Meth testing tells you whether a property is contaminated, how badly, and in which rooms. A trained technician takes surface swabs to a written sampling plan, a NATA accredited laboratory analyses them, and you get a report in three to five business days.
This guide covers who books a meth test, the four kinds of test, what each costs and what to do with the result. AllAces tests homes, rentals, units and commercial premises across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
Is a property contaminated? In Australia, a home is considered contaminated once indoor surfaces read above 0.5 micrograms of methamphetamine per 100cm². You can’t see, smell or guess that number. Only a laboratory result can give it to you.
Who books a meth test
Buying a property
Building and pest inspections don’t test for meth. A pre-purchase meth test, made a condition of the contract, is the only way to know before you settle.
Renting a property out
A baseline test at the start of a tenancy is the only thing that later proves when contamination happened. Test again when the tenant leaves.
After a tenant leaves
A screen at vacate, before the bond is released, costs less than a carpet clean and settles arguments before they start.
Selling
A clean result from an accredited laboratory is an asset at contract stage. It answers the buyer’s question before it’s asked.
The four kinds of meth test
Different situations need different tests. We’ll recommend one when you call, and we’ll tell you if a cheaper test will do.
How each test is done, and how composite and discrete sampling differ, is set out in how meth testing works.
How booking a meth test works
Tell us the address, the property type and why you need the test. We’ll confirm which test fits and give you a price before anything is booked.
A technician walks the property, asks about its history and looks at the rooms people used most, the ceilings and the air conditioning.
The plan is written down before a single swab is taken, so the result can be defended later.
Surfaces are measured with a template and swabbed. Each sample is sealed, labelled and logged on a chain of custody form.
Samples go to a NATA accredited laboratory for analysis.
Results come back in three to five business days, in micrograms per 100cm², room by room where discrete sampling was used. We go through what the numbers mean with you.
What meth testing costs
Prices depend on the size of the property and how many samples it needs. As a guide:
These are indicative figures. We’ll quote your property before booking. Timing and cost by stage are broken down in how meth testing works.
Reading your result
Below 0.5 µg/100cm², the property is considered acceptable to occupy. Above it, remediation is expected, and how far above changes what happens next. What each reading band means, and why two labs can disagree about the same house, is covered in what a meth testing reading means.
If the result comes back positive
Don’t start cleaning. A positive result is the start of a scope of works, and the testing report is what that scope is priced against. If you need the property brought back under the limit, we handle meth decontamination with clearance testing at the end.
Independent clearance testing
Clearance testing is the result buyers, insurers and councils rely on, so it has to be credible. You choose how it’s done:
- An independent assessor of your choosing takes the clearance samples, separate from the team that did the clean.
- Our technicians take the samples to a written plan and send them to a NATA accredited laboratory, with full chain of custody on every sample.
Both produce a result in micrograms per 100cm² against the 0.5 limit. If the clearance is going to a tribunal, an insurer or a buyer’s solicitor, an independent assessor is the stronger choice, and we’ll say so. What a clearance certificate is actually worth is set out in what certified meth decontamination really means.
Frequently asked questions
How long do meth test results take?
Three to five business days from when the samples reach the laboratory. The site visit itself usually takes one to two hours.
Do I need to be at the property?
No. We need access to every room being sampled, including the roof space if it’s in the plan. An agent or a key is fine.
Is a DIY meth test kit enough?
For a quick yes or no on one surface, maybe. A kit can’t give you a concentration, has no chain of custody and won’t stand up with an insurer or a tribunal. A positive kit means book a laboratory test, not start cleaning. More in how meth testing works.
When should a buyer book a pre-purchase meth test?
Before the contract goes unconditional. Make the test a condition of the contract, the same as a building and pest inspection, so a positive result gives you room to negotiate or walk away.
Do you test cars?
Yes. Vehicles are tested differently because a car is a sealed space lined with fabric. See meth cleaning in vehicles.
Talk to an expert
Need a property tested? AllAces has been doing decontamination work in Australia for more than 35 years across more than 65,000 jobs, as an IICRC Certified Firm with 24/7 response in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Ballarat. Call 1800 00 10 10.
If a result has already come back positive, talk to us about meth decontamination services.
How this guide was put together
Written by David Spencer, AllAces’ Methamphetamine Decontamination Technician. Reviewed by Marc Christie.
AllAces Cleaning & Restoration has operated in Australia for over 35 years as an IICRC Certified Firm, with more than 65,000 jobs completed. Last reviewed October 2026. Next review April 2027.
