AQL Calculator: How to Calculate Sample Size and Acceptance Number for Product Inspection

When you order products from China, you cannot inspect every single unit. That would take too long and cost too much. Instead, you use AQL sampling. You check a random sample and decide if the whole batch passes or fails.

But how many units should you check? And how many defects are too many? That is what the AQL calculator does. It uses your order size and quality level to give you clear numbers.

This guide shows you how to calculate AQL sample size step by step. No complicated math required.

What You Need Before You Calculate

To use the AQL calculator, you need three things:

1. Your lot size — The total number of units in the order
2. Your AQL level — How strict you want the inspection to be
3. Inspection level — Normal, tightened, or reduced (most importers use normal level II)

Step 1: Find Your Sample Size Code

The first step is to find your sample size code using the AQL table. Match your lot size to the right code.

Lot Size	Code	Sample Size
2-8	A	2
9-15	B	3
16-25	C	5
26-50	D	8
51-90	E	13
91-150	F	20
151-280	G	32
281-500	H	50
501-1,200	J	80
1,201-10,000	L	200
10,001-35,000	M	315
35,001-150,000	N	500

Step 2: Find Your Acceptance Number

Once you have the sample size code, use the AQL level to find the acceptance (Ac) and rejection (Re) numbers.

Here are common values for inspection level II:

Code	Sample	AQL 1.0	AQL 2.5	AQL 4.0
A	2	Ac=0 Re=1	Ac=0 Re=1	Ac=0 Re=1
D	8	Ac=0 Re=1	Ac=0 Re=1	Ac=1 Re=2
G	32	Ac=0 Re=1	Ac=2 Re=3	Ac=3 Re=4
J	80	Ac=1 Re=2	Ac=5 Re=6	Ac=7 Re=8
L	200	Ac=3 Re=4	Ac=10 Re=11	Ac=14 Re=15
N	500	Ac=7 Re=8	Ac=21 Re=22	Ac=28 Re=29

AQL Calculator Example

Let us walk through a real example.

Your order: 3,000 units of textile products
Your AQL level: 2.5 (standard for consumer goods)
Inspection level: II (normal)

Step 1: Lot size 3,000 falls in the range 1,201 to 10,000 → Sample size code L

Step 2: Code L means you inspect 200 units

Step 3: AQL 2.5 with code L → Accept (Ac) = 10, Reject (Re) = 11

Result: Your inspector checks 200 units. If 10 or fewer have defects, the batch passes. If 11 or more have defects, it fails.

Quick Calculation by Order Size

Order Size	Sample Size	AQL 2.5 Accept	AQL 2.5 Reject
100	20	1	2
500	50	3	4
1,000	80	5	6
5,000	200	10	11
10,000	200	10	11
50,000	500	21	22

AQL Calculator for Different Product Types

Not all products need the same AQL level. Here is a quick guide:

• Electronics and electrical products: AQL 0.65 to 1.0 — Strict. Even small defects can cause safety problems.
• Textiles and apparel: AQL 2.5 — Standard. Covers sizing, stitching, and fabric defects.
• Hard goods and household items: AQL 2.5 to 4.0 — Normal to loose. Cosmetic defects are less critical.
• Toys and childrens products: AQL 1.0 to 2.5 — Stricter for safety reasons.

Common AQL Calculator Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using the wrong inspection level. Most importers should use level II (normal). Level I uses smaller samples. Level III uses larger samples.

Mistake 2: Forgetting about critical defects. Critical defects always have AQL 0. One critical defect fails the entire inspection, no matter the sample size.

Mistake 3: Confusing AQL levels. A lower AQL number means stricter inspection. AQL 1.0 is stricter than AQL 4.0.

Need Help with AQL Inspection?

CloudSpects handles the AQL calculation for you. Every inspection uses the correct sample size and AQL level based on your order size and product type. You get a clear pass or fail result with photos of every defect found.

Try the Free AQL Calculator

Instead of doing these calculations by hand, use our free AQL sample size calculator. Enter your lot size, select your AQL level, and get the sample size and acceptance numbers instantly.

Use the AQL Calculator →

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