Vet tech requirements by state
All 50 states are covered. 42 issue a state vet tech credential (a license, registration or certification); in the other 8 (Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wyoming) the credential comes from a private association, not the state. The title changes from state to state (RVT, LVT, CVT and a few others), and so does the main question: whether you need the credential to work as a tech, or only to use the title. Almost every route runs through the national VTNE.
All 50 states side by side
Short version of each state's "at a glance" table. Open the state guide for the full rule, the sources and the task lists.
| State | Title | Issued by | Required to work as a tech? | Exams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME), a state board | Yes, with conditions The law requires a license to practice veterinary technology and to use the LVT title. | VTNE. |
| Alaska | Veterinary Technician (Veterinary Technician License) | Alaska Board of Veterinary Examiners, a state board within the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing | Yes, with conditions A veterinary technician must be licensed and employed by a licensed veterinarian. | VTNE. |
| Arizona | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board, a state board | No The board says certification is not required to work as a vet tech. | The VTNE, passed before you apply (except by Universal Recognition), plus the Arizona CVT state exam: 50 true/false questions, open book, emailed. |
| Arkansas | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), or certified veterinary technologist for graduates of a four-year AVMA-accredited program | Arkansas Board of Animal Health, a state board, through its Veterinary Medical Examining Committee. | Yes, with conditions Certification and a registered supervising Arkansas veterinarian are required to work as a technician or technologist. | VTNE, with the score sent to Arkansas through AAVSB. |
| California | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). | California Veterinary Medical Board, part of the state Department of Consumer Affairs. | Yes, with conditions Registration is required to perform RVT-reserved tasks and to use the title. | National VTNE only. |
| Colorado | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT or VT). | Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine, Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA). | Yes You must be registered to practice as a veterinary technician. | The VTNE, run by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). |
| Connecticut | CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) | A private association, not the state: the Connecticut Veterinary Technician Association (CTVTA). | No Connecticut does not regulate vet techs. | The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), with a score of 425 or higher. |
| Delaware | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Delaware Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board within the Division of Professional Regulation | Yes, with conditions A license is required to use the LVT title and to do LVT-only tasks such as inducing anesthesia. | VTNE. |
| Florida | CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) | Private associations, not the state: the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) or the Florida Veterinary Technician Association (FVTA). | No Florida does not regulate vet techs. | The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), run by AAVSB. |
| Georgia | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board in the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division | Yes, with conditions A license is required to use the LVT title and for tasks the rules reserve for licensed techs. | VTNE (scaled score of at least 425 on the 200 to 800 scale), plus the Georgia Veterinary Technician Law Exam, an open-book form you complete and upload with your application. |
| Hawaii | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (DCCA PVL), a state agency | Yes, with conditions The law requires registration to use the vet tech title, and DCCA's forms say it is needed to practice veterinary technology. | VTNE. |
| Idaho | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Idaho Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board within the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) | No Certification is required to present yourself as a licensed, registered or certified veterinary technician. | VTNE, run by AAVSB. |
| Illinois | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), a state agency. | No Other employees of a licensed veterinarian may do tasks the rules allow, under the veterinarian's supervision. | Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), registered through AAVSB. |
| Indiana | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Indiana Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board | Yes You must be registered (or hold a board special permit) to act as an RVT, and only RVTs may use the vet tech titles. | VTNE. |
| Iowa | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board. | Yes, with conditions A certificate is required to use the RVT title. | VTNE, plus the Iowa Veterinary Technician State Examination (VTSE), a web-based exam administered by AAVSB during the VTNE testing windows. |
| Kansas | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Kansas Board of Veterinary Examiners (KBVE), a state board | No The law lets unregistered employees perform procedures a veterinarian delegates, under direct supervision or the indirect supervision the rules allow. | VTNE, run by AAVSB. |
| Kentucky | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners (KBVE), a state board | Yes State law bars practicing as a veterinary technician without a license. | The VTNE. |
| Louisiana | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine (LBVM), a state board | No You need it to use the RVT title or present yourself as a trained vet tech. | VTNE (passed within three years of applying, five attempts maximum), plus the Louisiana state exam: 26 questions on state law, passing score 70%. |
| Maine | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Maine State Board of Veterinary Medicine, within the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (a state agency) | Yes Practicing veterinary technology, or using a title that suggests you are qualified to, requires a license. | VTNE, run by AAVSB. |
