2026 Minnesota Statutes
156.077 LICENSED VETERINARY TECHNICIANS.
Subdivision 1.Licensure; practice.
(a) The board shall issue a license to practice as a veterinary technician to an applicant who satisfies the requirements in this section and those imposed by the board in rule. A licensed veterinary technician may practice veterinary technology. A person may not use the title "veterinary technician" or the abbreviation "LVT" unless licensed by the board.
(b) The board may adopt by rule additional or temporary alternative licensure requirements or definitions for veterinary technician titles.
Subd. 2.Applicants; qualifications.
Application for a license to practice veterinary technology in this state shall be made to the board on a form furnished by the board and accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is at least 18 years of age, is of good moral character, and has:
(1) graduated from a veterinary technology program accredited or approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association;
(2) received a passing score for the Veterinary Technician National Examination;
(3) received a passing score for the Minnesota Veterinary Technician Jurisprudence Examination; and
(4) completed a criminal background check.
Subd. 3.Required with application.
A completed application must contain the following information and material:
(1) the application fee set by the board, which is not refundable if permission to take the jurisprudence examination is denied for good cause;
(2) proof of graduation from a veterinary technology program accredited or approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association; and
(3) if the applicant has served in the armed forces, a copy of the applicant's discharge papers.
Subd. 4.Temporary alternative qualifications.
(a) The board shall consider an application for licensure submitted by a person before July 1, 2031, if the person provides evidence satisfactory to the board that the person:
(1) is a certified veterinary technician in good standing with the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association; or
(2) has at least 4,160 hours actively engaged in the practice of veterinary technology within the previous five years.
(b) Each applicant under this subdivision must also submit to the board affidavits from at least two licensed veterinarians and three adults who are not related to the applicant that establish how long, when, and under what circumstances the references have known the applicant and any other facts that may enable the board to determine the applicant's qualifications.
Subd. 5.Pharmaceutical services.
(a) A licensed veterinary technician must:
(1) ensure that a prescription drug or prescription biologic is properly administered to a patient; or
(2) provide instructions to a client on the proper administration of a drug or biologic to a patient if the licensed veterinary technician will not be administering or supervising the administration of the drug to the patient.
(b) A veterinary technician must store and dispense drugs and biologics to clients according to section 151.35 and The United States Pharmacopeia and the National Formulary, 1990 edition, published by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc., Rockville, Maryland.
Subd. 6.Record keeping.
(a) A licensed veterinary technician working under a veterinarian's direct or remote supervision on a patient, group of patients, herd, or flock, regardless of whether the patient, group, herd, or flock is in the veterinarian's custody at a veterinary facility or on the owner's or caretaker's premises, must prepare a written medical record or electronic medical record regarding the patient, group, herd, or flock that contains, at a minimum:
(1) the owner's name, address, and telephone number;
(2) if applicable, the identity of the patient, including the patient's name, age, sex, and breed;
(3) the dates of examination, treatment, and surgery;
(4) a brief history of the condition of the patient, group of patients, herd, or flock;
(5) examination findings;
(6) laboratory and radiographic reports;
(7) the veterinarian's tentative diagnosis;
(8) the veterinarian's treatment plan; and
(9) the veterinarian's prescribed medication and treatment, including the dosage and frequency of any prescribed medication.
(b) A licensed veterinary technician must maintain an individual written medical record or electronic medical record for each patient, except a licensed veterinary technician may maintain one medical record for a group of patients if:
(1) the patients are livestock as defined in section 17A.03, subdivision 5; horses; or a litter of animals; and
(2) the record contains the information required in paragraph (a).
(c) Within two weeks of receiving a written request for records, a veterinary technician under the direct or remote supervision of a veterinarian must release a patient's medical records or an accurate summary of the patient's medical records to the owner or owner's authorized agent, including the board. A supervising veterinarian may charge a reasonable fee for copying or preparing a summary of records, except in the case of a board investigation of a possible violation of section 156.081 or other statute or rule that the board is authorized to enforce.
(d) A radiograph must be permanently identified. A licensed veterinary technician must only release a radiograph upon the written request of a veterinarian who has the written authorization of the owner of the patient to whom the radiograph pertains. The owner must return a radiograph within a reasonable time to the veterinary practice that originally prepared the radiograph.
(e) A licensed veterinary technician must keep medical records private and must not release medical records to third parties unless authorized by the client or required by law.
Subd. 7.Humane care.
A licensed veterinary technician must treat animals entrusted by a client to the supervising veterinarian consistent with prevailing professional standards of humane treatment and care.
Subd. 8.Continuing education.
(a) A licensed veterinary technician must complete at least 16 hours of continuing education credits during each biennial licensing period. Of those 16 hours, at least 12 hours of continuing education credits must be in a medical category.
(b) Upon submitting an application to the board for the renewal of a license to practice veterinary technology, an applicant must provide documentation to the board that the applicant completed at least 16 continuing education credit hours according to paragraph (a).
(c) A licensed veterinary technician must not carry forward excess continuing credit hours into the next licensing period.
(d) A licensed veterinary technician must take additional continuing education required by the board if, in the course of a disciplinary proceeding, the board determines that remedial education in a specific subject area is necessary.
History:
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes