Veterinary CE Requirements by State: Hours for Veterinarians and Technicians, Side by Side

Every state that licenses veterinarians requires continuing education to renew, and most that credential technicians do too. The totals look simple. The details are not: limits on online hours, required topics like controlled substances, rules on what counts as practice management, and cycles of one, two or three years. A veterinarian licensed in two states can easily meet one board's rule and miss the other's.

This guide puts the requirements of eleven states side by side, drawn from each board's rules, and explains the details that matter. Confirm with your board before you renew, because rules change.

The summary

Where the table says "see board," we did not confirm the figure from an official source for this guide.

State by state

Florida

Veterinarians need 30 hours each two year cycle, including at least 1 hour on dispensing legend drugs and 2 hours on Florida laws and rules. No more than 15 hours may be non interactive, and no more than 5 hours each of alternative medicine, practice management and wellness. Florida does not credential technicians. A 2024 law exempted licensees with ten years of active licensure and no discipline. See Florida veterinary licensing.

Georgia

Georgia's board rules require veterinarians to complete 30 hours every two years and licensed veterinary technicians 11 hours per two year period, under Chapter 700-7 of the Georgia rules. The Georgia VMA notes that veterinarians need 2 hours and technicians 1 hour of the board's LEAP CE each renewal period. Check the board's current rule for the full breakdown.

Illinois

Veterinarians need 40 hours and certified veterinary technicians 15 hours of CE relevant to veterinary medicine and surgery in each renewal period. CVTs do not owe CE until their first full renewal cycle, and CVT licenses expire January 31 of odd years. See Illinois veterinary licensing.

Michigan

Michigan's rules require licensed veterinary technicians to complete 15 hours in each three year renewal cycle. Check LARA's rules for veterinarians' current requirement and required topics.

New York

Veterinarians need 45 hours and veterinary technicians 24 hours every three year registration period. Self study is capped at 22.5 hours for veterinarians and 12 for technicians, and everyone needs 2 hours on controlled substances. See New York veterinary licensing.

North Carolina

Veterinarians need 20 hours every year, with no more than 10 non interactive. RVTs need 12 hours every two years, with no more than 6 non interactive. Both need 2 hours on the abuse of controlled substances each renewal. CE must be done by December 31, and credentials not renewed by the end of February are revoked. See North Carolina veterinary licensing.

Ohio

Veterinarians need 30 hours per renewal, at least 20 medical, no more than 10 practice management and no more than 18 online. RVTs need 10 hours, at least 6 medical, no more than 4 practice management and no more than 6 online. Live webinars count as in person for RVTs but as online for veterinarians. See Ohio veterinary licensing.

Pennsylvania

Veterinarians need 30 hours and CVTs 16 hours in the 24 months before renewal. For veterinarians, no more than 25% may be individual study or correspondence, and office management courses do not count. The current licenses expire November 30, 2026. See Pennsylvania veterinary licensing.

Texas

Licensed veterinary technicians need 10 hours every year, with no more than 2 hours of practice management, 4 hours non interactive and 2 hours self study. CE completed before licensure does not count, and certificates must be kept for four years. See Texas veterinary licensing.

Virginia

The Virginia board's CE page sets 15 hours for veterinarians and 8 hours for veterinary technicians for each annual renewal. Reinstating a license expired more than a year requires CE for each year expired, up to two years. See Virginia veterinary licensing.

Washington

Licensed veterinary technicians need 20 hours every two years, plus a one time suicide prevention training and 2 hours of health equity training every four years. Since July 2025, the state jurisprudence exam is a CE requirement in the first year of licensure. See Washington veterinary licensing.

The patterns worth knowing

Online limits

Many states cap non interactive CE: recorded webinars, on demand courses and self study. The definitions differ. In Ohio, a live webinar is online for a veterinarian but in person for an RVT. In North Carolina, a live presentation must allow real two way interaction and record participation to count as interactive. Read your board's definition before buying a bundle of on demand courses.

Required topics

Controlled substances (New York, North Carolina), dispensing and state law (Florida), health equity and suicide prevention (Washington): required topics are growing. If you are licensed in several states, a single course may satisfy more than one, but check each board's wording.

Practice management caps

Ohio, Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania all limit or exclude practice management hours. A management conference rarely satisfies a renewal by itself.

First renewal exemptions

Many states exempt new graduates or newly licensed people from CE for their first renewal, including Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio.

Records and audits

Boards audit at random. Keep certificates for at least as long as your board requires: three years in Florida, three renewal periods in North Carolina, four years for Texas LVTs, five years for Pennsylvania veterinarians. The AAVSB's free RACEtrack service can hold them in one place.

For practices

• Fund CE and the time to do it. A CE allowance is one of the most valued benefits for technicians, and required hours make it practical as well as generous. See why vet techs leave and what keeps them.
• Track renewal dates for everyone on the schedule, and check credentials after each renewal deadline.
• Put CE support in your job posts. "$750 CE allowance and two paid CE days" tells candidates more than "growth opportunities." See the before and after job ad rewrite.

How Zuse helps

On Zuse Talent, veterinarians and technicians claim their license, and practices on Zuse Hire see each credential checked against the state board, including its current status after renewal season.

Sources

• Florida Administrative Code, Rule 61G18-16.002
• Georgia Rules and Regulations, Chapter 700-7, Renewal of license
• Illinois Administrative Code, Title 68, § 1500.25 and § 1505.55
• Michigan Administrative Code, veterinary technician general rules, R 338.4971 to R 338.4993
• New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 8, § 62.8
• North Carolina Administrative Code, 21 NCAC 66 .0206
• Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board, Continuing education
• Pennsylvania State Board of Veterinary Medicine, Announcements, and 49 Pa. Code § 31.15
• Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Licensed Veterinary Technician
• Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine, Continuing education
• Washington Administrative Code, WAC 246-935-280, 246-935-305 and 246-935-307

CE rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with your state board before you renew.

FAQ

How many CE hours do veterinarians need?

It depends on the state. Among the states in this guide, veterinarians need from 15 hours a year in Virginia to 45 hours every three years in New York, with 30 hours every two years common in Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

How many CE hours do vet techs need?

From 8 hours a year in Virginia to 24 hours every three years in New York. Pennsylvania requires 16 hours every two years, Illinois 15, North Carolina 12 and Ohio 10.

Does online CE count?

Usually, within limits. Many states cap non interactive hours, and the definition of interactive varies. In Ohio, live webinars count as in person for RVTs but online for veterinarians.

Do new graduates need CE for their first renewal?

In many states, no. Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio all exempt new licensees from CE for their first renewal.

Which states require controlled substance CE?

New York requires 2 hours every three years and North Carolina requires 2 hours each renewal, for both veterinarians and technicians. Florida requires 1 hour on dispensing legend drugs.