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Laboratory Accreditation

The Laboratory Accreditation Scheme is the formal NABL recognition that a testing or calibration laboratory is technically competent to ISO/IEC...

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Key takeaways

The Laboratory Accreditation Scheme is operated by NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India.
Testing and calibration laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025; medical laboratories to ISO 15189.
Accreditation is a third-party attestation of a laboratory’s technical competence to carry out specific tests, calibrations or examinations.
Applications are filed through the NABL online portal (NABL 151), followed by document review and an on-site assessment.
The scope of accreditation is specific to the tests, parameters and methods the lab is competent to perform.
An accreditation certificate is normally valid for two years, with a surveillance assessment in between.
Accreditation is voluntary in principle, but it is mandatory or strongly preferred for many regulatory, tender and recognition purposes.

Overview

What is the Laboratory Accreditation Scheme?

The Laboratory Accreditation Scheme is the formal process by which the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) recognises that a laboratory is technically competent to perform specific tests, calibrations or medical examinations. NABL functions as an autonomous body under the Quality Council of India and is a signatory to the ILAC and APAC mutual recognition arrangements, so a NABL-accredited report carries international acceptance.

Accreditation is different from certification. Certification confirms that a management system conforms to a standard, whereas accreditation independently attests to a laboratory’s technical competence to generate valid, reliable results for a defined scope of work.

Laboratories covered by the scheme

Testing laboratories: chemical, biological, mechanical, electrical
Calibration laboratories: mass, length, temperature, electro-technical
Medical (clinical) laboratories under ISO 15189
Proficiency testing providers and reference material producers
Food, water, environmental and pharmaceutical testing labs
In-house and third-party laboratories serving industry and regulators

Standards

Standards under the scheme

NABL accredits laboratories against internationally harmonised standards. The standard that applies to your laboratory depends on the nature of the work you carry out.

Standard	Applies to
ISO/IEC 17025	Testing and calibration laboratories
ISO 15189	Medical (clinical) laboratories
ISO/IEC 17043	Proficiency testing providers
ISO 17034	Reference material producers

Discipline	Typical scope
Chemical	Food, water, drugs, minerals, pollutants
Biological	Microbiology, pathology, water quality
Mechanical	Materials, dimensional, NDT, hardness
Electrical & calibration	EMC, safety, mass, temperature, pressure

Applicability

Who needs accreditation

Any laboratory that wants its results to be trusted by customers, regulators and overseas buyers benefits from NABL accreditation. For many activities it is now a practical prerequisite rather than an option.

Laboratories supplying test reports to regulators such as FSSAI, CPCB, BIS, CDSCO or pollution control boards
Calibration labs serving manufacturing and aerospace supply chains
Medical and diagnostic laboratories seeking ISO 15189 recognition
Labs bidding for government and PSU tenders that require accreditation
Exporters whose reports must be accepted internationally under ILAC-MRA
In-house laboratories supporting product certification and quality control

Eligibility

Eligibility and prerequisites

Before applying, a laboratory must have a functioning quality management system and demonstrate competence in the parameters for which it seeks accreditation. NABL assesses readiness against the relevant standard during the assessment visit.

Legal identity: the laboratory must be a legally identifiable organisation
Quality system: a documented system aligned to ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189, operational for a reasonable period
Competent personnel: qualified and trained technical and quality staff
Calibrated equipment: traceable to national or international standards
Validated methods: documented and validated test or calibration methods
Proficiency testing: participation in PT or inter-laboratory comparisons, where available

How it works

The accreditation process, step by step

The scheme follows a defined cycle through the NABL online portal, from application to grant and then periodic surveillance. We manage each stage with your technical team.

Getting accredited

Gap analysis
Assess your current system, equipment and methods against ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189 and define the intended scope.
Implement & document
Build the quality manual, procedures, method validation records and internal audit and management-review processes.
Apply on NABL portal
File the application (NABL 151) online with the scope, quality manual and supporting records, and pay the application fee.
Adequacy & assessment
NABL reviews the documents, then a lead assessor and technical experts conduct an on-site assessment of competence.

