States administer many laboratory accreditation programs for a variety of reasons. In most cases, state and local government agencies accredit laboratories to test regulated products and require that such products be inspected and/or tested by an approved laboratory. An example is the regulation of building and electrical products at the state or local government level by requiring that the products be tested/inspected and bear the mark of a recognized or approved testing laboratory. In other cases, the state or local government programs, like some federal programs, accredit or designate laboratories that provide a surveillance/screening service for testing product compliance. In such cases, state/local government laboratories usually maintain responsibility for producing the test data used in enforcement situations.

States also evaluate laboratories for other purposes, such as to assist them in enforcing federal regulations. For example, states have primary enforcement responsibility for the national requirements for ensuring the quality of public water systems. In carrying out this obligation, states accredit local laboratories to test drinking water. State and local authorities also accredit or designate laboratories to test products prior to their procurement by a state agency. As with federal programs, state and local requirements for laboratory accreditation/designation vary greatly by program. Some programs are quite comprehensive, while others involve only minimal review of a laboratory's capabilities. The terminology used for accreditation also varies extensively.