The Good Laboratory Practice Principles apply to all safety studies required by regulations for the purpose of licensing pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food and feed additives, cosmetics, veterinary drugs and similar products. They also apply to the regulation of industrial chemicals, unless specifically exempted by national legislation.

The materials under test, known as test items, may be synthetic chemicals, may be of natural or biological origin and may also be living organisms.

Non-clinical health and environmental safety studies are not only conducted in the laboratory; they could take place in greenhouses or fields.