A laboratory’s accreditation certificate is a starting point. Before ordering, check whether the specific activity you need falls within the laboratory’s current accredited scope. The practical question is: will this laboratory, at this location, perform this method on this material and issue the evidence your project needs?
ISO/IEC 17025 addresses the competence, impartiality and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. Accreditation bodies use it to assess laboratories; accreditation is not a blanket approval of every service a company advertises. See ISO’s explanation of ISO/IEC 17025.
1. Start with the test you are buying
Write a one-line requirement before searching a directory: product or sample, property to measure, proposed method, intended use of the result and receiving organisation. Separate a known requirement from an assumption. If a customer specified an edition or acceptance limit, attach that requirement to your brief rather than silently substituting a newer edition.
For example: “Test this coating on this substrate using the customer’s stated method, for supplier approval.” That is more useful than “We need an accredited materials laboratory.” If you do not know the appropriate method, ask for scoping advice and make method selection a deliverable.
2. Find the laboratory in the accreditation body’s directory
Search using the laboratory’s legal name and accreditation number. Follow the official entry to its current scope or schedule. Record the date checked, status, legal entity and location. A trading brand may operate several facilities with different capabilities; a certificate for one facility does not answer a question about another.
National directories are the evidence source. For example, the UKAS accredited organisation search provides access to UK accreditation records. Other European countries have their own accreditation bodies and directories. Use the EA member and MLA signatory directory to identify the relevant body and recognition activities.
3. Match the scope line by line
Use the following comparison record alongside the official schedule. Its layout varies by accreditation body and technical discipline. ILAC’s guidance explains why the description of accredited activities is central to the scope; a broad marketing category is not an adequate substitute. See ILAC G18 guidance on scopes of accreditation.
| Check | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Material or matrix | Does the schedule cover the sample type, product or material you will submit? |
| Method and edition | Does it cover the proposed method, part and version, or an identified in-house method? |
| Property and range | Does the activity cover the property and relevant range or other stated limitations? |
| Location | Is the work performed at the listed site, at a customer location or under another permitted arrangement? |
| Exclusions | Are any requested steps, clauses, sampling activities or interpretations outside scope? |
If the laboratory has a flexible scope, ask it to explain the flexibility and provide the current controlled list relevant to your work. Do not interpret flexibility as permission to carry out any test under accreditation. If the official schedule and quotation do not clearly align, obtain a written explanation before ordering.
4. Confirm how the work will appear in the report
Ask the laboratory to identify accredited and non-accredited activities in its quotation, including work performed by another laboratory. Establish who will issue the final report and how any externally provided results will be identified. Ask for an anonymised example report where available, so you can check the proposed presentation with the intended recipient.
For a report relying on the EA MLA, EA advises checking the accreditation reference, mark and number, and whether the accreditation body is a signatory for the relevant activity. These checks should be made against the actual report and current records. See EA’s report verification guidance.
5. Check acceptance separately from accreditation
A technically suitable laboratory can still be the wrong appointment if your customer, scheme or regulatory procedure requires a different type of evidence. Ask the intended recipient to confirm any requirements for the laboratory, method, reporting language or designated assessment body before committing samples.
Accreditation alone does not make a laboratory an EU notified body. Where EU product legislation requires notified-body involvement, the body and its designated activities need a separate check. The EU conformity assessment guide explains that the applicable product rules determine the procedure. Our CE marking guide explains how testing fits into that wider process.
Keep a decision record before you order
Save the official scope, date of verification, agreed test brief, written answers, quotation and recipient requirements together. Record unresolved items explicitly. Recheck status when the order or testing date changes materially, and review the issued report against the agreed scope. This is a procurement check, not a new accreditation assessment.
Need a laboratory for a defined task? Use the laboratory request checklist to prepare your brief, then search reviewed laboratory records using your country, activity and technical criteria. Results cover a limited dataset. Confirm provider suitability and the current accredited scope directly before contracting. Matching-count previews are free; the €10 email and CSV report is not available to buy yet.