What is the difference between ISO/IEC 17020:2012 and ISO/IEC 17025:2005?

Meth Xpert are Accredited as ISO/IEC 17020:2012.

There are distinct differences between the two Standards as outlined in the charts below.

​ISO/IEC 17020:2012.  Inspection Body.

Perform Contamination Inspections, Gather Laboratory Samples and Report in accordance with NZS8510:2017 requirements.

The Standard:

This is a Conformance Standard: ISO/IEC 17020:2012 Conformity assessment — Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection


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The Definition:

​Accreditation to this standard provides formal recognition that an inspection service is capable of meeting the standards of quality, performance, technical expertise, competence and professional judgement.

This Means:

​Companies accredited to this standard are able to: A) Perform Contamination Inspections; B) Prepare and Authorise Sampling Plans; and C) Gather Laboratory Samples from a property and send these to an Accredited Laboratory for analysis.

At the conclusion of the laboratory analysis, the accredited ISO/IEC 17020:2012 company will use their expertise to determine the level (if any) of contamination from the laboratory results and provide an interpretation and professional assessment as to the meaning of the results. They will also issue reports and/or certifications as required by the results.

.ISO/IEC 17025:2005. Laboratories.

​Laboratories are not accredited to report to NZS8510.

The Standard:

This is a Conformance Standard NZS ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General requirements - This is for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.


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The Definition:

​Accreditation to this standard provides formal recognition that a laboratory is capable of meeting the standards of assessing and endorsing the quality management, competency and technical requirements of testing, measuring and calibration laboratories.

This Means:

Companies accredited to this standard are able to: A) Analyse Samples, B) Issue reports based on their findings, and; C) Conduct Sampling if this was included as part of their accreditation. 


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Laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 are not accredited (unless specifically endorsed to do so) to: A) Conduct property inspections, B) Produce sampling plans, C) Provide interpretations of the meaning of the analysis results or issue reports and/or certifications as required by the results.