Oregon ORELAP
Oregon environmental lab accreditation, ORELAP and the TNI standard.
Who accredits your lab in Oregon, which labs the rules require to be accredited, how renewal and on-site assessments work, how out-of-state labs qualify, and what auditors look for in your initial calibrations.
At a glance
How environmental lab accreditation works in Oregon.
Oregon is a NELAP state. TNI lists the Oregon Health Authority as a NELAP accreditation body accrediting to the 2016 TNI Standard, as of October 2026.
NELAP accreditation body
- Program
- Oregon Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ORELAP), part of the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory at the Oregon Health Authority
- NELAP status
- Listed by TNI as a NELAP accreditation body, accrediting to the 2016 TNI Environmental Laboratory Sector Standard, as of October 2026
- Legal basis
- ORS 438.605 to 438.620 (Environmental Laboratories) and Oregon Administrative Rules chapter 333, division 64, Accreditation of Laboratories
- Quality system standard
- The 2016 TNI Standard has been the ORELAP accreditation standard since January 1, 2021. OAR 333-064-0035 states that no lab shall be accredited that does not comply with the TNI Standards.
- Who must be accredited
- OAR 333-064-0010 requires accreditation for all labs reporting drinking water analysis results to the Oregon Health Authority, except certain state labs that must instead hold EPA drinking water certification, and for all Oregon labs sampling and testing marijuana items, industrial hemp-derived vapor items or psilocybin products.
- Other programs
- ORELAP also accredits labs for testing under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and for environmental or agricultural testing.
- Out-of-state labs
- ORELAP accredits out-of-state labs by reciprocity when a NELAP-recognized state accredits them for the fields they request and they apply and pay fees, except for cannabis or psilocybin testing (OAR 333-064-0050). Labs in states without a NELAP-approved body may qualify by meeting OAR 333-064-0035.
The accreditation cycle
From application to renewal.
The steps below summarize OAR 333-064-0030 and 0035 and ORELAP’s FAQ and PT guidance. Your certificate and ORELAP correspondence govern the specifics for your lab.
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Apply in ODIE
Submit the application online through the ORELAP Data Input and Edit (ODIE) system, with a quality manual that includes all elements set out in the TNI Standards (OAR 333-064-0035).
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Proficiency testing
Analyze PT samples according to Volume 1, Module 1 of the 2016 TNI Standards. ORELAP asks applicants to complete two PT samples for each analyte on TNI’s Fields of Proficiency Testing tables, and PT reports must come directly from the PT vendor.
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Biennial on-site assessment
OAR 333-064-0035 requires participation in a biennial on-site assessment as the TNI Standards require. ORELAP’s FAQ says not to schedule one before performing an internal audit of your lab.
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Annual reapplication
Each accreditation period runs one year. Labs reapply annually, with the application due 120 calendar days before the current period expires (OAR 333-064-0030).
Initial calibration
What auditors check in your initial calibrations.
Oregon’s rules do not set a separate initial calibration rule for environmental labs. ORELAP accredits to the 2016 TNI Standard, so the calibration requirements come from that standard and from the methods on your scope.
A range that brackets what you report
The lowest standard should sit at or below your reporting limit and the highest at or above the top concentration you report. Results outside the calibrated range need to be qualified.
Error at the low end, not r² alone
A correlation coefficient of 0.999 can still hide a low standard that back-calculates 30 percent off. Auditors look at relative error, especially at the lowest levels.
Records that rebuild the curve
Raw responses, the model and weighting used, any excluded points with the reason, and the verification that followed. An auditor should be able to reconstruct every initial calibration from the record.
TNI compliance is a condition of accreditation
OAR 333-064-0035 states that no lab shall be accredited that does not comply with the TNI Standards, and requires a quality manual that includes all TNI elements. Your calibration procedures need to be written into that system and followed as written.
Source: OAR 333-064-0035, 2016 TNI Standard
ORELAP links to the 2016 TNI Standard Quality Systems Checklist from its program page, and its FAQ asks labs to complete an internal audit before scheduling an on-site assessment. That audit is a good time to review your calibration records.
Self-check
Are your initial calibrations ready for an Oregon assessment?
Tick what your lab could show an auditor today. Nothing you select is saved or sent anywhere.
6Checks to work through
Select each item your lab could show an auditor today.
A self-assessment to help you prepare, not a compliance determination.
Oregon specifics
A NELAP body whose rules name who must be accredited.
