Veterinary Technician Licensure

Technician Certification through MVMA ends June 30, 2026 and will be replaced by Technician Licensure through the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine effective July 1, 2026. This change is due to the passage of the Veterinary Technician Licensure bill in 2024, which will result in veterinary technicians being included in Minnesota’s Veterinary Practice Act starting in 2026. 

The MN Board of Veterinary Medicine will begin accepting applications in May 2026. Please sign up for the Board's email communications to ensure you receive updates: https://mn.gov/boards/veterinary-medicine/ (if a popup box does not appear, please scroll to the bottom of the page and in the right hand corner input your email address).

Frequently Asked Questions (Updated 1/22/26)

An overview of what licensing of veterinary technicians in Minnesota means for veterinary professionals: Veterinary Technician Licensure: What We Know So Far (PDF)

TRANSITION GUIDE (NEW)

Please carefully review the Transition Guide on the MN Board of Veterinary Medicine's website. It contains information about what you can do now before the application process opens, and requirements for the different pathways to licensure. 

AFFIDAVIT TEMPLATES

Update April 30, 2026: With the passage of the updated Veterinary Practice Act, affidavit requirements for most applicants have been removed, including for CVTs in good standing. Affidavits remain required for on-the-job-trained veterinary technicians/assistants applying the the Temporary Alternative Pathway (grandfather clause).

With the encouragement of the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine, the MVMA has created two different affidavit templates that satisfy the licensure requirements. There is no requirement to use the affidavit templates provided by MVMA, but they are available for your use courtesy of MVMA.

Instructions

Template 1 

Template 1 Guide/Sample

Template 2

Template 2 Guide/Sample

background & 2024 veterinary practice act update

For more than forty years, MVMA offered a voluntary certification program for veterinary technicians. However, there was no legal definition of the title in Minnesota, so anyone could call themselves a veterinary technician. Currently, veterinary technicians can only work under direct supervision (within visual or audible range) of a veterinarian, who assumes all responsibility for an employee’s professional performance. With licensure, the scope of practice will be expanded to allow remote supervision of LVTs and for LVTs to provide direct supervision of unlicensed staff members. This scope of practice will still be under the direction and delegation of tasks from a licensed veterinarian.

Minnesota's Veterinary Practice Act was updated in 2024 to include Licensed Veterinary Technicians. Licensure of technicians will take effect July 1, 2026.

Updated Veterinary Practice Act

Video by Sam Geiling, CVT: Changes to Minnesota Veterinary Practice Act

Bill Language & Additional Resources

Final Bill Language (PDF)

Final Bill Language (article 20, starts on page 323; enter 323.7 in the Jump to Page/Line number and hit enter in the search bar).

AVMA News (5/30/24): Minnesota creates title protection, licensure pathway for veterinary technicians

If you have further questions or feedback, please contact Dr. Allen Balay at ([email protected] or 320-905-6423) or Kim Horne, AAS, CVT, VTS (Dermatology) at ([email protected] or 952-270-5439). 

HF 1228-Veterinary technicians, practice of veterinary technology, and unlicensed veterinary employees regulated

Introduced on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, by Rep. John Huot - click here for more information

SF 1522-Veterinary technicians, the practice of veterinary technology and unlicensed veterinary employees regulation

Introduced on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, by Senator Robert Kupec - click here for more information

LVT Statute Highlights and Proposed Changes

Supporting Documents

1) Article's from the "Getting to the Bottom of the Veterinary Technician Shortage in Minnesota":

         ○ Twenty-fourth article
         ○ Twenty-third article
         ○ Twenty-second article
         ○ Twenty-first article
         ○ Twentieth article
         ○ Nineteenth article
         ○ Eighteenth article
         ○ Seventeenth article
         ○ Sixteenth article
         ○ Fifteenth article
         ○ Fourteenth article
         ○ Thirteenth article
         ○ Twelfth article
         ○ Eleventh article
         ○ Tenth article
         ○ Ninth article 
         ○ Eighth article
         ○ Seventh article
         ○ Sixth article
         ○ Fifth article
         ○ Fourth article
         ○ Third article
         ○ Second article
         ○ First article   

2) How Credentialed Veterinary Technicians Impact Public Safety

3) Board of Animal Health Reportable Diseases

4) Licensure in Veterinary Medicine: How it Protects the Public and our Animals

5) Points of Why Regulatory Credentialing for Veterinary Technicians

6) JAVMA 9/15/2021 Article: Are We in a Veterinary Workforce Crisis?

7) Veterinary Technician Enhancement Act Infographic (this version intended for the legislative community)

8) Veterinary Technician Enhancement Act Infographic (this version intended for veterinary community)

Letters of Support

AVMA letter of support for Vet Tech Licensure
National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America letter of support
American Association of Veterinary State Boards

MVMA/MAVT Goal in 2021-2022: Veterinary Technician Licensure

Bill Title: Veterinary Technician Workforce Enhancement Act

Preamble: Veterinary technicians are vital members of the veterinary health care team and work alongside veterinarians to care for the health, safety and welfare of animals and improve public health. All states in the U.S. have regulatory boards to manage the licensure of veterinarians and a large majority of states also require licensure for veterinary technicians. This licensure is critical to ensure professional accountability and prevent unqualified individuals from potentially harming animal health and failing to protect the public. Over time, members of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) have experienced dwindling numbers in the veterinary technician profession. We believe through an improved understanding and definition of their role as veterinary team members, that mandatory credentialing will contribute to the advancement of the practice of veterinary medicine as well as enhance patient care and public safety.

Key Components of the Bill:

• Certified veterinary technicians currently in good standing with the MVMA are immediately eligible for licensure.
• Non-certified veterinary technicians would be eligible to apply if they are currently practicing, performed 4160 hours of experience (within the previous 5 years), and have a letter of recommendation from a licensed veterinarian stating their competency.
• With regulated credentialing, Licensed Veterinary Technicians (LVTs) will aid in the purpose to protect the health and safety of the public and animal patients in the state of Minnesota. 
  • Properly trained veterinary team members impact many areas including: infectious diseases; zoonotic diseases; ensuring food and feed safety; animal control and injury protection.
  • Properly trained veterinary team members ensure functional health in companion animals, service and working animals, as well as livestock and research animals.
• Upon licensure the role of veterinary technicians in patient care will be better defined while remaining under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. 
• LVTs and other veterinary team members cannot perform services which are exclusive to licensure responsibilities of the veterinarian (surgery, diagnose/prognose, or prescribe drugs).
• Veterinary team members not eligible for licensure or choosing not to be licensed will be called veterinary assistants. 
• Licensure also ensures veterinary technicians are familiar with and understand the state’s laws and regulations governing their profession.
• MN Board of Veterinary Medicine shall oversee and establish licensure requirements.