The new regulations, issued by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies under the Accreditation Act, 2079, set out the operational framework for Nepal’s national accreditation system. Organizations seeking accreditation must submit prescribed applications and supporting documents to the Nepal Accreditation Center, which will assess their technical competence, management systems, personnel, facilities and compliance with applicable national and international standards before granting an accreditation certificate.

Accredited organizations will remain subject to surveillance assessments, reassessment and periodic monitoring rather than receiving accreditation permanently without review. The regulations allow the accreditation body to investigate non-compliance, require corrective action, suspend or cancel accreditation, and conduct additional assessments where an organization changes its scope, facilities, management or operating conditions. They also establish formal procedures for complaints, appeals and review of accreditation decisions.

The rules further regulate the use of Nepal’s accreditation certificate and accreditation symbol, requiring accredited organizations to use them only within their approved scope and in accordance with prescribed conditions. The accompanying schedules provide application, assessment, surveillance, renewal and appeal formats, along with prescribed fees and expenses associated with accreditation activities.

The framework is intended to strengthen confidence in Nepal’s testing, calibration, inspection and certification systems, while supporting international recognition through arrangements such as the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and International Accreditation Forum (IAF) mutual recognition mechanisms.