The following policies have been formerly drafted to give clearer guidance to applicants for DVM licensure and RVT certification with respect to the waivers of the national exam retake requirements.

10.01    Petition to Waive NAVLE Retake Requirement

Any candidate for DVM licensure who submits a NAVLE score which is older than five years must retake the NAVLE, unless he/she has been for the five years immediately prior to filing his application a practicing veterinarian licensed in a state, territory, or district of the United States having license requirements, at the time the applicant was first licensed. Board Rules further define what a “practicing veterinarian” is by stating that one must:

a. hold a currently valid license in good standing in another state, district, or territory of the United States; and
b. have worked as a licensed veterinarian an average of 20 hours per week in a private practice or its equivalent continuously and without substantial interruption for a period of five years immediately preceding his application.

The Board has further determined that the most effective way of establishing whether the candidate for DVM licensure meets these eligibility criteria for the waiver of the NAVLE retake requirement would be to require the following supplemental documentation to be submitted for review by the Board:

1. Letter(s) of Employment Verification on company letterhead and signed from all employers for the five-year time span immediately preceding the date of application. Letters should include your employment dates, current position/title, full- or part-time status, and the average number of hours worked per week. These letters are required for any employment during which the applicant was a W-2 employee. If one is self-employed or a 1099 contracted employee, the letter of employment should be submitted directly from the applicant indicating all of the required details.
2. Letter of Explanation – In the five years preceding the application submission date, if there are any gaps in employment and/or time spans in which the applicant worked less than the required average of 20 hours per week, a letter of explanation should be submitted detailing why there was a gap or a reduction in hours, etc.
3. Tax Documents – specifically the “Return Transcripts” or “Wage and Income Transcripts” –must be submitted for the five-year time span immediately preceding the date of application. This documentation is available for free at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript. 
4. Most Recent Pay Stub prior to the date of application submission from the current employer(s) showing the applicant’s Year-To-Date earnings for the current year in which the application was submitted.

These documents are to be reviewed by the full Board, and waiver eligibility can only be determined by the full Board at an official board meeting. If the waiver is not granted, the applicant must successfully retake the NAVLE and have the score submitted to the Board prior to application’s expiration date.

10.02    Petition to Waive VTNE Retake Requirement

Any candidate for RVT certification who submits a VTNE score which is older than three years must retake the VTNE, unless he/she has been employed as a registered or certified veterinary technician in a state, territory, or district of the United States having license requirements for the three years immediately prior to filing his application. Board Rules further details what a registered or certified veterinary technician is by stating that one must:

a.  hold a current valid license or certificate in good standing as a registered or certified veterinary technician in another state, district, or territory of the United States; and
b. have been employed as a registered or certified veterinary technician an average of 20 hours per week in a private practice or its equivalent continuously and without substantial interruption for a period of three years immediately preceding his application.

The Board has further determined that the most effective way of establishing whether the candidate for RVT certification licensure meets these eligibility criteria for the waiver of the VTNE retake requirement would be to require the following supplemental documentation to be submitted for review by the Board:

1. Letter(s) of Employment Verification on company letterhead and signed from all employers for the three-year time span immediately preceding the date of application. Letters should include your employment dates, current position/title, full- or part-time status, and the average number of hours worked per week. These letters are required for any employment during which the applicant was a W-2 employee. If one is self-employed or a 1099 contracted employee, the letter of employment should be submitted directly from the applicant indicating all of the required details.
2. Letter of Explanation – In the three years preceding the application submission date, if there are any gaps in employment and/or time spans in which the applicant worked less than the required average of 20 hours per week, a letter of explanation should be submitted detailing why there was a gap or a reduction in hours, etc.
3. Tax Documents – specifically the “Return Transcripts” or “Wage and Income Transcripts” –must be submitted for the three-year time span immediately preceding the date of application. This documentation is available for free at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript. 
4. Most Recent Pay Stub prior to the date of application submission from the current employer(s) showing the applicant’s Year-To-Date earnings for the current year in which the application was submitted.  

These documents are to be reviewed by the full Board, and waiver eligibility can only be determined by the full Board at an official board meeting. If the waiver is not granted, the applicant must successfully retake the VTNE and have the score submitted to the Board prior to application’s expiration date.

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This policy has been ratified and approved by the Board and has been adopted into the Board’s overall Policy Manual, effective December 5, 2025.

Authorized by LBVM Board President at the December 5, 2025 Board meeting. [View Board Minutes in Archives.]