Accredited Pathology Laboratories

To apply for an Accredited Pathology Laboratory (APL), you must meet certain criteria.

To apply for an APL you must:

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:

The report from NATA must be supportive of the pathology services in your application or your application will be rejected.

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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:

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.

Page last updated: 7 November 2022.