Public Health Laboratories

The Washington Public Health Laboratories (PHL) in Shoreline is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to protecting Washingtonians. We provide essential services, including disease surveillance, environmental sample testing, and newborn screening for treatable genetic conditions. Our lab also plays a key role in training health professionals statewide in safe sample handling and advanced laboratory techniques.

With specialized equipment and stringent safety protocols, we uphold the highest public health and safety standards. Explore this hub to access valuable resources and learn more about our vital work.

Department of Health Mission: The Department of Health works to protect and improve the Health of People in Washington State. 

Public Health Laboratories Mission: To provide a wide range of diagnostic and analytical functions for the assessment and surveillance of infectious/communicable, heritable/genetic and chronic diseases as well as environmental contamination. Improve the quality assurance and analytical performance of clinical and environmental laboratories through training and consultation as well as providing scientific and managerial leadership in developing public health policy.

Our Clients 

Primary users of the laboratories include preventive medicine programs at the state, county and federal level; hospitals; public health and medical laboratories seeking reference or consultation services; laboratories desiring certification; other agencies desiring public health laboratory services; and physicians seeking assistance in diagnosing rare or unusual diseases (botulism, rabies, diphtheria, etc.). In addition, programs and agencies concerned with environmental problems make extensive use of the laboratories. 

Laboratory Services 

The laboratories are engaged in activities designed to aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of communicable, chronic, congenital and genetic diseases; to assess the general health of the population; to help safeguard a healthful environment; and to ensure high quality work within the health and environmental laboratory community. The laboratories provide diagnostic and follow-up services in the areas of newborn screening, food poisoning, surveillance studies of etiologic agents in the areas of bacteriology, virology, serology, parasitology, radiation chemistry, pesticide residue analysis, and many other disciplines. Training and consultation activities are also provided by the State Public Health Laboratories. As the state’s reference clinical laboratory, the PHL provides local health departments, hospitals, clinics and commercial laboratories with a wide range of services including identification and confirmation of unknown pathogenic organisms, consultation on laboratory methodology and training in current laboratory issues and techniques. As a provider of services to local, state and federal agencies, the PHL is often the focal point for coordinating investigations of infectious disease outbreaks and mediating the transfer of information between agencies. The staff at the PHL test clinical and environmental specimens/samples associated with known and potential disease outbreaks, and work with epidemiology, nursing and environmental health staff to identify possible sources for outbreaks. The PHL staff performs, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, food borne diseases, virus isolation and viral serology, mycobacteriology, environmental microbiology, enterics, parasitology, microbial identification, biotoxins, metals, inorganic chemistry, and congenital diseases in newborns.

Directory of Services

Explore our lab test menu for:

• Specimen collection and shipping instructions.
• Specimen submission forms.
• Pre-approval requirements.
• Testing methodologies and frequencies.
• Turnaround times and contact information.

Address and Phone Number

Telephone: 206-418-5400

Fax: 206-367-1790 *DO NOT send patient information to this number - it is not a secure line.

Address: 1610 NE 150th Street, Shoreline, WA 98155

PHL Accreditations and Licenses

California Department of Public Health Clinical and Public Health Laboratory License

California Department of Public Health grants the State of Washington Public Health Laboratories with a Clinical Laboratory License (May 2025).

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

The PHL Office of Environmental Laboratory Sciences Environmental and Radiation Chemistry Group is accredited in accordance with the recognized International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
This accreditation demonstrates technical competence for a defined scope and the operation of a laboratory quality management system. ANSI Accreditation (PDF)

College of American Pathologists (CAP)

The PHL achieved CAP accreditation. This is a peer-based inspection process that combines regulatory and educational coaching from the world's most respected pathology organization. This process uses the highest standards in pathology and laboratory medicine and applies those standards through the accreditation program.

Letter of CAP Accreditation (PDF)

Department of Ecology

Full accreditation has been granted to Office of Environmental Laboratory Sciences by Department of Ecology for the analytical parameters listed on the Scope of Accreditation.

Medical Test License

Medical Test Site Accredited License

National Shellfish Sanitation Program Accredited Laboratory

The WA PHL accreditation evaluation for the shellfish testing is performed by the FDA under the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) requirements. FDA does not send certificates but places our laboratory on an accredited laboratory list titled “Domestic NSSP Laboratory List". The List can also be found posted online by the ISSC at this site https://www.issc.org/laboratory-1 (PDF).

Next NSSP Accreditation Review – ~September 2025.