Veterinary Technician Licensure
Passage of the Veterinary Technician Licensure bill in spring 2024 means that veterinary technicians will soon be included in Minnesota’s Veterinary Practice Act and beginning July 1, 2026, Licensed
Veterinary Technicians (LVTs) will be regulated by the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (BVM).
On this page, you’ll find:
- MAVT Virtual Office Hours - November 18th, time and details TBA.
- Frequently Asked Questions (updated 6/3/25)
- NEW RESOURCE: Preparing to Apply for Licensure (10/1/25)
- Updated Veterinary Practice Act
- Bill language
- History and background on MVMA’s advocacy work with the licensure bill
For more than forty years, MVMA has 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.
We've compiled answers to what we know as of April 2025 below, but please note that the rule writing process is still in early stages. The legislation authorizes the BVM to establish licensure and related practice requirements for LVTs. The process will take 12 to 18 months and the rules will become effective July 1, 2026. Drs. Ann Brownlee and Al Balay representing MVMA, along with Kim Horne, CVT, and Sam Geiling, CVT, representing MAVT, are working with and supporting the Board of Veterinary Medicine on a task force during the rule making process.
Virtual Office hours-Note: no CE credits will be awarded for participation
Members
of the MVMA/MAVT committee that have worked on licensure will be holding free virtual “office hours” to answer your questions. You must register for these office hours to get the link. There will be no formal presentation so come ready with your questions
. We are offering these hours approximately every 6 weeks for one hour currently. We will assess the need for future hours.
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated 6/3/25)
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 (allenbalay77@gmail.com) or 320-905-6423) or Kim Horne, AAS, CVT, VTS (Dermatology) at (
horne003@alumni.umn.edu) or 952-270-5439).
HF 1228-Veterinary technicians, practice of veterinary technology, and unlicensed veterinary employees regulated
Introduced on Thursday, February 2nd, 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, February 9th, 2023, by Senator Robert Kupec-click here for more information
LVT Statute Highlights and Proposed Changes
Veterinary Technician Licensure Bill Passes in Minnesota
After years of hard work at the legislation, we are proud to say that the Vet Tech Licensure Bill has passed through both the House and Senate and was just signed into law by Governor Walz. The legislation will take effect
in 2026.
The bill was amended to have a start date of 2026 to allow the MN Board of Veterinary Medicine to write the rules. Rule writing is expected to take 12 – 18 months. Dr. Al Balay and Kim Horne,
CVT, who have co-led efforts to pass this legislation, along with Dr. Ann Brownlee and Sam Geiling, CVT will participate in the rule writing process.
We want to thank everyone who made this possible. Thank
you for taking time and action to write or speak with legislators, attend the Day at the Capitol or help us advocate for the advancement of the profession. We expect a lot of questions and needed explanations for what happens
next, and we look forward to communicating with you throughout the process.
Ann Brownlee, DVM
MVMA President
Leslie Kollmann, BS, CVT, CIC
MAVT President
Please see more information below about the history of this effort as well as fact sheets used to support the effort
History
The MVMA Veterinary Technician Committee introduced legislation in Spring 2021 leading to licensure of Veterinary Technicians. The soonest legislation could be passed is during the 2023 Legislative session. Our process included networking, education, and planning for implementation of the legislative action. The Committee thinks that the opportunity of licensing will lead to less career turnover, greater retention, and fewer shortages of veterinary technicians.
The legislation would require opening the Veterinary Practice Act. The MVMA Board of Directors and the MVMA’s Government Affairs Committee support opening the Veterinary Practice Act for Veterinary Technician licensure. The MVMA Veterinary Technician Committee is working with the Board of Veterinary Medicine on this initiative. If you have further questions or feedback, please contact Dr. Allen Balay at (allenbalay77@gmail.com) or 320-905-6423) or Kim Horne, AAS, CVT, VTS (Dermatology) at (horne003@alumni.umn.edu or 952-270-5439).
The AVMA is coming out with a new tool to evaluate the utilization of veterinary technicians in practice. Minnesota has been asked to be a pilot group to improve and try out this new tool. The Veterinary Technician Utilization Inventory (VTUI) is a series of 65 questions identifying who in a practice completes certain tasks including cognitive skills/tasks. For more information, please go to the MVMA website. If you’re interested in being in the pilot study, please contact Maria Nellessen at MVMA to be put on the list so that she can forward the VTUI link when it becomes available.
HF 1228-Veterinary technicians, practice of veterinary technology, and unlicensed veterinary employees regulated
Introduced on Thursday, February 2nd, 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, February 9th, 2023, by Senator Robert Kupec-click here for more information
LVT Statute Highlights and Proposed Changes
Supporting Documents
1) Articles from the "Getting to the Bottom of the Veterinary Technician Shortage in Minnesota" series.
First article
Second article
Third article
Fourth article
Fifth article
Sixth article
Seventh article
Eighth article
Ninth article
Tenth article
Eleventh article
Twelfth article
Thirteenth article
Fourteenth article
Fifteenth article
Sixteenth article
Seventeenth article
Eighteenth article
Nineteenth article
Twentieth article
Twenty-first article
Twenty-second article
Twenty-third article
Twenty-fourth article
Twenty-fifth article
Twenty-sixth 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
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.
