In 1985, with the issuing of the 'Metrology Law of the People's Republic of China', SIMT passed the national accreditation and was authorized as one of the first provincial level legal measurement verification agencies set up by the country according to the Law.

In 1986, SIMT was authorized as one of the first national centers for testing technology, and was named National Center of Testing Technology (Shanghai) by the former National Committee of Science and Technology (now the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China).

In 1986, SIMT was authorized as and named National Center of Measurement and Testing for East China by the former State Measurement Bureau (now AQSIQ, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China).

SIMT has been authorized by the national and local governments to carry out legal measurement, transmission of measurement values and quality supervision inspection in the field of verification, calibration, inspection and testing.

The secretariat of OIML TC18/SC1 (Blood Pressure Instruments) is set up in SIMT.

The radiation dosimetry laboratory of SIMT serves as member of the Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratories (SSDLs) network which is set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

There is a postdoctoral programme in SIMT, which is approved by the Ministry of Personnel of the People's Republic of China.

Many national academic groups and relevant national measurement and standardization technical committees have their secretariats set up in SIMT.