Laboratory accreditation concerns competence for a defined scope of activities. A logo on a report is a starting point for checking that scope, not a statement that every measurement, product or claim associated with the organisation is accredited. The useful question is whether the relevant work falls within the scope being claimed.
Find the organisation in the accreditor’s directory
UKAS provides an official directory of accredited organisations, searchable by name and other identifying details. This is an appropriate starting point for a claim of UKAS accreditation.UKAS — Accredited organisation directory (opens in a new tab)
Compare the name and accreditation number with the report, then identify the relevant operating location. A similar trading name or membership of the same corporate group does not establish that the particular site and activity are included.
If the claim concerns a different accreditation body, use that body’s own official records. A supplier-created list of credentials is not equivalent to a current record maintained by the accreditor.
Keep the date of the check. If a historical report is being assessed, current status alone may not resolve the organisation’s status at the time the reported work was performed.
Read what the published scope actually covers
UKAS explains that accreditation is accompanied by a publicly available schedule defining the scope. The schedule is therefore central to interpreting the claim, rather than an optional attachment to the logo.UKAS — How accreditation is obtained and its scope published (opens in a new tab)
| Detail | Question |
|---|---|
| Material or sample category | Does the scope include the type of material tested? |
| Property or test | Is the claimed measurement included? |
| Method or technique | Does the listed activity match the report’s procedure? |
| Location and limitations | Are the relevant site and stated restrictions covered? |
An entry for one analytical technique should not be expanded by the reader into every possible use of that technique. The surrounding description can limit its application to particular materials or measurements.
Where the schedule uses terms that are difficult to interpret, ask the laboratory or accreditor about the specific report activity. A precise scope question is more useful than asking whether the organisation is “fully accredited”.
Check whether the report includes mixed-status work
UKAS guidance on accreditation symbols says that unaccredited results or information in a report carrying its symbol must be clearly disclaimed. Its GEN 6 publication also addresses reports combining accredited and non-accredited work.UKAS — Use of accreditation symbols (opens in a new tab)UKAS GEN 6 — Reference to accreditation (opens in a new tab)
An asterisk beside one result may therefore matter more than the prominent mark on the first page. Read the corresponding footnote and keep the qualification with the result when summarising it.
Work outside an accredited scope is not automatically incorrect. It means that the particular accreditation claim cannot be used as the supporting evidence for that activity. Its method performance requires assessment on its own evidence.
Keep accreditation separate from product approval
A laboratory’s accreditation does not turn an analytical report into approval for human use of a research material. It also does not establish that an untested vial is identical to the submitted sample.
Similarly, management-system certification and laboratory accreditation are different claims. A certificate about an organisation’s management system should not be presented as proof that a particular peptide assay falls within an accredited laboratory scope.
A useful conclusion identifies the accreditor, organisation, scope entry and report activity that were matched. If that match remains unclear, state the unresolved detail instead of inferring coverage from a familiar emblem.
Sources and further detail
- UKAS — Accredited organisation directory (opens in a new tab)
Official directory read; no particular laboratory accreditation asserted here.
- UKAS — How accreditation is obtained and its scope published (opens in a new tab)
Official description of accreditation certificate and public schedule.
- UKAS — Use of accreditation symbols (opens in a new tab)
Official conditions summary, including clear identification of unaccredited report content.
- UKAS GEN 6 — Reference to accreditation (opens in a new tab)
Edition 2, sections 6 and 7 checked for mixed-status reports and opinions. No full-standard compliance determination made.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Worked examples are illustrative unless a supplied report is explicitly identified. This article has not undergone independent scientific peer review.