Public Health Laboratory

Established in 1892, the Public Health Laboratory was the world's first municipal bacteriological laboratory. In the century since its first campaign, which was to control diphtheria in New York City, the bureau has expanded to provide a wide variety of clinical and environmental laboratory testing services. Today, the Public Health Laboratory performs testing on more than 200,000 specimens it receives each year.

• NYS Laboratory permit (PDF)
• Association of Public Health Laboratories

Tests and Services Manual

• PHL Tests and services Manual
• Tests Exempt from Fees
• Microbiology
  • CT/NG NAAT
  • Enteric Bacteriology
  • General and Special Bacteriology
  • Molecular Typing
  • Mycobacteriology
  • Legionella Water Testing (environmental)
• Environmental Sciences and Toxicology
  • Chemical Threat Response
  • Chemistry
  • Microbiology
• Virology and Immunology
  • HIV
  • Virus Serology
  • Virus Identification
  • Rabies
• Biothreat Response Laboratory
  • Bio-Threat Response
• Biosafety and Outreach
  • NYC PHL Biosafety Outreach Program
• Chemical Threat Response Laboratory
  • Chemical Threat Response

General Service Information

Questions concerning the availability of tests not listed, specimen requirements, or other information should be directed to the laboratory listed below.

Public Health Laboratory Test Request Forms

To order laboratory tests electronically, visit eOrder.

• eOrder User Guide (PDF)
• eOrder Test Ordering Flowchart (PDF)
• eOrder New Facility Flowchart (PDF)

• Guidance for Clinical Laboratories Handling Specimens for COVID-19 Testing (PDF)
• Nasal Swab and Saliva Collection Guidance (PDF)
• COVID-19 Testing at the NYC Public Health Lab (Fillable PDF)
• BioFire Respiratory Panel Testing (Fillable PDF)
• Test Request Forms for Zika Virus
• Molecular Typing (PDF)
• Measles/Mumps (Fillable PDF)
• MERS CoV (PDF)