Is a UK laboratory accredited for my tests?
Find the laboratory on the UKAS website and compare its current accreditation schedule with each test you need. Match the testing site, product or material, method and any exclusions, then obtain written confirmation before sending samples. Ask Cambridge China Bridge to coordinate the factory sample details.
Start with the test brief
Write down the product, material, property to be measured, test method and edition, relevant clauses and acceptance criteria. Ask whoever will use the report to confirm the brief before booking. A request for a general safety test leaves too much room for different interpretations.
This guide covers the laboratory's accredited scope. For checking an existing document, use our guide to verifying product test reports. For choosing between laboratory work and checks at the factory, see laboratory testing or factory inspection.
Check the laboratory and testing site
UKAS guidance says the organisation's accreditation schedule lists its specific accredited activities and scope. Search the UKAS website using the laboratory's name or accreditation reference. Compare the organisation's name with the quotation, rather than relying on a logo on the laboratory's own website.
Ask where each test will actually be performed. Match that address to the schedule's location details and any location codes beside the test entries. If samples go to another branch or a subcontractor, ask for that testing organisation's details and check its scope separately.
Use the current schedule
Get the schedule from the laboratory's current UKAS listing rather than a supplier's saved attachment. Record its issue date and reference, and check for suspension or withdrawal notices affecting the work you plan to commission. If the listing is missing or unclear, ask UKAS to clarify before booking.
UKAS explains that schedules set out the limits and conditions of accreditation. Keep a copy with the quotation and your test brief, and check the listing again before testing starts. Treat an application to add a method as a question to resolve, rather than evidence that the method is already covered.
Match methods and read exclusions
Compare each requested test with the corresponding schedule entry. Read across the material or product description, measured property, method, measurement range and testing location. Look for qualifications in notes and footnotes. A similar method name is a reason to ask for clarification.
Send the laboratory your test brief and ask it to identify the matching schedule entries. Ask which clauses, materials, ranges or activities are excluded, and whether it proposes a modified or in-house method. If it refers to a flexible scope, request the controlled scope details that cover your exact work.
| Check | Ask the laboratory |
|---|---|
| Material or product | Does the entry cover this material and sample form? |
| Method and edition | Which listed method and edition will you use? |
| Clauses and exclusions | Which requested activities fall outside the quoted accredited work? |
| Range | Will the measurement range suit our acceptance criteria? |
| Testing site | Where will the work be performed, including subcontracted tests? |
Agree the work and preserve the evidence
Before sending samples, obtain written confirmation of which quoted tests will be performed within the accredited scope. Ask the laboratory to identify any work outside that scope and any subcontracted work separately. If a requested test is not covered, resolve the gap with the report's intended user or choose another laboratory.
Keep the schedule, scope confirmation, quotation and sample identifiers together. Use our laboratory sample chain of custody guide to connect the tested sample to the factory goods. When the report arrives, compare its methods, testing site and qualifications with the agreed brief before relying on the results.
Frequently asked questions
Does a UKAS logo mean all the laboratory's tests are accredited?
The logo alone does not answer that question. UKAS says the specific accredited activities and scope are listed on the organisation's accreditation schedule. Match each requested test to that scope.
How do I check the laboratory's current accreditation?
Find its current UKAS listing, obtain the schedule and check for relevant suspension or withdrawal notices. Ask UKAS to clarify a missing or unclear listing before commissioning the work.
What if the laboratory uses a different test method?
Ask for the exact method, edition and matching scope entry. Get the report's intended user to confirm whether the proposed method meets your brief before agreeing to the change.
Can the laboratory send my samples to another site?
Ask where each test will be performed. Check the actual testing site's scope, including any subcontractor, and obtain written confirmation of which work will be covered by accreditation.