After assessment

Close non-conformities
Address any non-conformities raised during the assessment and submit corrective actions with evidence.
Grant of accreditation
The Accreditation Committee reviews the file and NABL grants accreditation for the approved scope.
Surveillance
A surveillance assessment is carried out during the validity period to confirm continued competence.
Renewal
Apply for re-assessment before expiry to renew the certificate for the next cycle.

Paperwork

Documents required

Completed NABL application form with the proposed scope of accreditation
Quality manual and standard operating procedures
Legal identity and registration documents of the organisation
List of test or calibration methods with validation records
Equipment list with calibration and traceability certificates
Qualification and training records of technical staff
Internal audit and management-review records
Proficiency testing or inter-laboratory comparison results

Lifecycle

Validity & renewal

An accreditation certificate is normally valid for two years from the date of grant.
A surveillance assessment is conducted within the validity period to confirm continued competence.
Renewal requires a re-assessment applied for before the certificate expires.
Accreditation can be suspended or withdrawn by NABL for non-conformity with the criteria.

Building a quality system first? See our ISO Certification, ISO 9001:2015 Certification and ISO 13485 Certification services.

Budgeting

Fees & cost factors

NABL fees are structured rather than a single flat figure. The total depends on the standard, the number of disciplines and the size of your scope, plus the assessor and surveillance components. The typical components are:

Cost factor	Details
Application fee	Payable at the time of filing on the NABL portal
Annual / accreditation fee	Based on the scope and disciplines covered
Assessment man-day charges	Depend on the number of assessors and assessment days
Surveillance & renewal fees	Payable across the accreditation cycle

Not sure which standard your lab needs?

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Why it matters

Benefits of accreditation

International acceptance

Reports gain recognition across ILAC-MRA economies, easing exports and cross-border trade.

Technical credibility

Independent proof of competence builds confidence with customers and regulators.

Tender eligibility

Meet the accreditation requirement in government, PSU and corporate tenders.

Reduced re-testing

Accredited results are accepted widely, cutting duplicate testing and delays.

Continual improvement

A disciplined quality system drives consistent, reliable laboratory output.

Market trust

Accreditation signals reliability to clients, auditors and accreditation bodies.

Why Diligence Certifications

How we help your lab

Laboratory accreditation is technical, document-heavy and assessor-led. Our consultants combine quality-system expertise with hands-on experience of the NABL scheme, so your team can focus on the science while we manage the compliance.

Readiness gap analysis against ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189
Quality manual, SOPs and method validation drafted with your team
End-to-end NABL portal filing and scope definition
Assessment preparation, mock audits and staff training
Non-conformity closure and corrective-action support
Surveillance and renewal handled across the full cycle

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the Laboratory Accreditation Scheme?

It is the scheme operated by NABL, under the Quality Council of India, through which a laboratory is formally recognised as technically competent to perform specific tests, calibrations or medical examinations against standards such as ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189.

Who issues laboratory accreditation in India?

NABL (the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories), an autonomous body under the Quality Council of India, grants accreditation. It is a signatory to the ILAC and APAC mutual recognition arrangements.

What is the difference between accreditation and certification?

Certification confirms that a management system conforms to a standard. Accreditation independently attests to a laboratory’s technical competence to produce valid results for a defined scope of testing or calibration.

Which standard applies to my laboratory?

Testing and calibration laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, while medical (clinical) laboratories are accredited to ISO 15189. Proficiency testing providers and reference material producers follow ISO/IEC 17043 and ISO 17034 respectively.

How long is NABL accreditation valid?

An accreditation certificate is normally valid for two years, with a surveillance assessment during the period. The laboratory must apply for re-assessment before expiry to renew accreditation for the next cycle.

Is laboratory accreditation mandatory?

Accreditation is voluntary in principle, but it is a practical requirement for many regulatory submissions, government and PSU tenders and export markets, where only accredited test reports are accepted.

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