AAVSB & the VTNE: Candidate Handbook and Official Resources
AAVSB VTNE resources in one place: the official Candidate Handbook, who does what (AAVSB vs PSI vs AVMA vs your state board), contact info, and testing windows.
When you search for "AAVSB VTNE," you usually want one of a few things: the official rulebook (the VTNE Candidate Handbook), a way to contact the people who run the exam, or a clear answer to who actually controls the Veterinary Technician National Examination. This page pulls those official resources together and explains who does what so you never waste time emailing the wrong organization — because the VTNE process involves three separate bodies that are easy to confuse.
Last verified: June 2026 against the current AAVSB VTNE Candidate Handbook (aavsb.org). Testing windows, fees, and policies change at least once a year, so always confirm specific numbers and dates on the official AAVSB website before you act on them.
What is AAVSB and what does it do for the VTNE?
The AAVSB is the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. It is a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) association headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, whose members are the veterinary licensing boards across the United States and Canada — dozens of jurisdictions in total. Think of it as the umbrella organization that the individual state and provincial boards belong to.
For veterinary technicians, the single most important thing the AAVSB does is own, develop, and administer the VTNE. The exam is AAVSB's intellectual property. The AAVSB writes the test specifications, maintains the question bank, sets the testing windows, processes applications, determines eligibility for non-traditional candidates, and reports your score to the state board you designate. If a question is about the exam itself — your application, eligibility, testing window, or score — the answer almost always lives with the AAVSB.
For a broader primer, see what is the VTNE: the national, computer-based competency exam that nearly every U.S. jurisdiction requires before it will credential a veterinary technician.
AAVSB vs PSI vs your state board (who does what)
Three organizations touch your VTNE journey, and they have very different jobs. Mixing them up is the number-one reason candidates get bounced between phone lines.
| Organization | Role in the VTNE process | You contact them for... |
|---|---|---|
| AAVSB (American Association of Veterinary State Boards) | Owns and administers the VTNE; approves your application; sets testing windows; reports scores | Eligibility, application status, the Candidate Handbook, testing windows, score reports |
| PSI (the test-delivery vendor) | Delivers the exam at PSI test centers and via live remote proctoring; handles scheduling and check-in | Scheduling your seat, test-day logistics, rescheduling, accommodations at the center |
| Your state (or provincial) board | Credentials you (license / certificate / registration) after you pass | Title rules, state fees, jurisprudence exams, continuing education, your actual credential |
The flow is: the AAVSB approves you and assigns a testing window, PSI delivers the exam, and then your state board uses your passing score as one piece of evidence to credential you. Passing the VTNE is national; getting your title (LVT, CVT, RVT, depending on the state) is local. We unpack that distinction in detail in VTNE eligibility and certification.
The VTNE Candidate Handbook (the official rulebook)
The VTNE Candidate Handbook — sometimes called the VTNE Candidate Information Handbook — is the authoritative, AAVSB-published document that governs the exam. It is updated periodically, often with each new set of testing windows, and it is the source every other VTNE resource, including this one, ultimately defers to. You can download the current PDF directly from aavsb.org in the VTNE section. Because the AAVSB re-issues it, search for "VTNE Candidate Handbook" on aavsb.org rather than bookmarking a year-specific link that may go stale.
What's inside and how to use it
The handbook is the place to confirm anything official, including:
- Exam content and structure — the VTNE is built on nine content domains: Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Surgical Nursing; Dentistry; Laboratory Procedures; Animal Nursing/Care; Diagnostic Imaging; Anesthesia; Emergency & Critical Care; and Pain Management/Analgesia.
- Eligibility pathways — who qualifies, including graduates of accredited programs and the narrower alternate routes.
- Application and registration steps — how to apply through the AAVSB and what happens next.
- Testing windows — the fixed multi-week periods when the exam is offered each year.
- Fees — the current AAVSB exam fee (verify the live amount in the handbook).
- Scoring and retake policy — how the scaled score works, the passing standard, and the limits on retakes.
Use the handbook as your fact-checker. When a forum post, a school advisor, or even a prep company quotes a number, confirm it against the current handbook before you rely on it. For the figures that change most often, our own guides cite the handbook too — see VTNE cost for fees and VTNE test dates for the current windows.
AAVSB contact info and the official website
The official AAVSB website is aavsb.org, and the VTNE-specific landing area lives at the VTNE section of that site (commonly referenced as "aavsb.org VTNE"). That is the canonical "VTNE website" — there is no separate standalone vtne.com run by the AAVSB. From there you can reach the online application, the application-status checker, the Candidate Handbook, and the "how to study" resources.
Many candidates search specifically for an AAVSB VTNE phone number. The most reliable, current contact details — phone, email, and mailing address — are published on the Contact page of aavsb.org. We deliberately do not reproduce a phone number here, because contact details change and a stale number sends candidates to a dead line.
