Laboratory Cost Assessment Standard · v2.0
What accredited CE testing actually costs
How much will testing your product cost? Search a test, tick what you need — see the price below.
What it costs — real examples
net · EURThe calculator
Choose the tests for your product and see the price
Most-requested tests
Tap to add to your estimate. “2026” = required by new rules taking effect this year.
What are you testing?
Pick your product — we tick the tests it usually needs. You can adjust anything below.
Choose tests
Toys & childcare
Analytical chemistry
Textiles
Household appliances · Electrical (EMC/LVD)
Packaging · Food-contact (FCM)
Furniture
General product safety
Cosmetics (CPSR)
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Automotive components
Footwear & leather
Sports surfaces
Plastics & rubber
Waste · RoHS
Construction products
~ price modelled from the method’s technical profile — indicative, not yet a published market rate.
Set quantities
budget multiplier, not a sampling plan
multiplies only items marked /v
Get real quotes
Send your scoped brief to accredited labs
You built the estimate — now get binding offers. We route your brief to accredited laboratories in the LCAS network. The labs quote and run the test; LCAS just matches you. No obligation.
Brief received
We pass it to an accredited laboratory with the right scope and you get offers directly. No reply within 48 hours usually means the scope isn't covered or isn't viable there — in that case find another accredited lab for your scope here:
Accredited labs in the PCA register →Why trust these numbers
Average market prices from real laboratory price lists
LCAS exists because product-testing pricing is deliberately opaque. We built the benchmark we wished existed when sourcing tests for our own clients.
Published base rates
Every base rate is visible in the rate card and reproduced live in the calculator. Nothing hides behind "request a quote".
Based on market price lists
The catalogue combines published prices, category ranges and modelled estimates. Check the source and scope of a figure before comparing it with a quotation.
Skin in the game
Multicert coordinates accredited testing for importers every week, so an inflated benchmark would mislead our own clients. Accuracy is in our interest.
You can check our work
Sources are listed under Methodology and every figure carries a "net · indicative" qualifier. This is a reference for what the market charges, not a quotation.
Aggregated from published EU lab price lists
Not one lab's margin — the market rate, with the method shown.
From material to compliant product
A traceable estimate for each product
Measured the same way
Document the programme, quantities and resources, then compare prices for the same scope.
Across every material
Polymers, textiles, board, metal and glass — each programme has its own quantities and resource needs.
For EU compliance
REACH, PPWR, CPR, Toy Safety and more — the evidence each one needs.
The cost landscape
What the market charges, on one scale
Indicative net package prices from the catalogue. These are comparison figures, separate from a resource-cost calculation.
Net EUR · indicative · scaled to €8,000 · source: LCAS rate card
Most-requested tests · what's changing
Where the EU deadlines are — and what they cost
PPWR — PFAS ban
No transition period. The Declaration of Conformity must be backed by lab data (≤25 / 250 ppb).
REACH formaldehyde — Entry 77
0.062 mg/m³ by EN 717-1 chamber — one run per board type. Chamber slots tighten near the date.
Construction product VOC emissions
EN 16516 chamber testing; scope depends on the product and applicable requirements.
Fire resistance classes (EU) 2026/557
Resistance-to-fire classes under the new CPR; testing is scoped to the element and applicable specification.
Migration testing — EU 10/2011
The single most-requested test family. A Declaration of Compliance is mandatory before sale.
New Toy Safety Regulation 2025/2509
Bans PFAS and bisphenols, adds a Digital Product Passport — design it out now.
PFAS — REACH restriction advancing
POPs limits already apply; the universal restriction is coming. Brands are screening portfolios now.
REACH RSL + ESPR passport
Azo amines, formaldehyde and pH are mandatory today; the Digital Product Passport needs verifiable data.
RoHS 2 — CE precondition
No RoHS file, no CE mark. The lowest-cost report that makes a device legally sellable.
Most ordered in the EU
The packages importers actually buy
Ranked by EU order volume. Each package shows what the regulation forces, what it includes, the single element that drives the price most — and exactly what you pay extra for.
01 Electronics RoHS + REACH SVHC report €250–€700 net · indicative +
RoHS 2 (2011/65/EU) is a precondition for CE marking of any electronics — this per-material report is the lowest-cost file that makes a device legally sellable.
Most cost-driving element
Number of distinct homogeneous materials needing wet-chemistry confirmation — RoHS limits apply per material, so a multi-material device multiplies ICP/GC-MS runs.
