Section 130. Fees

A. General.

1. Environmental laboratories shall pay a fee with all applications, including reapplications, for certification. DCLS shall not designate an application as complete until it receives payment of the fee.

2. Each certified environmental laboratory shall pay an annual fee to maintain its certification. DCLS shall send an invoice to the certified environmental laboratory.

3. Fees shall be nonrefundable.

B. Environmental laboratories performing only simple test procedures shall pay an annual fee of $600.

C. Fee computation for general environmental laboratories.

1. Fees shall be applied on an annual basis.

2. Environmental laboratories shall pay the total of the base fee and the test category fees set out in subsections D and E of this section.

D. Base fees for general environmental laboratories.

1. DCLS determines the base fee for a laboratory by taking into account both the total number of methods and the total number of field of certification matrices for which the laboratory would be certified.

2. DCLS shall charge the base fees set out in Table 1. The base fee for a laboratory is located by first finding the row for the total number of methods to be certified and then finding the box on that row located in the column headed by the total number of matrices to be certified. For example, DCLS charges a base fee of $1300 to a laboratory performing a total of eight methods for one matrix.

	TABLE 1: BASE FEES
	Number of Methods	1 Matrix	2 Matrices
	1 - 9	$1300	$1430
	10 - 29	$1400	$1575
	30 - 99	$1550	$1825

E. Test category fees for general environmental laboratories.

1. The test category fees cover the types of testing for which a laboratory may be certified as specified in the laboratory's application or as certified at the time of annual billing.

2. Fees shall be charged for each category of tests to be certified.

3. Fees shall be charged for the total number of field of certification matrices to be certified under the specific test category. For example, if a laboratory is performing inorganic chemistry for both nonpotable water and solid and chemical materials matrices, the fee for this test category would be found in the column for two matrices.

4. The fee for each category includes one or more analytical methods unless otherwise specified.

5. DCLS shall charge the test category fees set out in Table 2. The test category fees for a laboratory are located by first finding the row with the total number of test methods for the test category to be certified. The fee to be charged for the test category will be found on that row in the column headed by the total number of matrices to be certified. A laboratory performing four test methods for inorganic chemistry in nonpotable water and solid and chemical materials (two matrices) would be charged a test category fee of $375.

6. Noncommercial environmental laboratories that perform toxicity, radiochemical, or asbestos testing shall pay the test category fees established for these types of testing in 1VAC30-46-150.

	TABLE 2: TEST CATEGORY FEES
	Test Category	Fees by Number of Matrices
		One	Two
	Oxygen demand	$225	$335
	Bacteriology, 1 - 3 total methods	$175	$265
	Bacteriology, 4 or more total methods	$220	$330
	Physical, 1 - 5 total methods	$175	$265
	Physical, 6 - 10 total methods	$220	$330
	Inorganic chemistry, 1 - 10 total methods	$250	$375
	Inorganic chemistry, 11 - 20 total methods	$315	$475
	Inorganic chemistry, 21 - 49 total methods	$394	$590
	Chemistry metals, 1 - 5 total methods	$325	$490
	Chemistry metals, 6 - 20 total methods	$410	$615
	Organic chemistry, 1 - 5 total methods	$400	$600
	Organic chemistry, 6 - 20 total methods	$500	$750

7. Fee examples. Three examples are provided.

a. Example 1:

	Base Fee	One matrix and four test methods	$1300
	Test Category Fees
	One Matrix
	Nonpotable Water	Bacteriology (2 methods)	$175
	Nonpotable Water	Oxygen demand (1 method)	$225
	Nonpotable Water	Physical (1)	$175
	TOTAL		$1875

b. Example 2:

	Base Fee	One matrix and 15 test methods	$1400
	Test Category Fees
	One Matrix
	Nonpotable Water	Bacteriology (2 methods)	$175
	Nonpotable Water	Inorganic chemistry (9 methods)	$250
	Nonpotable Water	Chemistry metals (2 methods)	$325
	Nonpotable Water	Oxygen demand (1 method)	$225
	Nonpotable Water	Physical (1)	$175
	TOTAL		$2550

c. Example 3:

	Base Fee	Two matrices and 27 test methods	$1575
	Test Category Fees
	One Matrix
	Nonpotable Water	Bacteriology (4 methods)	$220
	Nonpotable Water	Oxygen demand (1 method)	$225
	Solid and Chemical Materials	Chemistry metals (1 method)	$325
	Two Matrices
	Nonpotable Water and Solid and Chemical Materials	Inorganic chemistry (13 methods)	$475
	Nonpotable Water and Solid and Chemical Materials	Physical (7 methods)	$330
	TOTAL		$3150

F. Additional fees. Additional fees shall be charged to laboratories applying for the following: (i) modification to scope of certification under 1VAC30-45-90 B, (ii) transfer of ownership under 1VAC30-45-90 C, (iii) exemption under 1VAC30-45-120, or (iv) petition for a variance under 1VAC30-45-140.

1. For any certified environmental laboratory that applies to modify its scope of certification as specified under 1VAC30-45-90 B, DCLS shall assess a fee determined by the method in subsection G of this section.

2. Under 1VAC30-45-90 C, DCLS may charge a transfer fee to a certified laboratory that transfers ownership. A fee shall be charged if DCLS (i) needs to review documentation sent by the laboratory about the transfer of ownership or (ii) determines that an on-site assessment is necessary to evaluate the effect of the transfer of ownership. DCLS shall assess a fee determined by the method in subsection G of this section. If, under 1VAC30-45-90 C, DCLS determines that the change of ownership or location of laboratory requires recertification of or reapplication by the laboratory, the laboratory shall pay the application fees required under this section.

3. General environmental laboratories applying for an exemption under 1VAC30-45-120 shall pay an initial application fee of $700 plus an additional fee based on the actual time needed for DCLS to assess the exemption request. The total fee shall not exceed the actual time DCLS takes to assess the exemption request. Laboratories performing only simple test procedures applying for an exemption under 1VAC30-45-120 shall pay an initial application fee of $300 plus an additional fee based on the actual time needed for DCLS to assess the exemption request. The total fee shall not exceed the actual time DCLS takes to assess the exemption request. The fee assessed shall be calculated using the method in subsection G of this section.

4. Under 1VAC30-45-140, any person regulated by this chapter may petition the director to grant a variance from any requirement of this chapter. DCLS shall charge an initial fee of $700 plus an additional fee based on the actual time needed for DCLS to review the petition, including any on-site assessment required. The total fee shall not exceed the actual time DCLS takes to review and make a determination on the request for a variance. The fee shall be determined by the method specified in subsection G of this section.

G. Fee determination.

1. The fee shall be the sum of the total hourly charges for all reviewers plus any on-site review costs incurred.

2. An hourly charge per reviewer shall be determined by (i) obtaining a yearly cost by multiplying the reviewer's annual salary by 1.35 (accounts for overhead such as taxes and insurance) and then (ii) dividing the yearly cost by 1,642 (number of annual hours established by Fiscal Services, DGS, for billing purposes).

3. The charge per reviewer shall be determined by multiplying the number of hours expended in the review by the reviewer's hourly charge.

4. If an on-site review is required, travel time and on-site review time shall be charged at the same hourly charge per reviewer, and any travel expenses shall be added.

H. Out-of-state laboratories - travel costs. The owner of an environmental laboratory located in another state who applies for certification under this chapter shall also pay a fee equal to the reasonable travel costs associated with conducting an on-site assessment at the laboratory. Reasonable travel costs include transportation, lodging, per diem, and telephone and duplication charges.

I. DCLS shall derive the travel costs charged under subsections G and H of this section from the Commonwealth of Virginia reimbursement allowances and rates for lodging, per diem, and mileage.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 25, Issue 07, eff. January 1, 2009; amended, Virginia Register Volume 32, Issue 22, eff. September 1, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 2.2-1105 of the Code of Virginia.