Continuing Education Policies for CAETs
CE Requirements | Approved Programs | Proof of Attendance | Late Fees/Fines | Recording CE for Renewal
The Continuing Education requirement in Louisiana was established with the goal of ensuring that the public receive the best possible care from the veterinary community. The Board attempts to achieve this goal by requiring those persons who are LICENSED TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE in Louisiana to remain current in subjects related to the practice of the profession. To that end, the following statutes and rules have been created.
If your CAET certification was issued prior to May 1st, 2025, you are still required to fulfill all CE hours by June 30th, 2025 in order to renew your certification starting July 1st. Additionally, a maximum of three (3) hours of credit may be obtained online (which includes interactive Zoom-style meetings).
1227 A. Continuing Education
A. Basic Requirements
1. A minimum of six continuing education units is required each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) as a prerequisite for renewal of certification. A CAET who fails to obtain a minimum of six continuing education units within the prescribed 12 month period will not meet the requirements for renewal of his certificate.
2. Any programs accepted by another state’s regulatory board of veterinary medicine, a governmental entity, and/or AAVSB, as well as those programs sponsored by AVMA accredited schools of veterinary medicine and/or any professional associations recognized by the board shall be accepted as units or hours of annual continuing education. All other continuing education programs must be approved by the board prior to attendance.
3. Proof of attendance, which shall include the name of the course, date(s) of attendance, hours attended, shall be attached to the annual renewal form. Proof of attendance must include verification from the entity providing or sponsoring the educational program. However, the actual mediums of video tapes, self test programs with third party grading, and/or self help instruction, including online instruction, with third party grading, are limited to three hours per fiscal year period (July 1 through June 30). The requirement of pre approval of the program by the board continues to apply for those programs not accepted by another state’s regulatory board of veterinary medicine, a governmental entity, and/or AAVSB, as well as those programs not sponsored by AVMA accredited schools of veterinary medicine and/or any professional associations recognized by the board.
4. All hours shall be obtained in the 12 months preceding the renewal period of the certificate.
5. Each CAET must fulfill his annual educational requirements at his own expense or through a sponsoring agency other than the board.
1227 C. Approved Continuing Education Programs
- Organizations sponsoring a continuing education program for CAETs which is required to obtain pre approval must submit a request for approval of the program to the board no less than 14 days prior to the commencement of the
program. Information to be submitted shall include:a. the name of the proposed program and sponsor organization;
b. course content;
c. the number of continuing education units to be obtained by attendees.2. CAETs may also submit a request for approval of a continuing education program which is required to obtain pre-approval, however, it must be submitted to the board no less than 14 days prior to the commencement of the program. Information to be submitted shall comply with the requirement s of Paragraph C.1 of this Section.
3. Continuing education units which are submitted for renewal and were not pre approved by the board may be reviewed by the board. If units are not approved, the CAET will be required to take additional continuing education in an approved program prior to renewal of his certificate.
Please see the LIST OF BOARD-APPROVED CE PROGRAMS – which is updated every two weeks – or call the Board office if you have any questions.
Failure to obtain pre-approval may result in the denial of CE credit for annual renewal. In summary, at renewal time, hours which are turned in from programs that were NOT SUBJECT TO AUTOMATIC APPROVAL and/or NOT PRE-APPROVED as required by the Board, may be denied. If the program is denied, you will be required to take additional CE in an approved program prior to completing the renewal process and obtaining a current license. Late fees and fines will be imposed accordingly. Furthermore, if the required CE is not timely obtained during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30), then the license expires on September 30 and you cannot legally practice as a Certified Animal Euthanasia Technician until the renewal process is completed and you are issued a license for the current year.
Employment at an accredited school or college of veterinary medicine will not be accepted in lieu of completion of the required CE hours. Presenters of approved CE programs may not use the hours for program preparation and presentation as CE.
Proof of Attendance
In accordance with Rule 403.B listed above, proof of attendance (i.e. – certificates of completion) MUST include all of the following details: 1) Licensee’s First & Last Name, 2) Title of the Activity, 3) Name of Sponsor, 4) Specific Date of Attendance/Completion, 5) Total Hours Earned, and 6) Delivery Method. Certificates of Completion from conference attendance MUST include the total number of hours a licensee earned from attendance.
If any of this information is not included on the Proof of Attendance, the CE activity cannot be accepted.
Late Fees and Fines
1227 B. Failure to Meet Requirements – 1. If a CAET fails to obtain a minimum six continuing education units within the prescribed 12 month period, his certificate shall be expired and his certificate shall remain expired until such time as the continuing education requirements have been met and documented to the satisfaction of the board. 2. The board may grant extensions of time for extenuating circumstances. The CAET must petition the board at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the certificate. The board may require whatever documentation it deems necessary to verify the circumstances necessitating the extension.
All Certified Animal Euthanasia Technicians in the State of Louisiana are required to obtain 6 hours of continuing education per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) as a prerequisite to renewal. Failure to do so is a violation of the Veterinary Practice Act and may result in a late fee and/or fine being imposed by the Board.
1. Late fee for renewals is $25.
2. CE must be taken between July 1 and June 30 to meet the requirement that it be taken as a prerequisite to renewal.
3. A time period of no less than 90 days will be provided for completion of license renewals and missing/late CE hours.
4. Partial (incomplete) renewal submissions will not be accepted.
5. If the required CE is not timely obtained during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30), then the license expires on September 30 and you cannot legally practice as a Certified Animal.
The LA Veterinary Practice Act Rules associated with the CE submission are as follows:
Rule 403.A – A minimum of 20 actual hours is required each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) as a prerequisite for annual renewal of a license.
Rule 403.C – All hours shall be obtained in the 12 months preceding the renewal period of the license. Hours taken prior to the 12-month continuing education period will not be accepted.
UPDATING/ENTERING CONTINUING EDUCATION ACTIVITY
Click here for instructions on recording continuing education hours into the LBVM License Portal.
IMPORTANT – All CE activity must be entered in the Continuing Education section PRIOR to starting your renewal process!
If you start your renewal without entering in your CE activity, you will have to back out of the renewal, then enter the CE activity, then continue with the renewal process.
Act 219 of 2018 Session – No CDS CE Required for LA DVMs & CAETs