You pay extra for
- +Each extra homogeneous material / colour
- +Cr(VI) + phthalate confirmation when XRF is inconclusive
- +Full REACH SVHC quantification beyond a declaration
- +Disassembly into homogeneous materials
- +Rush turnaround
02 Packaging PPWR Packaging Compliance — PFAS + heavy metals €250–€900 net · indicative +
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) applies from 12 August 2026 and bans PFAS in food-contact packaging (≤25 ppb for any single PFAS, ≤250 ppb for the sum) with no transition period, alongside the long-standing heavy-metals limit (Pb+Cd+Hg+Cr(VI) ≤ 100 mg/kg). The Declaration of Conformity must be backed by laboratory data — a supplier statement is not enough.
Most cost-driving element
Number of distinct packaging materials, layers and components — PFAS and heavy metals must be confirmed per material, so a multi-material pack multiplies the runs.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional packaging material / layer / component
- +Full targeted PFAS quantification beyond total-fluorine screening
- +Recyclability (design-for-recycling) assessment
- +Recycled-content verification for plastic packaging
- +Order fee, if charged by the laboratory
03 Textiles REACH Textile RSL — azo + formaldehyde + pH €120–€550 net · indicative +
REACH Annex XVII Entry 43 (azo amines) and Entry 72 (formaldehyde ≤75 mg/kg) are mandatory; pH is the universal third parameter. The minimum legal chemical dossier for dyed apparel.
Most cost-driving element
Number of colourways — the azo-amine analysis (~€369/sample) dominates and repeats for every separately dyed colour.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional colourway / dyed material
- +EN ISO 14362-3 confirmation if aniline flagged
- +Order fee, if charged by the laboratory
- +Nickel release (EN 1811) for metal trims
- +Rush turnaround (+30–100%)
04 Toys EN 71 Toy Safety — Parts 1+2+3 €400–€800 net · indicative +
The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC makes CE marking mandatory via the harmonised EN 71 series; the 1+2+3 trio is the universal baseline for non-electronic toys.
Most cost-driving element
Number of materials/colours for EN 71-3 migration — each colour is a separate ICP run.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional colour / material (EN 71-3)
- +EN 62115 for battery/electronic toys (→ €2,000–5,000)
- +EMC for electric/battery toys — EN 55014 / EN IEC 61000 (priced separately)
- +Extra EN 71 parts (-4 / -7 / -8 / -12) when triggered
- +Disassembly of multi-component toys
- +Retest after a failure
05 Food contact EU 10/2011 Migration Compliance €600–€1,500 net · indicative +
Under EU 10/2011 the overall migration limit — 10 mg/dm² (or 60 mg/kg for articles for infants and young children) — is mandatory for all plastic food-contact materials, and migration data is the defensible basis for a Declaration of Compliance.
Most cost-driving element
The fatty-food simulant D2 (olive oil) run — several times the cost of an aqueous simulant; repeated-use articles need three successive runs.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional food simulant (C / D1 / E-Tenax)
- +Each additional colour / grade / SKU
- +NIAS / specific-migration GC-MS when recipe unknown
- +Primary aromatic amines for printed articles
- +Order fee, if charged by the laboratory
06 Footwear REACH Leather Chemical Compliance €120–€300 net · indicative +
REACH Annex XVII Entry 47 caps Cr(VI) in skin-contact leather at 3 mg/kg — the leading cause of RAPEX footwear withdrawals. The minimum legal bundle.
Most cost-driving element
Number of leather colour/material variants — the chemical trio repeats per separately dyed leather.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional leather colour / variant
- +PAH / phthalates on rubber & synthetic parts
- +Cr(VI) thermal pre-ageing (ISO 10195)
- +SVHC candidate-list screening
- +Disassembly into components
07 Cosmetics CPSR-ready bundle — challenge + micro + stability €350–€1,200 net · indicative +
Reg. 1223/2009 requires a Cosmetic Product Safety Report before market; it cannot be signed without micro, preservation-efficacy and stability data.
Most cost-driving element
The accelerated stability and packaging-compatibility study at multiple conditions over ~3 months — the single biggest cost and time driver.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional shade / fragrance variant
- +Real-time stability (12–36 months)
- +Retest after a failed challenge (full 28-day re-run)
- +CPSR safety assessment signature (from ~€350)
- +CPNP notification + EU Responsible Person
08 Childcare EN 1400 Soother Safety €450–€900 net · indicative +
Directive 93/11/EEC hard-caps N-nitrosamine migration from teats; EN 1400 is the harmonised reference every EU retailer and pharmacy demands.
Most cost-driving element
The N-nitrosamine migration test (EN 12868, GC) repeated per teat material and colour/compound variant.
