---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 138b"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "138b"
heading: "Accreditation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/138b"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — National Laboratory Accreditation"
---

# §138b. Accreditation

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/138.md?p=5) shall issue [certificates](/usc/7/138.md?p=2) of accreditation to [laboratories](/usc/7/138.md?p=3) that meet the requirements of this chapter, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/138.md?p=5).
- (b) **Requirements for accreditation—** To receive accreditation under this chapter, a [laboratory](/usc/7/138.md?p=3) shall prepare and submit an application for accreditation to the [Secretary](/usc/7/138.md?p=5) and shall complete such required tests, and meet such standards as established under [section 138a of this title](/usc/7/138a.md).
- (c) **Failure to meet accreditation standards—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/138.md?p=5) shall deny an application for accreditation or shall revoke any existing accreditation with respect to any [laboratory](/usc/7/138.md?p=3) that fails to meet the requirements for accreditation under this chapter.
- (d) **Limited accreditation—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/138.md?p=5) may issue [certificates](/usc/7/138.md?p=2) of accreditation to [laboratories](/usc/7/138.md?p=3) that are limited to specific fields of testing.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XIII, § 1323, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3563.)