15 CFR § 285.1 - Purpose.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t15/s285.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "15 CFR § 285.1 - Purpose."
title_number: 15
title_name: "Commerce and Foreign Trade"
section_number: "285.1"
section_name: "Purpose."
chapter_name: "NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
subchapter_number: "J"
subchapter_name: "ACCREDITATION AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS"
part_number: "285"
part_name: "NATIONAL VOLUNTARY LABORATORY ACCREDITATION PROGRAM"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "15 U.S.C. 272"
regulatory_source: "66 FR 29221, May 30, 2001, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "285"
---


# 285.1 Purpose.

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. Supplementary technical and administrative requirements are provided in supporting handbooks and documents as needed, depending on the criteria established for specific Laboratory Accreditation Programs (LAPs).

[85 FR 60060, Sept. 24, 2020]