Short answer
Clearance testing is the independent re-sample taken after contaminated surfaces have been treated, to confirm readings are below 0.5 µg/100cm². It should be done by someone other than the contractor who did the work, and analysed by an accredited laboratory.
Who this test is for
- Owners and insurers signing off on completed works
- Property managers before re-letting
- Buyers who want evidence, not an assurance
Why clearance must be independent
A contractor who clears their own work has an interest in the result. Testing kept separate from whoever did the works is the simplest way to make a pass mean something to a buyer, a tenant or an insurer. Meth Testing QLD does testing only.
What gets re-sampled
The locations that failed originally, plus additional locations in the same rooms and in rooms that were not treated, so the result reflects the whole property and not just the patches that were worked on. If a room is still over guideline the report says which surfaces, so further works can be targeted.
Where a council order applies
If a public health order was issued, check with the council what post-works testing it needs to see before the order is lifted. The RTA gives the same advice for rentals.
Questions
Can the company that did the work also do the clearance test?
It is possible, but an independent test is far more persuasive to a buyer, tenant or insurer, and avoids any question of conflict.
What level does a property need to pass?
Residential surfaces are assessed against 0.5 µg/100cm² under the 2011 national guidelines and the Environmental Health Australia code. Roof spaces and commercial areas use 10 µg/100cm² under the code.
Sources
- Clandestine Drug Laboratory Remediation Guidelines (2011) — Australian Government — Attorney-General’s Department / Australian Crime Commission
- Australian Voluntary Code of Practice: Assessment, remediation and validation — former clandestine drug laboratories and other methamphetamine contaminated properties (2019) — Environmental Health Australia
- Drug contamination in a rental property — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland)
- Illicit drug laboratories — Queensland Health
Facts on this page checked against these sources on 29 October 2026.