ISO 17025 accreditation application
An ISO 17025 application starts with defining which laboratory activities you want assessed. The Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA) describes the application route and uses its PRISMA application tool for this. Before you start, set the intended scope and a budget.
The file must show how your laboratory actually works. Writing procedures alone is not enough preparation. Also collect records of completed jobs, the equipment you use and the staff who may carry out the work. To see which documents belong here, read about the quality system. A checklist helps you put everything in one place. Also show how you take part in proficiency testing and how you resolve nonconformities.
From preparation to decision
The route below combines the official process stages with your own practical preparation. Use the cards to go to your current stage. The current application tool determines which documents you must submit.
1. Define what you want assessed
Start with a list of work that clients must be able to order under accreditation. For each activity, note the method, the material or measurand, and the location where it is carried out. Then make visible what you already control reliably and where you still need to develop.
Fictional example: Noordmeet carries out five material tests. Three methods are in daily use; two are still in development. The laboratory manager applies first for the three mature methods. That is a commercial and technical choice, not a rule in the standard that you must always start small.
Involve the people who accept jobs as well. They must not promise clients accredited results for activities that have not yet been agreed.
2. Build a verifiable file
Use an evidence index in which every reference leads to a current version. What follows is a working method of our own, not a complete list of mandatory standard documents.
| Component | Usable example of evidence | Who checks the coherence? |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Work instruction and justification of suitability | Technical manager |
| Staff member | Training, observed performance and competence | Laboratory manager |
| Equipment | Identification, maintenance and relevant calibration data | Equipment manager |
| Result | Raw data, calculation, check and report | Authorised reviewer |
| Quality monitoring | Checks, comparisons and follow-up of nonconformities | Quality officer |
| Management | Internal audit, management review and actions | Management and quality officer |
As a trial, follow one job from application to report. Can a colleague reconstruct which method, staff member, equipment and data were used? This often reveals gaps that a document list alone does not show.
3. Submit through the current application route
New applicants go through the RvA quick scan , a short check of five questions. If the outcome is positive, you move on to the application tool. The page on the accreditation process names PRISMA, the tool for submitting and collecting documents. Use that route to find the right additional documents for your discipline.
Before submitting, check the legal entity, sites, contact persons and requested activities. Also record internally who may pass on changes to the person managing the application. An old application instruction with loose forms may differ from the current digital route.
4. Prepare for the assessment and follow-up
The RvA distinguishes between application, preliminary review, initial assessment and decision. Make sure the team can reach the agreed records during the assessment and can explain the relevant work. The exact form of the assessment follows from the assessment plan.
Create a separate action record for each finding. Describe the problem, the investigated cause, the correction and how you prevent recurrence. Also record how you will check whether the measure works. The RvA decides which submissions and deadlines apply. Your own action plan does not replace those agreements.
A completed assessment is not yet a positive accreditation decision. Use accreditation claims only within the scope actually granted and the applicable rules for use.
Frequently asked questions
Can an adviser take over the application?
An adviser can help with preparation and documentation. The laboratory remains responsible for its work and evidence. Agree in advance which knowledge and files must remain available internally afterwards.
How long must I gather data before I apply?
No single number of months works for every laboratory. The required evidence depends on the activities, methods and application requirements. Check whether you can demonstrate how your work operates before you set a date.
What happens after accreditation is granted?
You must maintain the accreditation and control changes. New activities are not automatically covered. When you extend the scope, review the scope and the applicable RvA procedure again.