To apply for an APL you must:
- be a current Approved Pathology Authority (APA)
- have National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA) accreditation.
Read more about NATA accreditation procedures on the NATA website.
How to apply
The National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) sets the laboratory quality standards, including laboratory category definitions. Find out more on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website.
To apply:
- fill in the Application for approval, renewal or amendment of premises as an Accredited Pathology Laboratory form
- for new approvals, make sure the time between when you sign the application and send it to us is less than 3 months
- for renewal applications, make sure the dates you sign the application and send it are no more than 3 months before your current approval expires
- pay the fee and send us proof of payment with your application
- upload your application through Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) along with the advisory or assessment report from NATA or mail or fax your application to us.
The report from NATA must be supportive of the pathology services in your application or your application will be rejected.
Read more about using HPOS.
What happens next
If approved, we’ll send you a unique APL number with your approval dates.
We’ll ask you to renew your APL 3 months before it expires. You’ll need to renew your APL before it expires, allowing enough time for processing. To do this:
- complete the Application for approval, renewal or amendment of premises as an Accredited Pathology Laboratory form
- submit the most recent assessment report from NATA with the form
- pay the fee.
If approved, your APL will be valid for up to 3 years.
Check the NATA website for a list of all accredited Australian medical testing laboratories.
When your circumstances change
You must obtain a new NATA assessment and submit a new APL application if your laboratory location changes.
If ownership of the laboratory changes, you must complete the Approved Pathology Authority acquisition or merger advice form.
More information
Read more about pathology services for health professionals.