# The five CLIA certificate types — waiver, PPM, registration, compliance, accreditation

> What each CLIA certificate allows a laboratory to do, and how many laboratories hold each one.

## CLIA certificate types

Every site that tests human specimens for health purposes in the United States needs a CLIA certificate. There are five.

| Certificate | What it allows | Active laboratories |
|---|---|---|
| [Certificate of Waiver](/certificate/waiver.md) | Issued to a laboratory that performs only waived tests — simple tests with a low risk of an incorrect result, such as many rapid point-of-care tests. | 245,489 |
| [Certificate for Provider-Performed Microscopy (PPM)](/certificate/ppm.md) | Issued to a laboratory in which a physician, midlevel practitioner or dentist performs specific microscopy procedures during a patient's visit. It also covers waived tests. | 22,900 |
| [Certificate of Registration](/certificate/registration.md) | Issued first to a laboratory that applies to perform moderate or high complexity testing: it lets the laboratory test until an inspection determines whether it meets the CLIA requirements. | 2,185 |
| [Certificate of Compliance](/certificate/compliance.md) | Issued after an inspection by the state agency finds the laboratory in compliance with the CLIA requirements for moderate or high complexity testing. | 15,087 |
| [Certificate of Accreditation](/certificate/accreditation.md) | Issued to a laboratory that performs moderate or high complexity testing on the basis of its accreditation by an accreditation organization approved by CMS. | 14,689 |

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Página: https://clia-laboratory-records.pages.dev/certificate/
Fonte: https://data.cms.gov/provider-characteristics/hospitals-and-other-facilities/provider-of-services-file-clinical-laboratories
Recolha: 2026-06-29
