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      • CDPH Lifts Rock Crab Health Advisory in Portions of San Mateo County - South of Pillar Point
      • News Releases 2017
      • CDPH Launches Mobile Website for WIC Participants
      • CDPH Reports Widespread Flu Activity that is More Severe than Last Year
      • CDPH Fines San Francisco County Facility in Death of Resident
      • CDPH Fines Los Angeles County Facility in Death of Resident
      • Let’s Get Healthy California Announces Local Innovations to Improve California’s Health
      • Dungeness Crab Health Advisory Lifted for Remainder of California Coast
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Frequently Asked Questions

  RENEWAL  
  CHANGES          FEES       

General Questions

1. What is the status of my application?

You can track the status of your application by logging on to your account.

  1. Log in.
  2. Click on Laboratory Facilities icon.
  3. On your dashboard, look for the application number in the ā€œMy Submitted Applicationsā€ stack to view the status. You could also go to the appropriate business dashboard by clicking the View button.

For renewal application processing time frame, go to Processing Times​.


2. What is the turnaround time for applications?

For initial and renewal applications, 60-90 days.

Note: LFS will process complete applications in the order received. There is no process for expediting an application. LFS may abandon any incomplete/incorrect application after 30 days if the applicant cannot be reached, is unresponsive, or fails to provide requested information. An incomplete or incorrect application packet will delay the processing, review, and approval of an application.

3. We are not a "laboratory" - why do we need a license?

California and federal law consider any site where clinical laboratory testing is performed to be a laboratory. Clinical laboratory testing is testing used to detect, identify, or monitor disease in order to prevent, diagnose, monitor, or treat disease or asses the health of an individual. This includes simple or ā€œwaivedā€ tests such as hemoglobin A1C, pregnancy, and dipstick urine tests. Regardless of the number of times a facility is performing these tests, the facility is a laboratory and requires California licensure and federal CLIA certification.

4. What are the requirements for a new facility to get a laboratory license?

There are different types of facility licenses. To view the appropriate set of requirements for each type, refer to the New Online Application​ webpage.

5. My laboratory is located outside the state of California but we test specimens originating from California; do I need to apply for a license? If so, how can I apply for a new laboratory license?

Any laboratory testing specimens originating from California must apply for a license. Requirements can be found on Out-of-State​ webpage.

6. How can I get a typo fixed on my license certificate that was just issued?

Please email LFScc@cdph.ca.gov​ and include the state ID and description of the error.

7. Do I need to apply online?

Yes, use our online system. Paper applications are no longer accepted.​

8. How do I apply online?

Refer to our various manuals and tutorials on our Help page. Avoid creating more than one of the same type of application.​

9. How do I create an online account?

Refer to our various manuals and tutorials on our Help page. Avoid creating more than one account.​

10. How do I reset my password?

  1. Go to our Log In page.
  2. Click Reset Password.
  3. Follow the instructions that you receive in your email.


RESET PASSWORD​

11. I forgot my userID, how do I retrieve it?

  1. Go to our Log In page.
  2. Click Forgot UserID/Email.
  3. Follow the instructions that you receive in your email.


FORGOT USERID​



12. What does it mean to link laboratories to a business?

Some businesses own more than one laboratory/testing site. The owner can use one account to manage multiple laboratories/testing sites.

13. How do I know if my site qualifies for a multisite license?

Business and Professions Code 1265 (d) lists four categories. Examples of the documents we typically require are listed under each category.

(1) Laboratories that are not at a fixed location, that is, laboratories that move from one testing site to another, such as mobile units providing laboratory testing, health screening fairs, or other temporary testing locations, may apply for and obtain one license or registration for the designated primary site or home base, using the address of that primary site.

Note:

  • Your application will require further review.

(2) Not-for-profit, or federal, state, or local government laboratories that engage in limited (not more than a combination of 15 moderately complex or waived tests, as defined under CLIA, per license) public health testing may apply for and obtain a single license or registration.

Provide:

  • 501(c)(3) IRS verification of non-profit status
  • List of tests performed

(3) Laboratories within a hospital that are located at contiguous buildings on the same campus and under common direction, may file a single application or multiple applications for a license or registration of laboratory locations within the same campus or street address.

Note:

  • Your application will require further review.

(4) Locations within a single street and city address that are under common ownership may apply for and obtain a single license or registration or multiple licenses or registrations, at the discretion of the owner or owners.

Note:

  • ​Your application will require further review.​

14. How do we know if we are "exempt" from California Clinical Laboratory Registration/License? 

To determine if your facility is exempt from having a California clinical laboratory registration/license, it must meet one of the numbered criteria below:

1. Testing site meets ALL 3 conditions:

  • CLIA certification was established before January 1, 1996,
  • Continuously operational with no termination, and
  • No changes in the CLIA certificate type.

