United States
National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NIST)
NVLAP
NVLAP is one of 7 ILAC MRA-signatory accreditation bodies listed here for United States, alongside A2LA, AIHA LAP, ANAB, IAS, NAC, PJLA.
NVLAP is the one US federal laboratory accreditation programme — operated inside NIST — but even NVLAP's own founding regulation describes it as an unbiased third party; NIST itself lists it alongside two private accreditation bodies as interchangeable options for its own EMC/Telecom MRA-designation purposes.
How this body's authority is structured
An unbiased third party — in the regulation's own words
NVLAP's founding regulation states its purpose plainly: 'The purpose of this part is to set out procedures and general requirements under which the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) operates as an unbiased third party to accredit both testing and calibration laboratories.' NVLAP is 'voluntary' by name and by design.
Official source ↗Verified:
NIST names NVLAP alongside two private competitors, not as the sole option
NIST's own site lists NVLAP side by side with two private accreditation bodies for its own MRA-designation purposes: 'The following U.S. laboratory accreditation bodies are acceptable for use for the purpose of the NIST MRA designations under various EMC/Telecom MRAs: American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP).' This confirms NVLAP is one of three interchangeable options specifically for NIST's EMC/Telecom MRA designations — it does not describe NVLAP's status for any other purpose.
Official source ↗Verified:
How to verify a certificate instead
Memberships and mutual recognition
- ILAC MRA signatory
What this body's recognition means
This body is one of Global ACI's ILAC MRA-signatory bodies, a status that carried forward when IAF and ILAC merged on 1 January 2026; IAF MLA and ILAC MRA marks stay valid through the transition period running to December 2028. What that recognition means →
Official source
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