NABL accreditation is a formal recognition of the technical competence of a testing or calibration laboratory for a specific task following ISO/IEC 17025 Standard. This is based on third party assessment. WTO recognizes non-acceptance of test results and measurement data as Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT). Accreditation is considered to be the first essential step towards removing such technical barriers. NABL has gone a step further and achieved the status of APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) MRA (Mutual Recognition Arrangement) partner and signatory to ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) Arrangement based on peer evaluation by a multi-disciplinary team from APLAC. This is a major step towards mutual acceptance of test results and measurement data amongst 52 accreditation bodies representing 45 countries. NABL accredited laboratories have therefore emerged as a member of global family of accredited laboratories.

NABL accreditation has also assumed significance for equivalence of measurements for those manufacturing industries, which source their components from different countries. NABL therefore has an objective to set up a chain of accredited calibration laboratories with traceability to National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, or other International Metrology Institutions such as NIST, CISO, PTB, etc. or accredited laboratories under APLAC / ILAC.

NABL has also extended its services to Clinical and Food testing laboratories having strong relevance to the society. NABL is aimed towards providing an efficient and transparent mechanism to the laboratories and their users.

Accredited laboratories have the responsibility of satisfying the criteria of laboratory accreditation at all times, which are verified during Surveillance and Re-assessment visits by NABL. Further the accredited laboratories should prove their technical competence by satisfactory participation in recognized Proficiency Testing programmes. In conformity with ISO/IEC 17011:2004 which determines the Quality System of NABL, the accredited laboratories can be suspended or its scope of accreditation can be reduced or even withdrawn in cases of negligence and gross non-compliance of ISO/IEC 17025 standard detected during routine or surprise Surveillance or Re-assessment.