Yes, CLIA certification (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) is generally required for all labs in the U.S. that test human specimens for diagnosis, prevention, or treatment, including physician office labs and those not billing Medicare, with some narrow exceptions for forensic, some research, or specific state-regulated testing. Even labs doing simple waived tests need a Certificate of Waiver, as it covers all testing on human samples for health assessment. Who Needs CLIA Certification? Any facility: examining human body materials (blood, tissue, etc.) for health or disease information. Labs in physician offices: (POLs). Labs performing waived tests: (like some rapid strep or pregnancy tests) must get a Certificate of Waiver. Key Exceptions (Where CLIA May Not Apply) Forensic testing only: (e.g., criminal investigations). Research labs: that test human specimens but never report patient-specific results for clinical decisions. Some state-specific situations, like New Yorks partial exemption, requiring contact with the state agency. In essence, if your lab touches human samples for health-related results, you need a CLIA certificate of some kind; the complexity of your tests determines the type of certificate needed. AI can make mistakes, so double-check responsesCLIA Certification - CMSIf a facility performs even one test on human samples to assess health or to diagnose, prevent, or treat any disease, its consideCenters for Medicare Medicaid Services | CMS (.gov)MLN006270 CLIA Program Medicare Lab Services - CMSAccording to 42 CFR 493.2, CLIA applies to all labs examining materials derived from the human body for the purpose of providing Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services | CMS (.gov)