Personnel Licensure
By definition, to license is to authorize by a legal
permit or to give formal permission from a constituted authority. Licensure
is a governmental activity taken on behalf of the public to protect
that public from potential harm. Licensure of personnel is often contrasted
with certification, which is a private sector activity. A major difference
involves the consequences of engaging in practice without each credential.
If a license is required to practice a profession in a state, it is
unlawful to engage in the work without one and the consequences of doing
so are very serious. Not being certified may make it more difficult
to get a job, but it is not unlawful to work without it.
There are currently 11 states with laboratory personnel licensure (California,
Hawaii, Florida, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Louisiana, Nevada,
West Virginia, Montana, Georgia). Puerto Rico also has licensure. The
components of the law vary state-to-state, but usually includes an annual
licensing fee (some are bi-annual), a provision for continuing education,
a minimum education and professional competency requirements.
If a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) or Clinical Laboratory Technician
(CLT) plans to locate in a state with licensure, that state should be
contacted for specific information relative to that state’s
laboratory practice act. This contact should be made as early as possible
after the location decision has been made. Most states (except California)
require documentation of certification from an acceptable certification
agency. Other things to expect are fingerprinting (Louisiana, possibly
other states), documentation of certification, and documentation of
education, training, and competency. Some states require documentation
of a defined number of contact hours prior to issuing a license. California
does not recognize any certification or any other state license.Check
with other states regarding reciprocity; most give reciprocity for another
state license as stringent or more stringent than that state.
Check with the state regarding trainee licenses or other requirements
for new graduates without a valid license in that state.
The following is a list of the states with laboratory personnel licensure
and contact information:
California
Department of Health Services
Laboratory Field Services
2151 Berkeley Way, Annex 12
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: 510-873-6327
Fax: 510-873-6377
Must pass state examination; does not recognize national certification
exams 12 contact hours continuing education annually
Fee: $83 CLS, limited CLS, $63 renewals including $8 continuing education
fee
Florida
Department of Health
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3257
Phone: 850/488-0595
Fax: 850-922-8876
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa
National exams recognized
24 contact hours bi-annually
Fee: Initial-CLS/CLT/Supervisor $100 (application fee and non-refundable)
plus initial license Fee-$105 ($205 total); bi-annual renewal CLS/CLT
$136, Supervisor $160
Includes Cytotechnologists (fees same as CLS/CLT)
Georgia
Georgia Department of Human Resources
Office of Regulatory Services
Diagnostic Services Unit
2 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 33.250
Atlanta, GA 30303-3142
Phone: 404/657-5450
Fax: 404/657-8934
Facility Licensure Only
Does require CLS/CLT national certification
Education and experience requirements; does not cover POLs or state
or federal government labs
Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Health
State Laboratory Division
2725 Waimano Home Road
Pearl City, HI 96825
Phone: 808/453-6653
Fax: 808/453-6662
NCA and ASCP BPR certification exams recognized
No continuing education required
Fee: $10 initial, $3 renewal
Includes Cytotechnologists
Louisiana
Clinical Laboratory Personnel Committee
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
PO Box 30250
New Orleans, LA 70190-0250
504-524.6763 ext 261
504-568-6820
National certification exams recognized
$50 fee for CLS, CLT; $25 for phlebotomist
12 contact hours continuing education required annually
Includes Cytotechnologists
Montana
Montana Department of Commerce
Board of Clinical Lab Science Practitioners
401 South Park Ave. 4th floor
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Phone: 406-841-2386
Fax: 406-841-2305
www.discoveringmontana.com/dli/bsd/license/bsd_boards/cls_board/board_page.htm
National certification recognized
Fee: $100 (initial application); $45 (renewal)
14 contact hours continuing education annually
Nevada
Nevada Bureau of Licensure and Certification
1551 College Parkway #158
Carson City, NV 89710
Phone: 702/687-4475
Fax: 702/687-6588
National certification recognized
10 contact hours continuing education annually
Fee: $50 initial; $25 renewal
North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Health
Division of Microbiology
1205 Ave. A West
P.O. Box 5520
Bismark, ND 58506-5520
Phone: 701-328-5262
Fax: 701-328-5270
National certification recognized
20 contact hours continuing education bi-annually
Fee: CLS-$70 initial, $50 renewal; CLT-$50 initial, $40 renewal
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Medical Technology Board of Medical Examiners
Call Box 10200
Santurce, PR 00908
Phone: 809/792-6400
Fax: 787/792-6627
www.ctmpr.com; email: ctmpr@ctmpr.com
National certification recognized
Fee: $50 every 3 years
Must be a member of the Puerto Rico College of Medical Technologies
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Health
Division of Health Services Regulation
Room 104
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401/222-2827
Fax: 401/222-1272
National certification recognized
30 contact hours bi-annually
Fee: $62.50 CLS, Cytotechnologist; $31.25 CLT, Histotechnologist
Tennessee
Lynda England, MT (ASCP)
Administrator
Tennessee Medical Laboratory Board Personnel
1st Floor Cordell Hull Building
425 5th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
Office Phone: 615-532-5128
Fax: 615/532-5369
888-310-4650
National Certification recognized
No continuing education requirements
Fee: $125 CLS, CLT; $35 for Cytotechnologists
West Virginia
Contact: Marilyn Richards
WV Office of Laboratory Science
Dept. of HHS
167 Eleventh Ave.
South Charleston, WV 25303
304-558-3530
Fax: 304-558-2006
Marilynrichards@wvdhhr.org
National certification recognized
10 Contact hours annually
Fee: $25 initial fee; $25 renewal fee annually
Have questions? Ask an ASCLS expert.
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