After Passing the VTNE: Licensing Steps & Vet Tech Salary

You passed the VTNE. After months of studying and a four-hour exam, you finally have a passing score. So what happens next? Here is the part nobody tells you clearly: passing the VTNE does not, by itself, make you a licensed veterinary technician. The exam is one requirement. Your state credential is a separate step you have to apply for. This guide walks you through exactly what to do after passing the VTNE, how long it takes to become fully licensed, and what credentialed vet techs actually earn.

Last verified: June 2026 against the AAVSB VTNE Candidate Handbook and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Salary figures and credentialing fees change over time and vary by state, so always confirm current numbers with your state veterinary board and the latest BLS data.

I passed my VTNE — now what?

First, congratulations. Passing the VTNE means you have demonstrated entry-level competency across the nine domains the exam tests. But the VTNE is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), and AAVSB does not issue your license. Your state veterinary board does. The VTNE is the national knowledge benchmark; your credential is the legal authorization to work as a veterinary technician in your state.

The gap between passing and being licensed

Think of it as two doors. The first door — the VTNE — you have now walked through. The second door is your state credential, and it has its own lock: an application, fees, document verification, and sometimes a background check or a state-specific exam. Many new graduates assume the passing email means they are licensed and ready to work under their professional title. They are not. Until your state board issues your credential, you generally cannot legally call yourself a CVT, LVT, or RVT, even with a passing VTNE score in hand.

The good news: for most candidates the remaining steps are administrative, not academic. You have already done the hard part. If you are still working toward that passing score, our guide to how the VTNE is scored explains exactly what number you need to hit.

Step 1: Apply for your state credential

Your next move is to apply to the veterinary board in the state where you intend to practice. This is the step that converts a passing exam score into a working title. The exact title you will earn depends on your state:

• RVT — Registered Veterinary Technician (used in states such as California and others)
• LVT — Licensed Veterinary Technician (used in states such as New York, Texas, and Georgia)
• CVT — Certified Veterinary Technician (used in states such as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Connecticut)

All three titles describe the same credentialed professional; the wording is simply a matter of state law. Whichever applies to you, the credential almost always requires three things: graduation from an AVMA-accredited (or state-approved) veterinary technology program, a passing VTNE score, and a completed state application with fees.

Sending your VTNE scores to your state board

Here is a detail that trips up a lot of new techs: in most states you cannot simply print your score report and hand it in. Your VTNE scores must be transmitted directly from AAVSB to your state board — boards generally will not accept a score document submitted by the applicant. AAVSB offers a score-transfer service for exactly this purpose. When you register and test, you usually designate which state board should receive your scores, but if you tested before deciding on a state (or you are moving), you will need to request an official score transfer through AAVSB so the board receives it directly. Check your state board's application instructions for the precise method they require.

Step 2: Background check, fees, and any state exam

Once your scores are on their way, your state application package typically asks for some combination of the following:

A handful of states add a state-specific jurisprudence or practical exam on top of the VTNE, so do not assume the national exam is your last test. Because requirements differ so much from state to state, read your board's checklist line by line. Our VTNE requirements by state guide is the place to start, and our VTNE eligibility overview covers the education and exam prerequisites that feed into your application.

Vet tech salary: what credentialed techs earn

Once you are credentialed, what can you expect to make? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians was $45,980 in May 2024 — meaning half earned more and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,120, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $60,880.

The career outlook is strong. BLS projects employment of veterinary technologists and technicians to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 14,300 openings projected each year over the decade. In plain terms: demand for credentialed techs is rising, and there is room to move up the pay scale.

Salary by experience and specialty

The median is a starting reference point, not your ceiling. Pay tends to climb with experience, geography, and specialization. Entry-level techs typically start near the lower end of the BLS range, while seasoned techs — especially those in high-cost-of-living regions or in referral and emergency hospitals — earn toward the upper end. Pursuing a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) credential in areas like emergency and critical care, anesthesia, dentistry, or internal medicine can push earnings higher still, because specialists bring advanced, hard-to-replace skills. Employer type matters too: research institutions, universities, and specialty hospitals often pay more than general small-animal practices.

How credentialing affects pay

Being credentialed is not just a legal formality — it is usually a financial one. Many clinics pay credentialed techs (CVT/LVT/RVT) more than uncredentialed assistants doing similar work, and credentialed status is often a prerequisite for raises, lead-tech roles, and specialty tracks. The BLS figures above describe credentialed and working technologists and technicians, so finishing your licensing process is what unlocks that pay band in the first place. In short, completing Step 1 and Step 2 is not paperwork for its own sake; it is the gateway to the salary the profession is built around.

Step 3: Keep your credential active (renewal & CE)

Earning your credential is not the finish line — it is a license you have to maintain. Nearly every state requires continuing education (CE) to renew, and both the number of CE hours and the renewal cycle vary by state. Some states ask for a set number of CE hours every one or two years; others have additional rules about which topics or formats count. Miss a renewal deadline and you can let your credential lapse, which may mean reapplying or paying reinstatement fees.

Build a simple system early: note your renewal date the moment you are credentialed, track CE hours as you earn them, and keep certificates of completion. Your state board's website publishes the exact CE requirements and renewal schedule — our requirements by state guide points you to where each board's rules live. Staying credentialed protects both your right to practice and the salary that comes with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do after passing the VTNE?

Apply to your state veterinary board for your credential. Submit the board's application with the required fees, have AAVSB transfer your VTNE scores directly to the board, provide official transcripts from your vet tech program, and complete any state-specific requirements such as a background check or jurisprudence exam. Once the board approves you, you can legally use your state's title (CVT, LVT, or RVT).

How long after passing the VTNE until I'm licensed?

It depends on your state board's processing time and how quickly your documents arrive. Once your application, fees, transcripts, and transferred VTNE scores are all received, many boards process credentials within a few weeks, though it can take longer during busy periods or if anything is missing. Submitting a complete application and requesting your score transfer promptly is the fastest path.

How much do vet techs make after passing the VTNE?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for veterinary technologists and technicians was $45,980 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $32,120 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $60,880. Pay rises with experience, location, employer type, and specialty certifications.

Do I need to send my VTNE scores to my state?

Yes. Most state boards require your VTNE scores to be sent directly to them by AAVSB rather than submitted by you. If you did not designate your state when you tested, request an official score transfer through AAVSB so the board receives your scores directly. Check your board's instructions for the exact procedure.

What's the difference between CVT, LVT, and RVT?

They are different names for the same credentialed veterinary technician, and which one you hold depends on your state's law. CVT means Certified Veterinary Technician, LVT means Licensed Veterinary Technician, and RVT means Registered Veterinary Technician. All three require passing the VTNE and meeting your state's credentialing requirements.

Is the VTNE a one-time exam, or do I have to retake it?

The VTNE is a one-time entry-level exam. Once you pass it, you do not retake it to keep your credential. Maintaining your license instead depends on continuing education and periodic renewal through your state board, with CE hours and renewal cycles that vary by state. To understand the exam itself, see our overview of what the VTNE is.

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