CAP and COLA are both accreditation organizations for clinical laboratories under CLIA, and each says CMS has approved it. This page sets the two programs side by side from each body's own pages, opened October 3, 2026, and it does not tell you which to pick. CAP shows an application fee on its application page and COLA shows no fee on the pages we opened.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What each body accredits for this program
CAP's Laboratory Accreditation Program page (page opened October 3, 2026) names human and animal specimens as what the program accredits, and says state licensure must be in place where the law demands it. Inspectors work from the CAP Accreditation Checklists, and they are peers from other laboratories. CAP's accreditation hub also lists separate programs for CAP 15189, biorepositories, reproductive laboratories and forensic drug testing, plus a System Inspection Option.
COLA's accreditation page (page opened October 3, 2026) describes four tracks: clinical laboratory, multi-laboratory systems, pathology, and EMS or mobile laboratories. It lists nine CLIA specialties and a range of facility types, from physician offices to long-term care and plasma centers. COLA reports an ISO 9001:2015 certificate for the quality system behind its accreditation program.
Side by side
| Topic | CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program | COLA clinical laboratory accreditation |
|---|---|---|
| Scope as stated | Human and animal specimens, with state licensure in place where the law demands it | Clinical laboratories, with a list of CMS-approved CLIA specialties and named program tracks (clinical, multi-laboratory systems, pathology, EMS and mobile) |
| Governing document | Discipline-specific CAP Accreditation Checklists, which CAP tailors to your test menu before inspection | COLA's Accreditation Manual, with download instructions sent when you enroll |
| Who visits | Inspection teams drawn from working laboratories | COLA's own surveyors, one person or a team depending on laboratory size and complexity |
| Cycle | Inspected on site every two years | Two-year certificate cycle |
| What the page gives you on timing | Week ranges beside each stage on CAP's process page, and one fixed window: 30 days to answer inspection deficiencies | Five stages with no dates attached. COLA says help during corrective action carries no added charge |
| CMS and CLIA, as stated | CAP says CMS has granted the program deeming authority | CMS-approved accreditation organization, with deemed status for all CLIA specialties announced June 11, 2026 |
| Other recognition stated | Deemed status with The Joint Commission, UNOS, NMDP, FACT and many state agencies | COLA says laboratories in California can be deemed to meet state requirements through it. For a hospital-based lab, COLA's home page names DNV and CIHQ as hospital accreditors it says welcome COLA-accredited laboratories |
| Application fee | $1,200 domestic, $1,500 international (CAP application page, opened October 3, 2026) | No figure on the pages opened |
| Annual fee | Set by laboratory size and complexity, no figure shown | No figure on the pages opened |
CAP's application page carries no effective date. Verify current fees with CAP and with COLA.
How the two describe their models
CAP describes inspection as peer review: inspectors come from other laboratories, so a CAP-accredited laboratory can be on either side of an inspection. COLA describes its surveys as educational and says its staff technical advisors answer compliance questions between surveys. It also says corrective-action help carries no extra fee. IHS takes no view on either description.
CAP's published fee structure
CAP's application page (page opened October 3, 2026) separates two charges.
- Application fee: the up-front charge, paid once with the request form. CAP states it is non-refundable, and that it opens the online application, the master checklists and the customer portal.
- Annual accreditation fee: CAP bills it a month after the first inspection and again a month ahead of each anniversary, and states that inspection years add no separate charge. It says laboratory size and complexity drive the amount, and it gives the number only through its fee estimate form.
If you run more than one site, number or program, plan on one request form and one application fee for each, as CAP's page describes. CAP's general process page describes a fee waiver for laboratories that buy the master checklists first and apply within six months. That page carries a 2018 copyright line, so ask CAP whether the offer still stands. Verify current fees with CAP.
Reading CAP's published figure
This is arithmetic on the published figures, not a quote or an estimate of any bill. Two domestic laboratories under two CLIA numbers would each need a request form and fee, so the application fees would total 2 x $1,200 = $2,400. A laboratory that also applies to a second CAP program would add another form and fee. The annual fee cannot be computed from the pages, because no schedule appears.
What drives the choice
These are the facts that decide which accreditor a laboratory can use, not a ranking.
- Payer and contract language: a payer contract, a health system agreement or a customer requirement may name an accepted accreditor. Read the clause.
- State rules: COLA says it holds state deeming approval in California, and CAP says it holds deemed status with many state agencies. Your state's own rules control.
- Hospital or program relationships: CAP lists deemed status with The Joint Commission and several transplant and cellular therapy bodies. If your laboratory sits inside a hospital, ask the hospital's own accreditor. COLA's home page names DNV and CIHQ as two it says welcome COLA-accredited laboratories.
- CMS deemed status for your specialties: COLA announced deemed status for all CLIA specialties on June 11, 2026 (see its announcement). Check each body's CMS approval against your test menu.
- Later ISO 15189 plans: CAP's CAP 15189 page lists the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program as a prerequisite for that program. COLA's home page says it is now authorized for ISO 15189 and ISO 20387 evaluations (both pages opened October 3, 2026).
Where the sources are silent
- COLA's accreditation, enrollment and home pages show no fee, no price range and no fee schedule.
- CAP gives no annual fee figure, and its application page states no effective date.
- COLA's pages give no timeline for its process. CAP's process page gives timeframe ranges beside its steps.
- Other accreditors offer laboratory programs too. This comparison covers CAP and COLA only.
- Whether a given payer or state accepts one body over the other is outside what either body's page says.
Where this fits
Our page on CAP laboratory accreditation consulting covers the CAP program, the CLIA rules behind deeming, CAP 15189 and how IHS builds a laboratory's quality-system documents. Our page on ACHC clinical laboratory accreditation covers another approved route. This comparison adds the side-by-side and the CAP fee figures.
What this is not
- It is not a recommendation of CAP, COLA or any other accreditor.
- It is not IHS pricing. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call, and IHS does not set or collect accreditor fees.
- It is not legal or scientific advice, and it does not predict any accreditation outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Is CAP or COLA the right accreditor for my laboratory?
This page does not say. The answer turns on what your payers, your state, your hospital or your contracts accept, and on your test menu. Check each body's published scope against your own testing and ask the parties that rely on your accreditation what they recognize.
Do both CAP and COLA satisfy CLIA?
CAP states that CMS granted its program deeming authority. COLA lists nine CLIA specialties it is CMS-approved for and says it has deemed status for all CLIA specialties as of its June 11, 2026 announcement. Both pages were opened October 3, 2026.
What does CAP publish about its fees?
CAP's application page shows a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $1,200 for domestic laboratories and $1,500 for international laboratories, per laboratory, facility or program. It gives no figure for the annual fee, which it says depends on laboratory size and complexity. Verify current fees with CAP.
What does COLA publish about its fees?
On the COLA pages opened for this comparison, no fee or price appeared. COLA directs prospective customers to its sales representatives by phone. Verify current fees with COLA.
How often is each body's on-site visit?
CAP says it inspects on site every two years. COLA says its certificate runs on a two-year cycle, with a survey every two years. Confirm with each body how the cycle applies to your laboratory.
How do CAP and COLA describe their inspection and survey styles?
Each describes itself in its own terms. CAP says its inspectors work in laboratories themselves. COLA says it takes an educational approach on survey and that its surveyors have laboratory bench experience. IHS does not rank them.