One practical tip: match your question to the right organization first (see the table above). Questions about scheduling a seat or test-day logistics go to PSI, the exam-delivery vendor, which has its own support line; questions about your credential or title go to your state board. Reserving AAVSB contact for genuine exam-administration questions usually gets you a faster answer.
AVMA's role and the VTNE
The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) does not run the VTNE — that is the AAVSB's job. People search "AVMA VTNE" because the AVMA controls the piece that comes before the exam: program accreditation. Through its Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA), the AVMA accredits veterinary technology programs in the U.S.
Why that matters: in nearly every jurisdiction, your eligibility to sit the VTNE depends on graduating from an AVMA CVTEA-accredited (or CVMA-accredited, in Canada) program. So the AVMA accredits the school/program (your eligibility on-ramp), while the AAVSB owns and administers the exam itself.
If you are unsure whether your program counts, verify it on the AVMA's published list of CVTEA-accredited programs, then confirm the eligibility rules in the AAVSB handbook. Our guide to VTNE eligibility walks through the accredited-program requirement and the rare exceptions.
Official testing windows and where they're published
The VTNE is not offered every single day. The AAVSB administers it during a set of fixed testing windows spread across the year — each window is a multi-week period during which approved candidates can schedule a seat. The exact open and close dates are set by the AAVSB and published in the Candidate Handbook and the VTNE section of aavsb.org.
The booking sequence is worth memorizing:
- Apply and get approved through the AAVSB — you cannot schedule until you are eligible and approved.
- Confirm the current testing window from the AAVSB handbook so you know your deadline.
- Schedule your seat with PSI at a test center or for live remote proctoring once your window opens.
Because the dates rotate annually, we keep a verified, date-stamped breakdown in VTNE test dates, and the step-by-step booking process in VTNE registration. Always cross-check the specific window against the current AAVSB handbook before you plan travel or time off.
The official sources tell you the rules. They do not get you a passing score. That part is on your preparation — and that is where vtneexam.com fits alongside the AAVSB and AVMA: a vet-reviewed, all-nine-domain practice bank to turn the official requirements into a confident "passed."
Our prep library mirrors the handbook's structure: a 2,757-question timed practice bank and a 2,283-card flashcard deck, every item written with answer rationales and organized so you can drill the nine VTNE domains plus extra study categories like Communication & Ethics, Exotic Animal, and Large Animal. Start a free VTNE practice test and put the official rules to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AAVSB and how is it related to the VTNE?
AAVSB stands for the American Association of Veterinary State Boards, a nonprofit association of U.S. and Canadian veterinary licensing boards based in Overland Park, Kansas. It owns, develops, and administers the VTNE — meaning it handles applications, eligibility, testing windows, and score reporting. If your question is about the exam itself, the AAVSB is the body to contact.
Where can I find the VTNE Candidate Handbook?
The official VTNE Candidate Handbook (the Candidate Information Handbook) is published by the AAVSB and is available as a free PDF in the VTNE section of aavsb.org. It covers exam content, eligibility, application, fees, testing windows, scoring, and retakes. Search "VTNE Candidate Handbook" on aavsb.org rather than relying on a year-specific link, because the AAVSB re-issues it regularly.
What is the AAVSB phone number?
The AAVSB publishes its current phone number, email, and mailing address on the Contact page of aavsb.org. We intentionally do not list a number here because contact details change and an outdated number sends candidates to a dead line. For scheduling or test-day questions, note that the exam is delivered by PSI, which has its own candidate support line.
Is the VTNE run by AVMA or AAVSB?
The VTNE is run by the AAVSB, not the AVMA. The AVMA's role is separate: through its CVTEA committee it accredits veterinary technology programs, which is what makes you eligible to sit the exam in most jurisdictions. So the AVMA accredits your school, and the AAVSB owns and administers the test.
Who actually delivers the VTNE on test day?
PSI is the test-delivery vendor. After the AAVSB approves your application, you schedule your seat with PSI, which administers the exam at its test centers or through live remote proctoring. The AAVSB sets the rules and windows; PSI handles the in-seat experience. Confirm the current vendor and scheduling details in the AAVSB handbook before you book.
Does passing the VTNE automatically license me?
No. Passing the VTNE is a national requirement, but your actual credential (LVT, CVT, RVT, and the title varies by state) is issued by your state or provincial board. The AAVSB reports your score to the board you designate, and that board completes the credentialing. See our eligibility and certification guide for the full path.
How often are AAVSB testing windows offered?
The VTNE is offered in fixed multi-week testing windows several times a year rather than on demand. The exact dates are set by the AAVSB and published in the current Candidate Handbook and on aavsb.org. Check the live dates against our date-stamped VTNE test dates guide before planning.
Now that you know who controls what, the only variable left is how ready you are. Use the official AAVSB rules to confirm your eligibility and window, then build your score here. Start a free VTNE practice test and get to "passed" faster.