NABL full form is National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, the official body that accredits laboratories in India for technical competence.
A manufacturer once approached us after their BIS application was rejected—for the third time. The product design was correct. The standard was correct. Even the test parameters were correct.
The problem?
The testing was done from a non-NABL approved laboratory, and the report had zero legal standing.
This is not an isolated case. Across India, importers, manufacturers, exporters, and startups lose months—and sometimes entire market opportunities—because they underestimate the importance of NABL Approved Laboratories.
If your business depends on test reports, calibration certificates, or regulatory approvals, understanding NABL accreditation is not optional. It is foundational.
NABL Approved Laboratories are laboratories that have been formally assessed and accredited for technical competence by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
These labs are authorized to conduct:
NABL evaluates laboratories on:
Only after rigorous assessment does a lab receive a NABL Certificate with a defined scope of accreditation.
| Aspect | NABL Accredited Lab | Non-Accredited Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Legal acceptance | Accepted by regulators | Usually rejected |
| Technical validation | Verified | Unverified |
| Use in BIS/FSSAI/CDSCO | Mandatory | Not accepted |
| International acceptance | Yes | No |
Test reports issued by NABL approved labs are:
In regulatory compliance, who tests your product matters as much as what is tested.
A test report is not just a technical document—it is a legal instrument. This is where NABL Approved Laboratories become critical.
In India, regulators do not evaluate your internal quality controls or your intent. They evaluate evidence. And for testing and calibration, that evidence must come from a laboratory accredited by the NABL Labs.
Indian authorities such as:
explicitly require NABL testing for certification and licensing.
Without NABL:
NABL accreditation shifts testing from “claimed accuracy” to “proven competence”.
For businesses, NABL accreditation ensures:
A NABL report acts like a passport for your product. For importers especially, NABL testing acts as a safeguard.
When questions arise at ports or during market surveillance, NABL reports reduce discretionary objections and delays.
NABL is a signatory to international MRAs.
This means NABL reports:
In cross-border trade, NABL functions like a technical common language—it assures overseas stakeholders that Indian test results meet international benchmarks.
Beyond regulation, NABL accreditation sends a strong signal of seriousness.
To regulators, it shows:
To customers and business partners, it signals:
To internal teams, it creates:
In sectors like medical devices, electronics, food, and chemicals, this trust directly influences brand reputation and long-term viability.
In Indian regulatory systems, compliance is evidence-driven. Authorities do not assess intent, internal SOPs, or verbal explanations. They assess documents, and for testing and calibration, those documents must come from NABL Approved Laboratories.
This requirement is not a best practice or an industry preference—it is embedded into India’s regulatory architecture and enforced consistently across sectors.
At the center of this framework is the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, which acts as the country’s technical gatekeeper for laboratory competence.
Most Indian certifications explicitly state that test reports must be issued by NABL accredited laboratories. This is true across multiple regulators and schemes, including:
When an application is reviewed, authorities verify:
If any of these checks fail, the application is rejected—regardless of product quality.
Only NABL reports:
Reports from non-NABL laboratories are treated as technical opinions, not legally defensible evidence.
One of the most common reasons for certification delays and rejections is incorrect laboratory selection.
Typical failure scenarios include:
Regulators do not independently test every product. Instead, they rely on a trusted technical ecosystem.
NABL functions as that trust layer by ensuring that:
This system allows regulators to focus on decision-making, not technical validation. Without NABL, the entire compliance framework would collapse under inconsistency and dispute.
Using NABL Approved Laboratories ensures that your test reports are technically reliable, legally valid, and regulator-accepted.
In India, most authorities rely on NABL accreditation as the benchmark for laboratory competence, as defined by the NABL Approved Laboratories.
In India, NABL Approved Laboratory Testing is not industry-specific—it is regulation-driven.
Any sector where product quality, safety, health, or environmental impact is regulated requires testing from NABL accredited laboratories to ensure technical validity and legal acceptance.
Accreditation is granted by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, making NABL reports the default standard for regulatory compliance.
Regardless of the sector, regulators require:
NABL accreditation ensures all three, making it mandatory wherever testing forms the basis of regulatory decisions.
NABL Approved Laboratories are not accredited generically. Each laboratory is assessed against specific international standards based on the nature of testing, calibration, or medical services it provides. This standard-wise accreditation ensures that results are technically valid, reproducible, and regulator-accepted.
This is the most widely used NABL accreditation standard in India.
It applies to laboratories involved in:
ISO/IEC 17025: confirms that a laboratory is technically competent to produce accurate and traceable results, making its reports acceptable for BIS, CDSCO, FSSAI, and export compliance.
This standard applies specifically to medical and diagnostic laboratories.
It covers:
ISO 15189: ensures reliability of patient test results and is essential for clinical credibility, healthcare regulation, and accreditation of diagnostic labs.
This standard applies to laboratories or organizations that conduct proficiency testing (PT).
It ensures:
Proficiency testing under ISO/IEC 17043 helps maintain continuous competence of NABL accredited laboratories and supports confidence in test outcomes.
Each NABL accreditation is scope-specific, meaning laboratories are approved only for defined parameters and methods—not all testing activities.
NABL Approved Laboratories in India are classified based on the type of testing or services they provide.
NABL Testing Laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025)
Conduct product and material testing such as chemical, mechanical, electrical, and microbiological testing.
These labs are widely used for BIS, CDSCO, FSSAI, and export compliance.
NABL Calibration Laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025)
Provide calibration of measuring instruments to ensure accuracy, traceability, and reliability.
Essential for manufacturing quality control and regulatory audits.