OAR 333-064-0010 names three groups that must hold ORELAP accreditation: labs reporting drinking water analysis results to the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon labs sampling and testing marijuana items and industrial hemp-derived vapor items, and Oregon labs sampling and testing psilocybin products. ORELAP also accredits labs for Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and RCRA testing, but that section of the rule does not itself require it for that work, so confirm what the program or permit receiving your data asks for.
Accreditation runs on a one-year cycle that begins on the day ORELAP first grants it, not on a fixed calendar date, and reapplication is due 120 calendar days before expiration. On-site assessments are biennial, and the ORELAP Program Manual defines biennially as approximately twenty-four months apart, not to exceed thirty months. Out-of-state labs accredited by a NELAP-recognized state can apply by reciprocity, but reciprocity does not extend to cannabis or psilocybin testing.
The program continues to change. ORELAP posted Revision 6.0 of its Program, Policy, and Procedure Manual on October 31, 2025. A permanent amendment to OAR 333-064-0100, the cannabis sampling and testing rule, took effect January 20, 2026 to fix an error from an April 2025 minor correction; the attachments were not changed. On September 30, 2026 OHA filed proposed rules for marijuana, hemp and psilocybin testing that would add ICV and CCV acceptance criteria, with public comment open through October 21, 2026. ORELAP is also developing rules on reporting drinking water results under the Landlord Testing Act (HB 3525), as of October 2026.
How WLTR helps
Calibration evidence ready for an Oregon assessment.
WLTR independently reviews the calibration your instrument software produced. Your analyst still makes the final call. What changes is that the evidence is complete, consistent across analysts, and ready before the auditor asks for it.
- Each analyte reviewed one at a time in the instrument software.
- The model and weighting are whatever the batch was processed with.
- r² is the number most people look at, even though it does not measure error at the low end.
- QA signs off without an independent check on the curve.
- Every analyte and every candidate model side by side in the Calibration Intelligence dashboard.
- Diagnostics run automatically and the best fit curve is identified, with the reasons recorded.
- Relative error at every level, including the lowest standard, shown on one screen.
- A traceable record your QA manager can review, sign and hand to an ORELAP assessor.
See how your own ICAL data looks when every analyte and model is laid out for review.
Questions
Oregon accreditation FAQs
Is Oregon a NELAP state?
Yes. TNI lists the Oregon Health Authority as a NELAP accreditation body accrediting to the 2016 TNI Environmental Laboratory Sector Standard, as of October 2026. ORELAP is part of the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory.
Which Oregon labs must be ORELAP accredited?
OAR 333-064-0010 requires accreditation for all labs reporting drinking water analysis results to the Oregon Health Authority, except certain state labs that must hold EPA drinking water certification, and for all Oregon labs sampling and testing marijuana items, industrial hemp-derived vapor items or psilocybin products.
How long does ORELAP accreditation last?
One year from the day accreditation is first granted. Labs reapply annually, and the application must reach ORELAP 120 calendar days before the current period expires (OAR 333-064-0030).
Can an out-of-state lab be accredited in Oregon?
Yes. Under OAR 333-064-0050, ORELAP accredits out-of-state labs by reciprocity when a NELAP-recognized state accredits them for the fields they request and they submit an acceptable application and fees, except for cannabis or psilocybin testing. Labs in states without a NELAP-approved body may be accredited if they meet OAR 333-064-0035.
Does Oregon have its own initial calibration rule?
Not for environmental labs. ORELAP accredits to the 2016 TNI Standard, and OAR 333-064-0035 bars accreditation of any lab that does not comply with it, so calibration requirements come from that standard and from each accredited method.
Sources
Primary sources for this page.
- TNI, NELAP accreditation bodies (opens in a new tab)
- OHA, ORELAP program home (opens in a new tab)
- OHA, ORELAP rules and statutes (opens in a new tab)
- OHA, ORELAP frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab)
- OHA, ORELAP proficiency testing requirements (opens in a new tab)
- OAR 333-064-0010, scope (Oregon Secretary of State) (opens in a new tab)
- OAR 333-064-0035, approval requirements (Oregon Secretary of State) (opens in a new tab)
- OAR 333-064-0050, out-of-state laboratories (Oregon Secretary of State) (opens in a new tab)
This page summarizes public program information to help labs prepare. Requirements change, and the agency’s current rules and guidance always take precedence. WLTR is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Oregon Health Authority. Spot something out of date? Tell us at admin@wltr.tech.
Before your next assessment
See your Oregon ICALs the way an assessor will.
Bring a recent initial calibration. We will walk you through every analyte and candidate model in the Calibration Intelligence dashboard, the best fit, and the record your QA manager would sign.
Request a demoHow the methodology works
Running environmental methods? See how WLTR works for environmental testing labs and water and wastewater utility labs.