The California LAB 144A form, formally the Laboratory Testing Declaration, is a document that clinical and public health laboratories file with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to declare every test performed at the facility, identifying each by manufacturer and equipment name along with the annual volume of tests conducted.1California Department of Public Health. Facilities Forms – CDPH It’s issued by CDPH’s Laboratory Field Services branch and ties into the state licensing process for testing facilities.
Where to Download the Form
LAB 144A is a downloadable PDF from the CDPH Laboratory Field Services website. It lives on the agency’s facilities forms page alongside related forms like LAB 144B and LAB 167.1California Department of Public Health. Facilities Forms – CDPH The direct PDF is hosted on cdph.ca.gov in the controlled forms document library.2California Department of Public Health. Laboratory Testing Declaration – CDPH
What to Gather Before You Start
The form asks your facility to list every test it performs. For each test, you identify the manufacturer and specific equipment used, then report the annual volume.2California Department of Public Health. Laboratory Testing Declaration – CDPH Pull the following together first so you’re not chasing information mid-form:
- The laboratory’s full legal name and physical testing address, exactly as they appear on the state license.
- A complete test catalog organized by the manufacturer of the testing equipment or reagent system.
- The specific model or product name for each piece of equipment tied to a declared test.
- Annual test volumes drawn from your laboratory information system or manual logs.
The form runs more than one page. Confirm you’ve accounted for every test category before you sign, because a test you perform but didn’t declare can surface as a compliance gap during an audit.
Filling It Out and Sending It In
Complete each section legibly. If you’re filling the PDF by hand, use black or blue ink and print clearly; forms returned for illegibility slow everything down. An authorized representative of the laboratory, such as the laboratory director, signs and dates the declaration, and that signature binds the facility to the accuracy of what’s on the form.
Submit the completed form to CDPH Laboratory Field Services. The address printed on the form header points to the CDPH Laboratory Field Services office at 850 Marina Bay Parkway in Richmond, California.2California Department of Public Health. Laboratory Testing Declaration – CDPH Check the Laboratory Field Services website before mailing to confirm the current address and whether an electronic submission option is available. Certified mail gives you a dated receipt if any question later comes up about timely filing.
Mistakes That Get the Form Bounced
The most common problem is an incomplete test list. Labs that add new testing capabilities sometimes forget to update the declaration, and CDPH’s records fall out of sync with what the lab actually does. If your lab has started new tests since the last filing, include them on this one.
Other issues that slow processing:
- An unsigned form. It has no legal effect and CDPH will return it.
- Facility name or address that doesn’t match your current license. The form gets flagged for clarification.
- Vague equipment descriptions. Writing “analyzer” without the manufacturer and model doesn’t satisfy the form. Be specific.
Related Forms You May Also Need
LAB 144A alone doesn’t cover every situation. Two related forms sit on the same CDPH facilities forms page and often accompany or follow the declaration:1California Department of Public Health. Facilities Forms – CDPH
- LAB 144B, Application for Additional Testing Site. If your laboratory operates from more than one physical location, each additional site needs its own application on file.
- LAB 167, Annual Test Volume Report. This tracks year-over-year testing volumes and may be required alongside or after the initial declaration, depending on your facility’s license type.
Keeping Records After You File
Keep a signed copy of every LAB 144A you submit, along with the volume data you used to complete it. Inspectors expect licensed facilities to produce these on request, and having the declaration and its backup in one place is faster than reconstructing it later. A dedicated physical file or a backed-up digital folder both work, as long as retrieval is quick.
Between filings, note any changes to your test menu or equipment internally so the next declaration reflects current operations. Treating LAB 144A as a one-time filing is how labs drift out of sync with CDPH’s records, and that mismatch is what tends to draw questions during routine oversight.