NAACLS accreditation is the external peer review through which NAACLS recognizes education programs in clinical laboratory science disciplines, such as Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) programs. This page is for academic and hospital laboratory training programs that are starting a program, seeking initial accreditation or keeping an accredited program aligned. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) builds the self-study evidence and agreements for NAACLS accreditation; your educators own the curriculum.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
What is NAACLS accreditation?
NAACLS defines it as "A process of external peer review in which NAACLS grants public recognition to education programs that meet established education standards in clinical laboratory science disciplines." The disciplines NAACLS lists are Biomedical Science (BMS), Cytogenetic Technologist (CG), Diagnostic Molecular Scientist (DMS), Doctoral Clinical Laboratory Scientist (DCLS), Histotechnician (HT), Histotechnologist (HTL), Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA), Medical Laboratory Blood Bank Scientist (MLBBS), Medical Laboratory Microbiology (MLM), Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS), Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT), Pathologists' Assistant (Path A), Phlebotomist (PBT) and Public Health Microbiology (PHM) (NAACLS, About).
The governing text is the NAACLS Standards for the program's discipline, read with the NAACLS Standards Compliance Guide (adopted 10/2024; revised 02/2025, 11/2025 and 05/2026). This page does not quote either document; your program works from the current Standards for its discipline.
NAACLS adds three points about the program itself: "Programs must either grant the associate degree or higher or a certificate of completion (if students already hold a degree) upon the successful culmination"; "The NAACLS Accreditation process is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)"; and "Accredited programs are eligible for a maximum award of ten years" (NAACLS, About).
Who needs it and what triggers it
The buyers are colleges, universities and hospital-based laboratory programs. The triggers:
- A new program. "The Accreditation Application Packet gathers essential contact information about the program and provides materials to helps us determine if the program has a reasonable chance of meeting the Standards. The application packet with fee must be accepted before the program can submit the self-study" (NAACLS, Start a Program).
- Graduates' exam eligibility. "Serious Applicant Status is a pre-accreditation status that, once met, allows graduates to sit for certification exams," and "As soon as we receive your self-study, your program will be awarded with Serious Applicant Status!" (NAACLS, Start a Program).
- Cyclical review. "All accredited programs are required to submit a self-study and host a site visit in the cyclical review process" (NAACLS, About).
- A non-standard discipline or location. "If you are a BMS, DCLS, or a non-USA program, we recommend contacting NAACLS Program Services before starting to fill out your application materials as there are different standards and processes to follow" (NAACLS, Start a Program).
On timing, NAACLS says of the self-study: "Give yourself some time, maybe up to a year." "Site visits are approximately six months after your self-study submission," and "For initial programs, NAACLS sends three content experts to review the program on-site." Because "NAACLS relies on volunteer content experts to complete all reviews," "it may take up to two months to receive any review" (NAACLS, Start a Program).
How IHS helps
Your program obtains the NAACLS Standards for its discipline and confirms its eligibility. IHS then works through them with your team:
- A gap assessment against the discipline's Standards and the Standards Compliance Guide.
- Document and evidence mapping: the self-study evidence organized against each Standard.
- Drafting: clinical site (affiliate) agreement templates, student record processes, and assessment and continuous-improvement documentation, written for your laboratory educators to review and approve.
- A mock review of the self-study before your program submits it, and readiness support for the site visit.
What you supply: the Standards for your discipline, the curriculum, clinical sites, and laboratory educators who own curriculum and competency assessment.
The limit: each discipline needs its own scoping, and laboratory science teaching is outside IHS's depth. What IHS brings is its process: gap assessment, evidence mapping and mock review against the governing text. Your program submits the application packet and self-study.
What to have ready
This is the list we would ask for first, each item tied to what NAACLS publishes.
- The current NAACLS Standards for your discipline and the Standards Compliance Guide (revised 05/2026).
- Confirmation that the program grants an associate degree or higher, or a certificate of completion for students who already hold a degree (NAACLS, About).
- The Accreditation Application Packet and its fee, which must be accepted before the self-study (Start a Program).
- For BMS, DCLS or non-USA programs, the conversation with NAACLS Program Services that NAACLS recommends before the application (Start a Program).
- A self-study timeline that allows "maybe up to a year" (Start a Program).
- A plan to host three content experts on-site about six months after the self-study is submitted (Start a Program).
- Room in the schedule for reviews that "may take up to two months" (Start a Program).
- Budget for the initial application, site visit preparation, site visit and annual fees (NAACLS fees, 2025-2026 schedule).
