Feds Certify Which Labs Can Properly Test Your Pee
Published Date: 11/26/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services just updated the official list of labs and testing centers approved to do urine and oral fluid drug tests for federal workers. If a lab loses its certification, it’s taken off the list until it’s fixed. This monthly update helps keep drug testing fair, reliable, and on track—so federal agencies know exactly who’s good to go.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Monthly Certified-Lab List Published
HHS publishes a monthly list of laboratories and Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities (IITFs) certified to do urine and oral fluid drug testing for Federal agencies. If a lab or IITF has its certification suspended or revoked, it will be omitted from subsequent monthly lists until its certification is restored.
No Oral Fluid Labs Currently Certified
The notice states that, at this time, there are no HHS-certified laboratories approved to conduct drug and specimen validity tests on oral fluid specimens. That means Federal agencies and employees cannot currently use certified oral fluid laboratory testing.
IITFs Approved Only For Urine Testing
HHS-certified Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities (IITFs) meet standards to conduct urine drug and specimen validity tests, but HHS does not allow IITFs to conduct oral fluid testing. IITFs must follow the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.
DOT-Regulated Specimens Not Allowed at IITFs
The IITF listing includes a note that the Department of Transportation (DOT) does not allow IITFs to test DOT-regulated specimens. DOT-regulated testing must be handled under DOT-approved procedures and facilities.
Some Labs Limited To VA or DoD Employees
The notice lists certain certified laboratories that are authorized to test only for specific Federal agencies—for example, a Minneapolis lab is listed as testing for Veterans Affairs (VA) employees only, and a US Army Forensic Toxicology lab is listed as testing for Department of Defense (DoD) employees only. Other Federal employees cannot use those agency-limited labs.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-20004, Current List of HHS-Certified Laboratories and Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities Which Meet Minimum Standards To Engage in Urine and Oral Fluid Drug Testing for Federal Agencies
The Department of Health and Human Services just updated the list of labs and testing centers approved to do urine and oral fluid drug tests for federal agencies. If a lab loses its certification, it’s dropped from the list until it’s fixed. This monthly update helps keep drug testing reliable and fair for all federal workers.
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2026-17852, Current List of HHS-Certified Laboratories and Instrumented Initial Testing Facilities Which Meet Minimum Standards To Engage in Urine and Oral Fluid Drug Testing for Federal Agencies
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