Requirements for laboratory accreditation/designation programs within the federal government vary greatly by program. While some programs, such the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), are quite comprehensive others involve only minimal review of a laboratory's qualifications. The requirements and scope of each accreditation program have generally been tailored to meet specific agency needs. With the exception of NVLAP, which was established to provide laboratory accreditation services, regulation or procurement (rather than laboratory accreditation/designation) is usually the agency's primary goal. In some cases, the accredited or designated laboratories provide only an initial product screening, with federal laboratories maintaining final responsibility for producing the test data used in enforcing regulations, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) programs for conformity assessment of mining products and equipment.

Eligibility requirements for accreditation also vary among programs. Some programs restrict applications to state laboratories only, such as NIST's program for accrediting state weights and measures laboratories.