The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) is a not for profit corporation, incorporated in the state of Missouri. ASCLD/LAB is proud to be recognized as an ISO/IEC 17011 compliant accrediting body in the field of forensic science by the Inter American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) since September 2008 and by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) since April 2009. ASCLD/LAB is a signatory to both the IAAC Multi-lateral Recognition Arrangement and the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement.

ASCLD/LAB offers voluntary accreditation to public and private crime laboratories in the United States and around the world. Accreditation is offered in the forensic disciplines for which services are generally provided by forensic laboratories.

ASCLD/LAB was originally created as a committee of its mother organization, the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) in 1981. In 1984, ASCLD/LAB became a separate corporate entity with its own Board of Directors that is elected by a Delegate Assembly composed of the directors of accredited laboratories and laboratory systems.

On May 1, 2013 ASCLD/LAB released new versions of traceability and uncertainty policies. The policies were effective May 1, 2013 with a 'deadline for implementation date of December 31, 2013.'

ASCLD/LAB Policy on Measurement Traceability

ASCLD/LAB Policy on Measurement Uncertainty


Laboratories accredited by ASCLD/LAB in an ASCLD/LAB-International program (testing or calibration), and laboratories preparing for ASCLD/LAB-International accreditation, must be able to demonstrate full conformance with these new policies by December 31, 2013. Throughout the transition period, assessments conducted by ASCLD/LAB will continue to evaluate existing laboratory policies, procedures and programs addressing ISO/IEC 17025:2005 requirements for measurement traceability (Section 5.6) and estimation of uncertainty of measurement (Section 5.4.6).

Also during the transition period, and as a part of ASCLD/LAB's continuing efforts to ensure proper measurement traceability, laboratories must be able to demonstrate satisfactory conformance with ASCLD/LAB's Clarification on External Calibration of Measuring Instruments - Testing Laboratories. The two new policies above are intended to and will replace this document, but do not disregard this document during the transition period:

External Calibration of Measuring Instruments - Testing Laboratories