Veterinary Technician Certification & Licensing
Find out the advantages of becoming a certified veterinary technician.
Veterinary Technician Certification and Licensing
Becoming a certified veterinary technician provides you with a professional edge. It means greater prestige among peers and employers. It means better job security and greater career advancement opportunities.
Veterinary technician certification requirements vary from state to state and may require you to complete a certain number of continuing education hours per year in order to maintain your certification. Generally requirements can include a diploma from a two-year program and up to three years on-the-job training. More work experience is required for those who did not graduate from an accredited veterinary technician training program.
Veterinary Tech Certification
Veterinary technician certification is a formal recognition by an organization, such as the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), that you have achieved the education and skill level held by that organization to be the nationally recognized standard of quality.
As defined by the Washington State Department of Health, certification is a “voluntary process by which the state grants recognition to an individual who has met certain qualifications. Non-certified persons may perform the same tasks, but may not use ‘certified’ in the title.”
Veterinary Tech License
Having a license gives you the legal permission to perform certain job duties deemed illegal to unlicensed persons. Administering rabies shots to animals is an example of a job function for which a certified vet tech may need a license. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) can give you state-specific information on licensing. The AAVSB also distributes and records the Veterinary Technician National Exam and is an excellent resource for veterinary technicians.
Education Guide
Veterinary Technician Education
Read about course information and requirements toward your certification.
Certification Information
Learn what you need to do to become a certified veterinary technician.
School Accreditation
Get information about the benefits of attending an accredited vet tech school.
Professional Interview
Read the interview of an experienced veterinary technician and get an inside look at the profession.
Training Information
Find out how to choose the right education program and internship.
Career Guide
Career Options
Discover some of your options when you are choosing a veterinary technician career.
Job Information
Find out the responsibilities of a veterinary technician and the tasks they perform.
Veterinary Tech Specialties
Check out some of the specialties a veterinary technician career offers.
Salary Information
Find information about the earning potential of different veterinary technician jobs.
Veterinary Assistant Career
Learn about getting into the field as a veterinary assistant and the duties they perform.
Resources and Links
Browse a compiled list of vet tech resources to research your certification.