W3C document states

Question

Within the standards that W3C create, do they have a set of states they go through before they are a standard and what are those states?

For example HTML 5.1 currently is in Working Draft.

Answer 1

The process is typically linked in the section "Status of This Document".

For HTML 5.1, it says:

This document is governed by the 1 August 2014 W3C Process Document.

This links to the World Wide Web Consortium Process Document from 2014-08-01 (the latest version is always accessible from http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/).

For technical reports that should become Recommendations, this is the process:

1. Publication of the First Public Working Draft,
2. Publication of zero or more revised Public Working Drafts.
3. Publication of a Candidate Recommendation.
4. Publication of a Proposed Recommendation.
5. Publication as a W3C Recommendation.
6. Possibly, Publication as an Edited Recommendation

However, it’s also possible to go steps back:

The Director […] may require the specification to return to a lower maturity level.

Answer 2

Ahh I think I literally just found the answer on Consortium/Process, too many tabs open!

The W3C Recommendation track:

1. Working Draft
   A Working Draft generally represents work in progress and a commitment by W3C to pursue work in a particular area. The label "Working Draft" does not imply consensus within W3C about the document.

2. Candidate Recommendation
   A Candidate Recommendation is a stable Working Draft that the Director has proposed to the community for implementation experience and feedback.

3. Proposed Recommendation
   A Proposed Recommendation is a Candidate Recommendation that has benefitted from implementation experience and has been sent to the Advisory Committee for review.

4. Recommendation
   A Recommendation reflects consensus within W3C, as represented by the Director's approval. W3C considers that the ideas or technology specified by a Recommendation are appropriate for widespread deployment and promote W3C's mission.