How to become accredited

It is important for those seeking accreditation to understand the process from application to attaining accreditation may take up to six months and this may vary depending on your state of readiness.  

The accreditation process includes the following steps: 

  • Readiness and eligibility 
  • Advisory visit 
  • Application and document review
  • Initial assessment 
  • Addressing any findings (submission process) 
  • Granting of accreditation 

The process

NATA offers extensive accreditation services to many industries from mining and construction to health and environment. 

The accreditation process is comprehensive and can be lengthy, but for those that attain accreditation from NATA, there are many benefits to be enjoyed, from operational improvements to increased market share. 

 

Getting underway

Accreditation criteria 

To begin the process, organisations must first satisfy the operating criteria specified in the relevant Standard for which they wish to be accredited as well as applicable NATA requirements.  

We strongly recommend organisations seeking accreditation first review the  NATA Accreditation Criteria (NAC) relevant to their application and industry. These documents can be found on our website.  

We also encourage prospective organisations to contact a NATA Accreditation Specialist to discuss any needs and requirements. 

Eligibility  

Any legal organisation that provides testing, inspection, examination, calibration or related services can apply for NATA accreditation. 

Contact 

As part of an application, your organisation must nominate an Authorised Representative to be its official contact with NATA.  The rights and obligations of this person are detailed in the NATA Rules.  

NATA Advisory visit

Once NATA has established eligibility and the Standard relevant to your accreditation, a NATA Accreditation Specialist will conduct an advisory visit This is an on-site informal review of the organisation to identify any areas requiring attention in relation to accreditation requirements. 

This visit is also an opportunity for the organisation to clarify any questions or process steps they have in relation to the accreditation. 

 

 

Application and document review

After your advisory visit, your NATA Accreditation Specialist will send you an Application for Accreditation and request a number of documents to review in readiness for your initial assessment.   

Initial assessment

At the initial assessment, the organisation is asked to demonstrate competence and compliance with the accreditation criteria.

This assessment involves a thorough review of relevant documents and records, discussions with staff and of witnessing activities proposed for accreditation.

The assessment will generally take a minimum of one day but may extend to several days depending on the extent and complexity of the activities the organisation is requesting to be accredited.

A meeting will be held at the completion of the assessment to review and report the assessment findings. These findings will be confirmed in a formal report, usually within 2 weeks of the initial assessment visit.

Addressing assessment findings (Submissions process)

Where the assessment findings identify non-conformities, the organisation may be required to take appropriate corrective actions before accreditation can be considered. 

NATA Accreditation Specialists will work closely with the organisation during this time to ensure its submission is reviewed efficiently.

Granting accreditation

Once all the criteria for accreditation are satisfied, a recommendation for the ‘Granting of Accreditation’ will be submitted to the relevant Accreditation Advisory Committee (AAC).

The AAC then makes its recommendation for NATA to consider.

Once you receive formal approval of your accreditation, you are able to apply the NATA endorsement to your reports to promote your accreditation to your customers and clients.

The NATA endorsement is widely recognised in Australia and overseas as a symbol of competence and reliability.

NATA will also promote your organisation’s accreditation on the NATA website directory.   

Scope of accreditation

The scope of accreditation is the collective expression of a facility’s accredited capabilities. The scope of accreditation includes a number of data sets in a tabular format. Every accredited organisation’s scope of accreditation is available on the NATA website, including its accreditation status.

Continuing accreditation

Accreditation is maintained by NATA through conducting assessments at regular intervals to ensure continued compliance with the accreditation criteria.

Throughout the accreditation cycle, the organisation also has the opportunity to amend its scope of accreditation to have new activities covered or existing activities removed.

NATA accreditation in overseas economies

As a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and its recognised regional body, the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC),
NATA can consider offering overseas accreditation when:

  • There is no national accreditation body
  • The national accreditation body is not a signatory to the ILAC
  • The national accreditation body does not offer accreditation for a specific conformity assessment activity

Consideration may also be given to Australian businesses operating outside Australia where NATA accreditation is preferred, and to businesses located outside Australia for which NATA accreditation will provide a benefit to Australia.

Confidentiality

Information provided by an organisation in connection with an assessment is always treated as confidential by NATA.

What do I do next?

To discuss your interest in applying for accreditation or to clarify any of the above information, please contact us.

Further Information

Detailed information on the NATA accreditation process can be found here.

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Benefits of being a NATA accredited organisation

NATA accredits organisations to perform testing and inspection activities for their products and services. This gives consumers the assurance they need to make safe, healthy and reliable choices. When you choose to become NATA accredited, you can be sure of a number of competitive advantages for your business.
Assurance
NATA members receive a globally-recognised, peer-reviewed and government endorsed accreditation that provides a unique level of assurance to members, their clients and the community.
Competence
Our accreditation provides an independent benchmark for technical competence. Receiving NATA accreditation demonstrates to customers your organisation’s commitment to quality, safety and reliability of products and services.
Recognition
NATA accreditation is both nationally and internationally recognised. This provides a competitive advantage when compared to non-accredited organisations and ensures you are market-ready to capitalise on trade opportunities.
Training
NATA has been training individuals and teams both nationally and internationally for over 20 years and enjoys a global reputation for the quality of its courses and programs. Our active role in international accreditation education has seen us conduct training in over 20 countries.
International
NATA’s long standing and active involvement with international groups enables our members to gain international recognition for their accreditation and minimises the need for multiple assessments from different suppliers.
Innovation
NATA provides innovative and timely business solutions that meet the needs of our members and fulfil the expectations of the community. We have the experience and resources to ensure your accreditation provides you and your organisation with unique advantages.