ACCREDITATION CRITERIA FOR TESTING LABORATORIES
AC89
December 2021
Effective February 1, 2022
PREFACEThe attached accreditation criteria have been issued to provide all interested parties withguidelines on implementing performance features of the applicable standards referenced herein.
The criteria were developed and adopted following public hearings conducted by theInternational Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS), Accreditation Committee and are effective on thedate shown above. All accreditations issued or reissued on or after the effective date mustcomply with these criteria. If the criteria are an updated version from a previous edition, solid
vertical lines (|) in the outer margin within the criteria indicate a technical change or addition
from the previous edition. Deletion indicators (→) are provided in the outer margins where aparagraph or item has been deleted if the deletion resulted from a technical change. Thesecriteria may be further revised as the need dictates.
Copyright © 2021

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IAS/TL/009
AC89
December 14, 2021

ACCREDITATION CRITERIA FOR TESTING LABORATORIES
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.

Scope: These criteria set forth the requirements for obtaining and maintaining International
Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS), Testing Laboratory accreditation. These criteria supplement
the IAS Rules of Procedure for Testing Laboratory Accreditation.

1.2.

Normative and Reference Documents: Publications listed below refer to current editions(unless otherwise stated).
1.2.1.

ISO/IEC Standard 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing andcalibration laboratories.

1.2.2.

ILAC-P9, ILAC Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities.

1.2.3.

ISO/IEC Standard 17000, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary and general principles.

1.2.4.

ILAC-P10, ILAC Policy on Metrological Traceability of Measurement Results.

2. DEFINITIONSApplicable definitions of ISO/IEC Standard 17000 series apply.
3. ELIGIBILITY
Accreditation services are available to testing laboratories that:
3.1.

Perform tests of its legal entities’ own products (internal).

3.2.

Perform tests of products of external organizations (external).

4. REQUIRED BASIC INFORMATION
Testing laboratories must demonstrate compliance with the following requirements:
4.1.

ISO/IEC Standard 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibrationlaboratories.

4.2.

IAS Rules of Procedure for Testing Laboratory Accreditation.

4.3.

ILAC P-9, ILAC Policy for Participation in Proficiency Testing Activities.

4.4.

ILAC-P10, ILAC Policy on Metrological Traceability of Measurement Results.

4.5.

Relevant IAS policy documents.
4.5.1.

IAS/CL/025 IAS Policy on Calibration, Traceability and Measurement Uncertainty forTesting Laboratories

4.5.2.

IAS/TL-CL/026 Policy on Off-Site Testing/Calibration

4.5.3.

IAS/TL-CL/031 IAS Policy on Proficiency Testing for Laboratories

4.5.4.

IAS/ADM/044 IAS Policy on Relocation of Accredited Organizations

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5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (AS APPLICABLE)
5.1.

Proficiency Testing Activity: Proficiency testing activity shall be completed in accordancewith ILAC-P9 and IAS/TL-CL/031, IAS Policy on Proficiency Testing for Laboratories.

5.2.

Regulatory Requirements: Regulatory entities may place specific compliance requirementson laboratories. If a laboratory is required to comply with the regulatory requirements as may beapplicable, they must agree to comply with additional requirements.
Testing laboratories must comply with regulatory requirements of Authority Having Jurisdiction(AHJ) or other regulatory entities, including specific compliance requirements for qualification,licensing, etc., of personnel and operation of testing laboratory.

6. LINKS TO ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
6.1

Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation – www.apac-accreditation.org

6.2

International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation – www.ilac.org

6.3

International Organization for Standardization – www.iso.org

6.4

International Electrotechnical Commission – www.iec.ch

6.5

International Accreditation Service – www.iasonline.org

6.6Article on ISO/IEC 17025:2017 – https://www.iasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TheNew-ISO-IEC-17025-2017.pdf

These criteria were previously issued September 2002, June 2003, May 2004, May 2005, August 2006, April 2008, May 2010,September 2013, February 2015, February 2016, April 2017, September 2018, Editorially revised January 2019 and October 2020.

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IAS/TL/009
AC89
December 14, 2021