compliance framework should a SaaS startup get first?

SOC 2 Type II, without exception. It is the most commonly requested compliance artifact in enterprise procurement and provides the foundation for every other framework. 89 percent of Fortune 500 companies require SOC 2 from SaaS vendors. Start with SOC 2, then layer additional frameworks based on your specific industry, customer base, and geographic markets.

How much does total compliance cost for a SaaS startup?

For a typical Series B SaaS company pursuing SOC 2 + one additional framework (HIPAA or GDPR), expect $60,000 to $120,000 in year one and $30,000 to $60,000 annually thereafter. Costs include readiness implementation, audit fees, compliance tooling, and ongoing maintenance. PTG's unified approach reduces total cost by 30 to 50 percent compared to implementing frameworks separately with different consultants.

Can we achieve compliance without a dedicated compliance hire?

Yes, through managed compliance services. Most Series B startups do not need a full-time compliance officer. PTG provides virtual compliance management as part of our managed services, handling risk assessments, policy development, evidence collection, audit coordination, and ongoing monitoring. An internal point of contact (typically your VP of Engineering or CTO) works with PTG on decisions that require business context, while PTG handles the compliance execution. A dedicated compliance hire typically becomes worthwhile at 100 to 150 employees or when pursuing 3 or more simultaneous frameworks.