Registered Veterinary Technician License Application

Pursuant to Business and Professions Codes section 4902, licensees whose licenses have been expired for more than five years must reapply as a new candidate.

Please apply online at BreEZe for the Registered Veterinary Technician License Application

Required Fees: 

• Application Fee: $225 (non-refundable)
• Initial License Fee: $225

Requirements for Approved School:

• Official Transcript or photocopy of the diploma (if applicable and AVMA/California approved school applicant)
• License Verification/Letter of Good Standing sent directly to California from another state, U.S. territory or Canadian province (if applicable for AVMA/California approved school applicant)*
• Fingerprint clearances from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) please complete the Live Scan Form and submit it to the Board. For Live Scan locations, click here.

•  United States issued Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Requirements for Alternate Route:
Alternate Route Information can be found here: California Code of Regulations § 2068.5 Practical Experience and Education As Equivalent Curriculum.

• Task list – Proof of Experience Form
• Postsecondary Academic Checklist Form
• Transcripts for all applicable courses of postsecondary education
• Copies of official college catalog course descriptions and course outlines for all postsecondary education
• Copies of official Certificates of Completion along with course descriptions or course outlines, and breakdown in hours for postsecondary education

• Fingerprint clearances from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) please complete the Live Scan Form.  For Live Scan locations, click here.

• United States issued Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Required Information:

• Verification of passing the Veterinarian Technician National Examination (VTNE) or equivalent sent directly from the AAVSB.

Applicants for the VTNE apply directly to the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). Those applicants who graduated from an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited school will automatically be made eligible to take the VTNE.

The VTNE is administered in 3 specific testing windows throughout the year and each application window has a deadline. Please refer to the AAVSB for the application and application deadlines for each examination window.

Applicants must apply directly to the AAVSB to take the VTNE. Applicants must also apply directly to the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) for licensure. The Veterinary Medical Board is required to review the applicant’s application for licensure and verify examination eligibility before the alternate route candidate is made eligible to take the VTNE. To ensure eligibility is transferred to the AAVSB in a timely manner, alternate route candidates are recommended to apply through the VMB and the AAVSB at least eight weeks prior to the selected testing window.

Applicants who fail to apply for licensure within two years from notification of eligibility are subject to abandonment of their application and must reapply pursuant to CCR section 2015.5