You pay extra for
- +Each teat material (silicone vs latex tested separately)
- +Each colour/pigment where the compound changes
- +Order fee, if charged by the laboratory
- +Rush (standard ~4–6 weeks)
- +Retest after a fail
09 Furniture REACH Formaldehyde Emission — EN 717-1 chamber €899–€1,300 net · indicative +
REACH Annex XVII Entry 77 caps furniture formaldehyde release at 0.062 mg/m³ from 6 Aug 2026 — an EU-wide legal requirement replacing voluntary national schemes.
Most cost-driving element
Chamber occupancy — a calibrated 1 m³ emission chamber held for a multi-day run, per board type (each decor/core/adhesive combo = its own run).
You pay extra for
- +Order fee, if charged by the laboratory
- +Each additional board variant (separate chamber run ~€900–1,100)
- +Rush below the standard ~4 weeks
- +EN 16516 / perforator cross-check
- +Retest after resin reformulation
10 Appliances CE Safety + EMC — EN 60335 (LVD) + EN 55014 (EMC) €1,500–€4,000 net · indicative +
Mains appliances must self-declare to LVD 2014/35/EU and EMC 2014/30/EU simultaneously; EN 60335 + EN 55014 is the minimum credible CE evidence file.
Most cost-driving element
The EN 60335 safety side — temperature-rise/heating endurance multiplied by the number of operating modes, attachments and accessories. EMC is comparatively fixed.
You pay extra for
- +Each appliance variant / platform derivative
- +Each supply voltage / frequency (230 V & 120 V)
- +Retest after a fail (leakage, hipot, temperature)
- +RED add-on for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth models
- +RoHS material testing sold alongside
11 PPE EN 388 + EN ISO 21420 Gloves (Module B) €600–€2,500 net · indicative +
PPE Reg. 2016/425 makes Category II gloves require an EU type-examination (Module B) by a Notified Body; EN 388 + EN ISO 21420 is the default starting dossier.
Most cost-driving element
Number of material/coating variants × the mandatory TDM (EN ISO 13997) cut test — the most expensive single line within each variant.
You pay extra for
- +Each glove model / coating variant
- +TDM (EN ISO 13997) cut-test surcharge
- +Impact protection (EN 13594) if claimed
- +Notified Body Module B certificate (separate fee)
- +Annual surveillance / 5-year recertification
12 Construction EN 16516 Indoor-air VOC/SVOC — AgBB + French A+ €1,500–€3,500 net · indicative +
CPR Basic Requirement 3 makes VOC release declarable; one 28-day chamber run satisfies AgBB, French A+, M1, Nordic Swan and BREEAM/LEED at once.
Most cost-driving element
Number of variants — each needs its own dedicated 28-day chamber run; chamber occupancy (not analysis) is the bottleneck, so cost scales almost linearly with specimens.
You pay extra for
- +Each colour / formulation variant (separate 28-day run)
- +Additional sampling time points
- +Extended SVOC / target compounds
- +Multi-language or separate A+ vs AgBB certificate
- +Retest after a fail
13 Electronics RED radio compliance — EN 300 328 + EN 301 489 €2,500–€8,000 net · indicative +
Any product with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other radio falls under the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU. CE needs three legs: radio/RF (EN 300 328 for 2.4 GHz), EMC (EN 301 489) and electrical safety (EN 62368-1) — plus the RED Art. 3(3) cybersecurity requirements that became mandatory in 2025.
Most cost-driving element
Number of radio bands and modes — each band needs its own RF chamber campaign, and 5 GHz adds DFS testing; RF anechoic-chamber time is the dominant cost.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional radio band (5 GHz, sub-GHz, cellular)
- +DFS testing for 5 GHz
- +SAR / RF exposure for body-worn devices
- +RED Art. 3(3) cybersecurity (EN 18031) evidence
- +Each hardware/antenna variant
- +Notified Body opinion where no harmonised standard applies
14 Sports surfaces Sports surface testing — EN 15330 / EN 14877 €1,500–€5,000 net · indicative +
Synthetic turf and athletics surfaces are tested on the installed surface for player safety and performance — force reduction, vertical deformation, rotational resistance, ball behaviour and water permeability — to EN 15330-1, EN 14877 or FIFA Quality / World Athletics.
Most cost-driving element
On-site mobilisation of the testing team plus the number of test points across the field — travel and access dominate when the surface is already installed.