NABL Medical Laboratories (ISO 15189)
Perform clinical and diagnostic testing, including pathology and laboratory medicine services,
ensuring reliable and accurate medical test results.
Selecting the correct type of NABL accredited laboratory is critical to avoid report rejection and ensure regulatory acceptance.
Using NABL Approved Laboratories requires more than sample submission. The process must align with regulatory expectations to ensure the test report is valid, accepted, and rejection-free.
| Stage | Typical Time |
|---|---|
| Sample submission | 1–3 days |
| Testing duration | 7–30 days |
| Report issuance | 2–5 days |
| Cost Factor | How It Impacts Testing Cost |
|---|---|
| Product Type | Complex products (electronics, medical devices, chemicals) require more parameters, increasing cost |
| Applicable Standard | BIS, ISO, IEC, or industry-specific standards affect test complexity and pricing |
| Number of Test Parameters | More parameters = higher testing charges |
| Type of Testing | Chemical, mechanical, electrical, microbiological, or calibration testing have different cost ranges |
| Urgency / Turnaround Time | Express or priority testing increases cost |
| Sample Quantity | Multiple samples or repeat testing adds to overall cost |
| Calibration Requirement | Tests involving calibrated instruments or uncertainty analysis may cost more |
| Scope of NABL Accreditation | Specialized or limited-scope labs may charge higher fees |
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard Validity Period | NABL accreditation is valid for 4 years |
| Applies To | Testing laboratories, calibration laboratories, and medical laboratories |
| Scope Validity | Accreditation is valid only for the approved scope of testing/calibration |
| Surveillance Requirement | Periodic surveillance assessments during the validity period |
| Continuous Compliance | Labs must continuously meet NABL criteria and technical requirements |
| Expiry Impact | Test reports issued after accreditation expiry are not accepted |
| Renewal Requirement | Renewal must be applied before expiry to maintain accreditation status |
The NABL Accreditation Renewal Process ensures that NABL Approved Laboratories continue to meet technical and quality requirements without interruption. Renewal is mandatory to maintain the legal validity of test and calibration reports, as regulated by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| When to Apply | Renewal application must be submitted before expiry of the existing NABL accreditation |
| Application Review | NABL reviews submitted documents, scope details, and previous assessment records |
| Assessment Planning | On-site or remote assessment is scheduled by NABL-appointed assessors |
| Technical & Quality Assessment | Evaluation of test methods, equipment calibration, personnel competence, and quality system |
| Non-Conformity Closure | Laboratory addresses observations or non-conformities, if any |
| Accreditation Decision | NABL reviews compliance and approves renewal |
| Re-Issuance of NABL Certificate | Updated NABL certificate issued with renewed validity and approved scope |
Before submitting samples or relying on test reports, it is essential to verify whether a laboratory is NABL Approved. Regulatory authorities accept test results only when the laboratory holds valid and scope-relevant NABL accreditation.
| Parameter | NABL Approved Laboratory | BIS Recognized Laboratory |
|---|---|---|
| Governing Authority | National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) | Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) |
| Purpose | Assesses technical competence of laboratories | Recognized for specific BIS certification schemes |
| Scope | Broad, scope-based testing and calibration | Limited to specific BIS products or standards |
Navigating NABL Approved Laboratory requirements can be complex, especially when multiple regulators and strict timelines are involved. Our role is to eliminate guesswork and prevent rejection by aligning testing with regulatory expectations from the start.
Choosing the right partner for NABL Approved Laboratory Services is as important as choosing the laboratory itself. Our approach is compliance-first, rejection-proof, and aligned with the accreditation framework of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
Choosing the right NABL Approved Laboratory is not a procedural step—it is a strategic compliance decision. Whether you are applying for BIS certification, launching a medical device, exporting products, or calibrating instruments, NABL accreditation determines whether your test report is accepted or discarded.
If compliance timelines matter to your business, expert guidance in selecting the correct NABL accredited laboratory makes all the difference.
At Silvereye Certifications, we ensure that your testing is conducted only through verified NABL approved laboratories, with proper scope matching, validity checks, and report verification. Our compliance-first approach helps businesses move forward with confidence—without rework, uncertainty, or regulatory pushback.
NABL full form is National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, the official body that accredits laboratories in India for technical competence.
A NABL approved laboratory is a lab accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories to perform specific tests or calibrations within an approved scope.
Yes. BIS requires test reports to be issued by NABL accredited laboratories for most product categories. Reports from non-NABL labs are usually rejected.
Yes. Test reports issued by NABL approved laboratories have legal acceptance and are recognized by regulators, enforcement authorities, and courts.
NABL accreditation is valid for 2 years, subject to periodic surveillance and continued compliance with NABL criteria.
No. NABL accreditation is scope-specific. A lab can test only those products and parameters listed in its approved scope.
You can verify the laboratory’s accreditation number, scope, and validity on the official NABL portal and cross-check the same on the test report.
Test reports issued outside the lab’s approved NABL scope are not accepted by regulators and usually lead to application rejection.
In many cases, yes. NABL test reports are internationally recognized and help reduce duplicate testing in importing countries.
In many cases, yes. NABL test reports are internationally recognized and help reduce duplicate testing in importing countries.
At Silvereye Certifications & Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd., we simplify compliance and certification processes, guiding you to achieve and maintain required industry approvals with complete trust.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Silvereye Certifications is a private consulting firm. We do NOT issue government certificates, licenses, or official documents. We provide professional consulting services to help businesses navigate the application process for government certifications. All certificates and approvals are issued solely by the relevant government authorities.