(If you need help determining if you qualify for #1, please email  LFScc@cdph.ca.gov)

2. Owned and operated by the United States of America.

3. Public health laboratories.

4. Laboratories that perform clinical laboratory tests or examinations for forensic purposes only.

5. Laboratories that perform clinical laboratory tests or examinations for research and teaching purposes only and do not report or use patient specific results for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of, or for the assessment of health of, an individual.

6. Laboratories that perform clinical laboratory tests or examinations certified by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse only for those certified tests or examinations. However, all other clinical laboratory tests or examinations conducted by the laboratory are subject to this chapter.

7. Laboratories that register with the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to subdivision (c) to perform blood glucose testing for the purposes of monitoring a minor child diagnosed with diabetes if the person performing the test has been entrusted with the care and control of the child by the child’s parent or legal guardian and provided that certain conditions have been met BPC 1241(b) (6) (A-F).

8. Inactive laboratories or laboratories that do not perform clinical laboratory tests.

 

If exempt…

If you determine you facility is exempt, you may email us and indicate the criteria in which you qualify and we will review that information.

If not exempt…

If you do not qualify to be exempt, you have to submit a set of requirements for an initial application.

If ignored…

Not being able to reply to the notices we sent you may result in the termination of your CLIA certificate, as you must also comply with the State regulations. CLIA certification is a requirement for Medicare and MediCal reimbursement for waived or PPMP testing.

Additional information on BPC sections 1265 (a) and 1241 is available.


15. Log in error: ā€œError trying to processā€¦ā€

You are seeing this error message because your email is saved as a secondary email in an account under our Personnel Licensing system (PERL).

account-pic 

A laboratory may have more than one user account associated with their license or registration information in the online application system. No two user accounts may be associated with the same email.

An email address can be used to create a CDPH account which can be used to access multiple systems. Select one of the three options below:

1. Use your existing Personnel Licensing account to access Laboratory Facilities.

A. From the CDPH Licensing Portal/Home, click Laboratory Facilities. (If you don’t find this screen, click Home on the upper right part of the screen.) 

 

account-pic 

 

2. Delete this email from your existing account.

  1. Log in to your Personnel Licensing account.
  2. Click your initials on the upper right corner of the screen. (If you do not see your initials in a circle in the upper right corner of the screen you will need to zoom out your browser view using the CTRL and minus (-) keys on your keyboard, or by accessing your browser’s view settings.)
  3. Select ā€œView Profile.ā€
  4. Click the ā€œUpdate Profileā€ button.
  5. Under ā€œCommunication Detailsā€ delete the email address you used to sign up for your Laboratory Facilities account.
  6. Click ā€œNextā€ then ā€œClose."
  7. Log out, then log in to your account with Laboratory Facilities. You should be able to move on to linking your facilities.

3. Use an unassociated email address.


​

16. How do I remove my name as an owner on our certificate?

All owner roles other than "Authorized Representative" will appear on the certificate under ā€œOwner.ā€ If you do not want your name on the certificate, email us at LFScc@cdph.ca.gov and request to have your role changed to Authorized Representative.​

17. How do I complete the online business information with ownership details?

List owners or entities with 5% or more ownership of the laboratory. Titles such as CEO, President, Vice President, etc., should NOT be listed unless they have 5% or more ownership of the laboratory.​

Laboratory Field Services is unable to offer further advice in this regard, as it is beyond our scope of expertise to know the operations of another business.​

18.  How do I upload documents for review?

If you received an email with subject line: ā€œAdditional Information Requested For xxx-0000ā€ and the status of your application is "Pending-AdditionalInfo" – it means we are requesting additional information to complete your application.

To upload the requested document(s) to your online application including editing the business and site information, please read the instructions: How to Upload Requested Items​


19. What is an Authorized Representative?

An Authorized Representative (AR) is someone who is authorized to submit a clinical laboratory application on behalf of the owner and/or laboratory director. An authorized representative may also be someone who has the authority to sign clinical laboratory application forms on behalf of the owner. There can be more than one AR listed on the application depending on the authority given to them by the business. For example, the AR that submits the application does not need to be the same AR to sign on behalf of the owner.

20. Do we need to list the waived or PPMP tests in the test volume of our application if we are applying for a moderate/high complexity site?

No, moderate/high complexity sites only need to report the total volume of non-waived tests.

21. Are we allowed to test if we received a forfeiture notice and the reactivation is in process?

No. You must wait until your license is approved and reactivated.

22. Would the application re-enter the queue to be approved if additional information is requested?

No, the original date of submission is considered. However, due to the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to provide specific processing times. We encourage you to visit our website to view the requirements in order to avoid delays with your application.

23. What is the processing time for pending desk/site survey?

The processing time depends on the ability of the lab to meet all of licensing requirements for laboratory readiness. The laboratory director is expected to be knowledgeable about California clinical laboratory licensing laws and federal CLIA regulations. If not, the laboratory director may consider working with a consultant.
Page Last Updated : November 29, 2022
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