| Maryland | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). | State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (SBVME), Maryland Department of Agriculture, a state board | Yes, with conditions Registration is voluntary and not needed to work in a clinic. | VTNE, plus the State Board Examination: you read Maryland's laws and rules and sign a statement attesting to it. |
| Massachusetts | CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) | The Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association (MVTA), a private association, not the state. | No Massachusetts does not regulate vet techs. | The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), run by AAVSB. |
| Michigan | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT), the name state associations use. | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Professional Licensing, for the Michigan Board of Veterinary Medicine. | Yes State law bars practicing as a veterinary technician without a license. | VTNE only, at the passing score set by AAVSB, which reviews eligibility for Michigan candidates. |
| Minnesota | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (state agency). | Yes, with conditions A license is needed to use the title "veterinary technician" or "LVT", to supervise unlicensed staff, and to give ongoing care under remote supervision. | VTNE (scores sent to the board through AAVSB/VIVA) and the Minnesota Veterinary Technician Jurisprudence Examination, which is open resource and untimed. |
| Mississippi | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) or Certified Veterinary Technologist. | Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board | Yes, with conditions Since July 1, 2026, certification is required to use vet tech titles and to practice veterinary technology. | VTNE, plus Mississippi's state board exam on the Practice Act and AVMA Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics, taken online through AAVSB's SPA program. |
| Missouri | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Missouri Veterinary Medical Board, a unit of the state Division of Professional Registration | Yes, with conditions Registration is required to practice as a veterinary technician and do RVT tasks. | VTNE (passing score 425) and the Missouri State Board Examination, taken electronically (passing score 70%). |
| Montana | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Montana Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board in the Department of Labor and Industry | Yes State law requires a license to practice as a veterinary technician. | VTNE, plus the board's open-book Montana jurisprudence exam. |
| Nebraska | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit, with the state Board of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery | Yes Delegated animal health care tasks require an LVT license. | VTNE. |
| Nevada | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, a state board | Yes Practicing as a veterinary technician without a Nevada license is a gross misdemeanor. | VTNE (or another board-approved exam), plus the Nevada jurisprudence exam. |
| New Hampshire | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT). | New Hampshire Veterinary Technician Association (NHVTA), a private association. | Yes, with conditions State rules give the technician task list to people who meet the technician definition, which requires a credential. | VTNE, with a qualifying score from the last five years for a new NHVTA application. |
| New Jersey | CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) | A private association, not the state: the New Jersey Veterinary Technicians and Assistants (NJVTA). | No New Jersey does not regulate vet techs. | The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), run by AAVSB. |
| New Mexico | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board | Yes No one may perform as a veterinary technician without the board's certificate and registered employment. | VTNE, with board sponsorship first, plus the New Mexico Veterinary Technician State Examination (jurisprudence and veterinary medicine questions), passing score 75%. |
| New York | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT). | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, with the State Board for Veterinary Medicine. | Yes Only licensed or exempt people may practice veterinary technology or use the title. | Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), applied for directly with AAVSB. |
| North Carolina | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board (NCVMB), a state board | Yes, with conditions Registration is required to use the title and before doing services the law bars for unregistered people. | VTNE, plus the North Carolina Veterinary Technician Examination: 50 questions online on state law and board FAQs, passing score 75. |
| North Dakota | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | North Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, a state board | Yes, with conditions A license is required to practice veterinary technology or use a title implying it. | VTNE, plus the Board's online, open-book exam on North Dakota laws and rules. |
| Ohio | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board (state agency) | Yes, with conditions You must be registered to act as an RVT and do the tasks the law lists for RVTs. | VTNE, with a score of 425 (or a converted score of 75). |
| Oklahoma | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). | Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (OSBVME), a state board | Yes, with conditions The law bars acting as a vet tech without certification, yet lets vets employ assistants and delegate care. | VTNE, plus the Oklahoma State Veterinary Technician Exam: online, on the Practice Act, given the Tuesday before each board meeting. |
| Oregon | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board (OVMEB), a state board | Yes, with conditions A CVT license is needed for inducing anesthesia, dental extractions, rabies vaccines and indirect-supervision work. | VTNE (score of 425 or more), plus the open-book Oregon Jurisprudence Exam (95% to pass) and Regional Disease Test (100% to pass). |
| Pennsylvania | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Pennsylvania State Board of Veterinary Medicine (Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs) | Yes, with conditions The Act lets only CVTs practice veterinary technology or use the CVT title. | VTNE. |
| Rhode Island | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), a voluntary credential | Rhode Island Veterinary Technician Association (RIVTA), a private association, not the state | No There is no state credential. | VTNE, with the score sent to RIVTA through AAVSB. |
