---
sourceDocument: Zurich IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/it-service-management

 Release :

    - zurich

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Change types

# Change types {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Zurich  
Updated September 10, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read
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![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI  
This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Change types

ServiceNow Change Management supports three ITIL-defined change types: standard, emergency, and normal.
Each type determines the applicable state model and the required change process, enabling organizations to manage service changes efficiently according to risk and urgency.
Show full answer Show less  

## Change Types

* **Standard Change:** A low-risk, frequently executed, pre-authorized change with repeatable, documented procedures. Standard changes bypass group, peer, and CAB approval, streamlining the process. They can be predefined in catalog templates for efficient access and control. Examples include routine TLS certificate renewals or password policy updates.
* **Emergency Change:** A high-priority change implemented immediately to resolve major incidents or apply critical security patches. Emergency changes skip group and peer review and proceed directly to CAB authorization. They address urgent situations where service impact is current or imminent. Unplanned configuration item (CI) changes during emergency changes generate unauthorized change requests for later approval.
* **Normal Change:** Any change that is neither standard nor emergency. Normal changes require full assessment, peer or technical approval, and CAB authorization before implementation. They follow a prescriptive process with two levels of approval and are typically scheduled outside blackout windows to minimize service disruption.

## Key Comparison

| Change Type | Pre-approved | Requires CAB | Typical Use |
|-|-|-|-|
| Standard | Yes | No | Low-risk, repeatable changes with proven success |
| Normal | No | Yes | Any change requiring full assessment and formal approvals |
| Emergency | No | Yes | High-priority changes addressing major incidents or security patches |

## Additional Information

The legacy "change type" field is now superseded by the "change model" field, though the former remains supported for compatibility. Advanced Change Management capabilities, such as AI-driven risk assessment, may require additional entitlements available through your ServiceNow account team.

## Practical Guidance for Customers

* Use **normal changes** for scheduled upgrades requiring reviews and CAB approval.
* Use **standard changes** for routine, pre-approved tasks defined in templates.
* Use **emergency changes** for immediate fixes or security patches to prevent or resolve service outages.  
Change Management supports the
three types of service changes ITIL describes --- standard, emergency, and normal. The change type
determines which state model is invoked and the change process that must be followed.

<br />

Standard change

:   A standard change is a pre-authorized change that is low risk, relatively common and follows a specified procedure or work instruction.

    A standard change is one that is frequently implemented, has repeatable implementation steps, and has a proven history of success. As Standard changes are pre-approved, they follow a stream lined process in which group
    level or peer approval and CAB authorization steps are not required.

    Approved standard change requests can be predefined in a catalog of templates to make accessing and requesting a standard change more efficient. This ability also enables the Change Management team to control the changes that are authorized as standard.

    For example, a routine TLS certificate renewal or a documented password policy update is typically handled as a standard change.

Emergency change

:   A high-priority change implemented immediately to resolve a major incident or apply a security patch. It bypasses group and peer review and goes directly to the Authorization state for CAB approval.

    Emergency changes cover the following types of emergencies:

    * Fix on fail or retroactive situations where the impact to service has already been experienced.
    * Fail or fail situations where the impact to service is imminent if action is not taken.

    {#change-types__ul_qqc_dsk_wy}These changes do not follow the complete life cycle of a normal change due to the speed with which they must be authorized. Therefore, they progress directly to the Authorize state for approval from the CAB Approval group.

    During an emergency change, there are chances that an unplanned CI change activity occurs. During such a case, an unauthorized change request is created and sent for approvals. For more
    information, see [Unauthorized change request](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/cg~8UfdaP9LIhhcuI6pynQ "Understand how an unauthorized change activity on a configuration item (CI) is captured and managed, so that you can review and take timely action on this change.").

Normal change

:   Any service change that is not a standard change or an emergency change.

    A normal change differs from a standard change in its approval path. Unlike a standard change, which is pre-approved and bypasses Change Advisory Board (CAB) authorization, a normal change requires assessment, peer or
    technical approval, and CAB authorization before implementation.

    Normal change requests follow a prescriptive process which requires two levels of approval before being implemented, reviewed, and closed. These changes require a full range of assessments and authorizations such as peer
    or technical approval, change management, and Change Advisory Board (CAB) authorization. This is to confirm completeness, accuracy, and the least possible disruption to service. These changes are most often scheduled
outside of defined change blackout windows or during defined maintenance windows. The normal type is used to implement beneficial change for any change to a service that is not a standard or emergency change.  
The following table summarizes about the three change types:{#change-types__table_change_type_compare__entry__4}

| Change type | Pre-approved | Required CAB | Typical use |
|-|-|-|-|
| Standard | Yes | No | Low-risk, repeatable changes with a proven history of success. |
| Normal | No | Yes | Any change that isn't standard or emergency and requires full assessment. |
| Emergency | No | Yes | High-priority changes that resolve a major incident or apply a security patch. |
[Table 1. Change type comparison]

{#change-types__table_change_type_compare}

The change type field has now been superseded by the change model field. ITIL change types and the type field are still supported. For more information, see [Change Models properties](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ydGzHQUSqtfkjBjZDYBv5g "Configure the Change Models properties to access the Change models capabilities when creating a Change request.") and [Change model management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/6ErDqHIEYPyN~e03xWIa4w "Change models help streamline change requests by tailoring a fit-for-purpose process to support specific, common change use cases.").  

## Choosing a change type {#change-types__example_choose_change_type}

Use the following scenarios as a guide:

* A scheduled upgrade of a production database server that needs peer reviews and CAB authorization is a normal change.
* Applying a documented, pre-approved patch from a tested standard change template is a standard change.
* Deploying an out-of-band security patch to stop an active exploit is an emergency change.
{#change-types__ul_change_type_scenarios}  
Tip:  
The standard, normal, and emergency change types are part of core Change Management. Advanced capabilities, such as AI-driven risk and success probability, can require additional entitlements. For subscription and entitlement details, contact your ServiceNow® account team.
**Related tasks**   

* [Add a new change request type](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WdG5BsB5CB4mZ6SbKzEGNw "You can add a new change type to your change process. There are several processes involved with adding a change type. These processes include managing script includes and workflows.")