You pay extra for
- +Mobilisation / travel to site
- +FIFA Quality / World Athletics certification path
- +Each additional test parameter or field zone
- +Artificial-turf fibre identification (lab)
- +Re-test after remediation
15 Automotive Automotive interior emissions — VDA 278 €500–€2,000 net · indicative +
Car-interior parts are screened for volatile (VOC) and condensable (FOG) emissions by thermal-desorption GC-MS to VDA 278, often alongside the VDA 270 odour test — the de-facto OEM requirement for any trim, foam, textile or plastic component.
Most cost-driving element
Number of distinct interior materials/components — each is a separate TD-GC-MS run; OEM-specific limit sets add evaluation effort.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional component / material
- +VDA 270 odour panel
- +Formaldehyde / aldehydes (VDA 275 / ISO 12219-3)
- +OEM-specific reporting template
- +Re-test after reformulation
16 Machinery Machinery safety — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 €1,500–€6,000 net · indicative +
The new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027, replacing Directive 2006/42/EC. CE needs a documented risk assessment (EN ISO 12100), electrical safety of the equipment (EN 60204-1) and, where safety functions apply, EN ISO 13849 — with a Notified Body for the higher-risk machinery in Annex I.
Most cost-driving element
Complexity of the risk assessment — number of hazards, safety functions and operating modes to evaluate and verify; high-risk Annex I machinery additionally needs Notified Body involvement.
You pay extra for
- +Each additional safety function (EN ISO 13849 validation)
- +EMC for machinery with electronics
- +Notified Body examination for Annex I machinery
- +Technical file / instructions compilation
- +Re-assessment after design change
+ What makes testing expensive — and what you pay extra for
What makes testing expensive
- →Number of colour / material / SKU variants — every distinct colour, board, leather or homogeneous material is a separate chargeable sample
- →Per-material chemical runs (ICP, GC-MS) repeated for each material instead of one shared test
- →Chamber occupancy for emission tests (EN 717-1, EN 16516) — multi-day to 28-day runs billed per specimen
- →Fatty-food simulant D2 and extra simulants in food-contact migration
- →Product complexity — operating modes, attachments, components to disassemble
- →Mandatory advanced sub-tests inside a standard (e.g. EN ISO 13997 TDM, 3× repeated-use migration)
What you commonly pay extra for
- +Each additional colour / material / SKU — repeated with no volume discount
- +Retest after a failed result (full re-run, often after reformulation)
- +Rush / expedited turnaround surcharge
- +Per-order lab service / handling fee, where charged
- +EU Authorised Representative / Responsible Person for non-EU sellers
- +Bilingual or client-template report and extra copies
- +Notified Body certificate / signed declaration (Module B, CPSR, DoC/DoP) billed separately
LCAS methodology · v2.0 · 21 October 2026
Programme, quantities, resources, cost, then price
Each estimate answers four questions in order: what has to be tested; on how many samples and in how many runs; how much staff time, equipment time, space, materials and quality work this takes; and what that costs. Market prices are compared afterwards, for a matching programme.
Model cost = staff + equipment + premises + materials + quality
Each group is a quantity multiplied by a rate in its own unit: staff hours, hours of equipment occupancy, an allocated share of premises costs, materials consumed and an allocated share of quality costs. No cost is counted in two groups.
The five cost groups follow the WHO Laboratory Test Costing Tool manual (2019). LCAS is an independent adaptation for product testing. It is not the WHO tool and is not endorsed by WHO. WHO · 2019
Two ways to define the testing programme
Working programme
Based on tests actually performed on similar products. Suitable for budgeting and comparing offers; it does not demonstrate full conformity with a standard.
Full standard programme
All applicable requirements of a named standard and edition, selected according to the product's materials, coatings, construction and intended use. Completeness requires checking the applicability of every requirement and justifying exclusions; the cost estimate itself does not demonstrate product conformity.
Who LCAS is for
One standard, two sides of the quote
For laboratories
Define the programme, document samples and resources, and calculate the cost of staff, equipment, premises, materials and quality. Compare the resulting cost with prices for the same scope.
See how to apply itFor clients & importers
Read any quote the same way, compare laboratories on equal terms, and see exactly what drives the price — before you commit. No more opaque lump sums.
Estimate a priceGo deeper
Methodology
The LCAS v2.0 methodology
Testing programmes, sample plans, five resource-cost groups and comparison with market prices. Our adaptation of the WHO costing approach.
Read the methodology →Rate card
All base rates
Indicative net-EUR prices across 19 categories, with an explanation of the catalogue sources and assumptions.
Open the rate card →FAQ
Questions importers ask
Binding quotes, what prices include, why „from", how current the figures are, and more.
Read the FAQ →Cost guides by regulation