Four States in the U.S. That Require a Phlebotomy License

Phlebotomy License

In most states in the United States, you do not need a license to practice as a Phlebotomist, except in four states, which include California, Washington, Louisiana, or Nevada. The rules to obtain a phlebotomy license in each of these states differ.

In this article, we will discuss the four states in the U.S. that require a Phlebotomy license and what you should do to get a Phlebotomy license.

Continue reading to learn about Phlebotomy Technician certifications and licenses.

Certifications for Phlebotomy Technician

This is the first certificate you can easily obtain to prove you’re a trained and qualified Phlebotomy Technician. To be able to register for the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) examination and obtain its certification, you have to meet the eligibility requirements.

Education Requirements

You’re required to have a high school diploma or a GED certificate.

Training Program or Work Experience Requirements

You must have completed a training program from an accredited or state-approved learning institution.

Suppose you’ve received formal medical training in the health field while training or serving in any military branch. In that case, you’ve already met the educational training requirements as long as your training was completed within the last five years. Training received through the military will require relevant work experience in conjunction with the training to prove the credibility of your training.

Work experience includes at least one year of experience working in a health services field approved by the NHA. This hands-on work experience period must have been completed within the last three years to be eligible for this certification.

Evidence of Skills

During your certified training course or work experience, you must have completed a minimum of 30 successful venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks. The blood draws will have to have been performed on live persons, and you will need to provide evidence of the punctures and sticks to qualify for the examination and get your certificate upon passing.

• Exam: The certification exam has 80 computer-based questions.
• Cost: $135
• Renewal: You’ll need to have nine continuing education credits every three years for renewal.

Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)

The certificate is offered to Phlebotomy Technicians by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). NHA is one of the most popular names in allied health certifications. The CPT certification is widely recognized and sought by employers. Adding the certificate to your resume will help boost your employability.

Eligibility

You’ll need a high school diploma or GED to complete a formal phlebotomy training program within the last five years. You can also become eligible with a high school diploma or GED and one year of supervised phlebotomy work experience within the last three years.

• Exam: The exam has 100 computer-based questions.
• Cost: $117
• Renewal: You must complete ten continuing education hours every two years for renewal.

Registered Phlebotomy Technician Certification

Another certification a phlebotomy technician can obtain is the Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT) certification.

Eligibility for RPT certification

As an applicant, you must meet one of the following to be eligible to apply for an RPT certification exam.

Education

Applicants must have completed (or be scheduled to complete) an approved academic course (or combined courses) of study in Phlebotomy within the past four years.

Shall have completed a minimum of 50 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures from human sources

Should have an official final transcript provided by the school showing graduation from a phlebotomy program

Should have documentation attesting to the successful completion of a minimum of 50 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures from human sources

Work Experience

Applicants shall have completed at least 1,040 hours of acceptable work experience as a phlebotomy technician within the past three years, equivalent to 6 months of full-time employment. The work experience should include venipunctures, capillary punctures, specimen processing, communication skills, and clerical duties.

The applicant shall have completed a minimum of 50 venipunctures and ten skin punctures from human sources.

Note that all acceptable phlebotomy work experience credited towards certification must be earned in an approved healthcare facility that collects, examines, or transports materials derived from the human body; otherwise, the work experience won’t be valid.

The applicant should have a copy of your high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Six months of documented, full-time phlebotomy experience within the last three years attesting to the successful completion of a minimum of 50 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures from human sources

• Exam for certification: The exam has 200 computer-based questions.
• Cost of certificate: $125
• Renewal: You can renew your certification yearly for a fee or every three years at no cost if you take 24 continuing education credits.

Phlebotomy License Requirements in California

The most important requirement is to obtain a Phlebotomy license in California through an examination from an approved phlebotomy certification organization. There are about three types of exams you can take at an approved Phlebotomy certification organization, all of which have been discussed earlier.

Obtaining an entry-level license, known as a Phlebotomy Technician I license, permits you to perform venipunctures and skin punctures. With a current CDPH Phlebotomy Technician I license, and 1040 hours of field experience over the past five years, you can apply for the Phlebotomy Technician II license.

You must have evidence that you have completed 20 arterial punctures through a written letter by a CDPH-approved practitioner. The Phlebotomy Technician II license grants authorization to perform venipuncture, arterial punctures, and skin punctures.

Becoming a Licensed Phlebotomist in Washington

To become a certified Phlebotomist in Washington, you must have your competency tested by a third-party authorization agency like NPS. There are many certification agencies that you can choose to become certified with. Once certified, a phlebotomist must renew their certification every two years by completing Continuing Education. This can be achieved through on-the-job workshops or online education units.

Phlebotomy License Requirements In Nevada

Nevada recognizes phlebotomists as lab assistants. Phlebotomists must complete lab certification training. To obtain a phlebotomy certification in Nevada, you must possess at least a diploma before the application date. The program must comprise of at least 80 hours of classroom learning and 40 hours of hands-on lab training.

The program also includes at least 200 successful blood draws. Unlike many other states, Nevada also permits work in a blood bank to count as clinical experience.

Becoming a Licensed Phlebotomist in Louisiana

The first step is to pass a certification examination approved by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME), then send your exam scores plus all other required documentation to the LSBME. Documents required include a passport-quality photograph and notarized authorization forms giving your consent for background checks.

Pay the phlebotomist licensure fee and Log into http://www.lsbme.la.gov/  to check your application’s progress and verify approval.

FAQs

Do you need a phlebotomy license in Texas?

Texas has no legal requirements for phlebotomy technicians to be licensed in the state. However, many employers require Phlebotomists to pass an examination administered by a private testing organization to increase their credibility in such employee Phlebotomy skills.

Where are phlebotomists needed most?

Phlebotomists are most needed at hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and doctor’s offices. Phlebotomists are also needed at blood banks and blood donation centers.

Are phlebotomists required to be licensed in New York State?

No, phlebotomists are not required to be licensed in New York State. It helps to have a certification, but it’s not legally mandated. Phlebotomists may collect blood and receive urine samples from patients in the state.