Environmental Laboratory Certification

The Environmental Laboratory Certification Program was established in 1979 to ensure laboratory quality and capacity to perform testing of drinking water regulated under the Florida Safe Drinking Water Act.  The legislature expanded the scope of the program in 1986 to cover domestic wastewater testing conducted under the Clean Water Act as well as certification for other types of environmental testing.

Under the leadership and fundamental groundwork of then Bureau Chief, Dr. Charles Hartwig, the Florida program took an active role in establishing the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) and Program (NELAP), becoming one of the first of 13 Accreditation Bodies in the U.S. recognized under the program in 1999.  Today the Environmental Laboratory Certification Program continues to be active in the development and adoption of national consensus accreditation standards through the work of The NELAC Institute (TNI).

Applying these quality standards, the Environmental Laboratory Certification Program certifies laboratories to use chemical and biological techniques in testing a wide variety of matrices, including drinking water, non-potable water, solid and chemical materials, biological tissue, and air.  Through periodic proficiency testing and on-site assessments, certified laboratories must demonstrate that they have the capability to produce high quality testing results in the interests of protecting the health and environment of Florida’s citizens.

• The Department of Health Rule, 64E-1, FAC - Certification of Environmental Testing Laboratories(.pdf 236 kb)**

• Application for Certification of Environmental Testing Laboratories (.pdf 4.31 MB)**Please note that the APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LABORATORIES Form DH 1762, was last updated in December 2016. When completing this form, next to the method, add the applicable version years of the Standard Methods methods and the applicable method designation letter for the EPA Solid Waste 846 methods for which the laboratory is applying. Use page 50 for Additional Methods.

• Laboratories Certified Under NELAP by the Florida Department of Health *Expiration 6/30 every year until renewed*

• National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program information

• Department of Health Checklists
   
  F.A.Q concerning contracting out of on-site laboratory assessments
   
  Contact info for new on-site laboratory assessment providers

 
Environmental Laboratory Certification Program Administrator:
(904) 791-1582

** Requires a .PDF reader/viewer, get adobe reader here