Standards can be classified considering three primary dimensions:
Technical Content
- Purpose, type of document, how to specify requirements
Level of Consensus, intended users
- Development process
- Type of organization
Legal status
- Voluntary
- Mandatory

Geographical scope of standards
National standard: adopted by a national standards body
Regional standard: adopted by a regional standardizing/standards organization
International standard: standard that is adopted by an international standardizing/ standards organization
Although national standards have limited application outside a given country, regional or international standards are meant to be adopted by countries belonging to the region or by all countries – this is particularly important when a country is involved in regional integration and trade, as well as in international trade.