| South Carolina | Licensed Veterinary Technician (the law and board rules use the full title) | South Carolina State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, a state board run through the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) | Yes, with conditions Board rules make practicing veterinary technology without a license unlawful and bar unlicensed staff from tech titles. | VTNE at the AAVSB passing score, plus the South Carolina Jurisprudence (State Law and Ethics) Examination: online and open book. |
| South Dakota | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) | South Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, a state board | Yes The law says technicians must be registered by the Board before a licensed veterinarian employs them. | VTNE with a score of 425 or higher. |
| Tennessee | Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician (LVMT) | Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, a state board supported by the Department of Health | Yes, with conditions A license is required to practice as a veterinary technician and to use the title. | VTNE, passed within the last 10 years for licensure by exam. |
| Texas | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME), a state agency. | No The Board calls licensure optional. | VTNE first, then the Texas jurisprudence exam. |
| Utah | State Certified Veterinary Technician (DOPL forms also say Certified Veterinary Technician) | Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Veterinary Board. | No Uncertified people may do vet tech work under a veterinarian's direct supervision, and uncertified graduates of a two-year AVMA program also under indirect supervision. | VTNE, run by AAVSB. |
| Vermont | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), a voluntary association credential | Vermont Veterinary Technicians Association (VVTA), a private professional association, not the state | No State law does not require the CVT. | VTNE, on both routes. |
| Virginia | LVT (Licensed Veterinary Technician) | Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board within the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP). | Yes No one may practice as a veterinary technician in Virginia without a board license. | The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), run by AAVSB. |
| Washington | Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) | Washington State Veterinary Board of Governors, through the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), a state agency | Yes, with conditions Only LVTs may present themselves as vet techs or do LVT-only tasks such as inducing anesthesia. | VTNE. |
| West Virginia | Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). | West Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine, a state board | Yes State law makes it unlawful to practice veterinary technology without a registration, or to use a title suggesting you are a veterinary technician without one. | VTNE, plus the Board's online West Virginia jurisprudence exam on the state's veterinary laws and rules |
| Wisconsin | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) | Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board, a state board attached to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) | Yes, with conditions Certification is required for CVT-only tasks such as anesthesia and simple extractions. | VTNE, plus the Wisconsin exam on state laws: online, open book, multiple choice, passing score 88%. |
| Wyoming | Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT), a voluntary association credential | Wyoming Veterinary Technician Association (WyVTA), a private nonprofit association, not a state agency | No The Practice Act lets employees of a licensed veterinarian give medication and auxiliary or supporting help under that veterinarian's responsible supervision. | VTNE, for the CVT. |
Where the states differ most
Do you need the credential to work?
Each state guide's "Required to work as a tech" row answers this from the state's own law. Grouped by that answer:
- Yes (13): Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia. Only credentialed (or legally exempt) people may practice as a vet tech; other staff are limited to what the law or rules allow.
- Yes, with conditions (23): Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. The credential is needed for the title and for tasks the law reserves for techs, while uncredentialed staff may still do listed tasks under a veterinarian's supervision.
- No (14): Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming. Staff without the credential may work under a veterinarian's supervision; what the credential protects (a title, or nothing at state level) differs by state.
The title
- RVT (Registered Veterinary Technician): California, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and West Virginia.
- LVT (Licensed Veterinary Technician): Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
- CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician): Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming. In Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wyoming it is a private association credential.
- Other titles: Tennessee uses LVMT (Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician); Alaska issues a veterinary technician license; Utah issues a state certification. See each guide for the exact wording.
Exams and renewal
Nearly every route requires the VTNE, and many states add their own state law (jurisprudence) or board exam. Renewal cycles, continuing education hours and fees differ by state; the "at a glance" table and each guide give the exact rule and its source.
What changed recently
Each state guide has a "Recent changes" section for 2024 to 2026. A few that affect many techs:
- Minnesota began licensing vet techs on July 1, 2026. Minnesota guide
- Illinois extended title protection to "veterinary technician", "vet tech" and related titles on January 1, 2026. Illinois guide
- Mississippi added title protection in 2026 (in force July 1, 2026). Mississippi guide
- California and Colorado have changes that start January 1, 2027. California guide ยท Colorado guide
- Pending: several states have bills or rule drafts that were still proposals when we checked (for example an Ohio RVT authority bill, HB 664, and a Texas rules rewrite). The state guides say what is in force today.
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