If most of this is in place, the introductory call is the place to start.
How it compares
| Route | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| NAACLS accreditation | Peer review of clinical laboratory science programs across the listed disciplines; recognized by CHEA; awards up to ten years (NAACLS). |
| ABHES programmatic accreditation | For medical laboratory technician programs among others. ABHES is recognized for "the programmatic accreditation of medical assistant, medical laboratory technician and surgical technology programs" (ABHES). |
| CAAHEP | For some related laboratory programs: CAAHEP's standards index lists "Cytology" and "Specialist in Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine" (CAAHEP). |
Each route has its own scope and requirements. This page does not recommend one over another.
What it costs
NAACLS publishes "NAACLS Accreditation Fees (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026)" for programs based in the United States (NAACLS, Accreditation Fees):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial Application Fee | $600.00 |
| Serious Applicant Status/Doctoral Candidacy Status Fee | Prorated Cost |
| Site Visit Preparation Fee | $750.00 |
| Site Visit Fee | Actual Cost |
| Annual Accreditation Fee, 2025-2026 | $3,117.00 |
| Annual Accreditation Fee, 2026-2027 | $3,273 |
| Annual Accreditation Fee, 2027-2028 | $3,437 |
| Annual Accreditation Fee, 2028-2029 | $3,609 |
NAACLS's published schedule is headed July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026. The $600 and $750 amounts appear under that July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 heading.
The upcoming annual fee is listed as $3,273 for 2026-2027, $3,437 for 2027-2028 and $3,609 for 2028-2029. NAACLS states: "NAACLS begins billing programs when they reach Serious Applicant Status (SAS) or Doctoral Candidacy Status (DCS). Invoices are sent in January and July" (NAACLS, Accreditation Fees). Verify current fees with NAACLS.
IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.
What this is not
- IHS is not an accrediting body and does not grant, influence or predict a NAACLS decision.
- IHS does not submit the application packet or self-study, or correspond with NAACLS for the program. IHS drafts; the program submits.
- This page is not legal or laboratory science advice. Curriculum and competency assessment belong to your laboratory educators.
Frequently asked questions
What is NAACLS accreditation and which laboratory programs does it cover?
NAACLS describes accreditation as external peer review that grants public recognition to education programs meeting its standards in clinical laboratory science disciplines. Its list runs from Biomedical Science to Public Health Microbiology and includes MLS, MLT, histotechnology, cytogenetics, molecular diagnostics, Pathologists' Assistant and phlebotomy.
How do we start a new MLS or MLT program and get it NAACLS accredited?
The program submits an Accreditation Application Packet with a fee, which NAACLS uses to judge whether the program has a reasonable chance of meeting the Standards. The packet must be accepted before the program can submit its self-study. A site visit follows about six months after the self-study.
What is Serious Applicant Status?
NAACLS describes Serious Applicant Status as a pre-accreditation status that, once met, allows graduates to sit for certification exams. NAACLS awards it as soon as it receives the program's self-study. NAACLS begins billing programs when they reach that status.
How long does NAACLS accreditation take?
NAACLS does not publish one end-to-end figure on the pages we reviewed. It suggests allowing up to a year for the self-study, schedules site visits about six months after the self-study is submitted, and notes that any review may take up to two months because it relies on volunteer content experts.
How much does NAACLS accreditation cost, including the site visit?
For programs based in the United States, NAACLS lists a $600 Initial Application Fee, a $750 Site Visit Preparation Fee, the Site Visit Fee at actual cost, and an Annual Accreditation Fee of $3,273 for 2026-2027 (the 2025-2026 figure was $3,117). Verify current fees with NAACLS.
Can a hospital laboratory run a NAACLS-accredited program?
The NAACLS pages we reviewed do not address sponsor type directly. They state that programs must grant an associate degree or higher, or a certificate of completion for students who already hold a degree. A hospital-based program would work from that requirement and the Standards for its discipline.
NAACLS or ABHES for a medical laboratory technician program: what is the difference?
Both offer programmatic accreditation that covers MLT programs. ABHES is recognized for the programmatic accreditation of medical assistant, medical laboratory technician and surgical technology programs. NAACLS reviews against its discipline Standards with a self-study and site visit; the choice belongs to your institution.
How long does NAACLS accreditation last?
NAACLS states that accredited programs are eligible for a maximum award of ten years. All accredited programs submit a self-study and host a site visit in the cyclical review process.