Kentucky Statutes 321.441 – Veterinary technician’s license — Qualifications — Scope of practice — Annual fee — Exception
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(1) The board shall issue a license as a veterinary technician to an applicant who:
(a) Is a graduate of an approved veterinary technology program with an associate or bachelor’s degree related to veterinary technology;
(b) Obtains a passing score on an examination as determined by the board to assess the qualifications and fitness of an applicant to engage in the practice;
(c) Is a person of good moral character. As one (1) element of good moral character, the board shall require each applicant for licensure to submit a full set of the applicant’s fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining criminal records checks, pursuant to applicable law. All good moral character information, including the information obtained through the criminal background checks, shall be relevant to licensure eligibility determinations to the extent permitted by law;
(d) Has met all the requirements of the board as established by administrative regulation of the board; and
(e) Has been approved for licensure by the board.
(2) For the purpose of this chapter, “veterinary technician,” “veterinary technologist,” “veterinary nurse,” or any other category of veterinary technician defined by the board in administrative regulation shall have the same meaning as “veterinary technician” under this chapter.
(3) The board shall promulgate administrative regulations for one (1) or more categories of veterinary technicians defining the:
(a) Minimum qualifications required;
(b) Specific tasks that the licensee may perform under a veterinarian‘s supervision; and
(c) Specific tasks that the licensee shall not perform.
(4) A veterinary technician shall be prohibited from performing the activities listed in
KRS § 321.190(6).
(5) The practice of veterinary technology by telehealth or other means shall constitute the practice of veterinary technology subject to licensure and enforcement by the board.
(6) A veterinary technician who performs veterinary technology contrary to this chapter and its associated administrative regulations shall be subject to disciplinary actions in a manner consistent with this chapter applicable to licensed veterinarians.
(7) Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall pay an annual fee as prescribed by the board.
(8) Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall complete annual continuing education hours to renew the license as required by the board in administrative regulation.
(9) Failure to renew shall result in the expiration of the license.
(10) A veterinarian shall utilize the services of a licensed veterinary technician in
accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter and its associated administrative regulations. Unauthorized utilization of licensed veterinary technicians by veterinarians shall be considered as aiding and abetting any unlicensed person to practice veterinary medicine as described in KRS § 321.351.
(11) Nothing in this section shall prohibit volunteer health practitioners from providing services under KRS § 39A.350 to KRS § 39A.366.
(12) Except as authorized by KRS § 321.200, no person shall practice as a veterinary technician or perform any of the duties usually performed by a veterinary technician unless the person holds a license to practice as a veterinary technician issued and validly existing under this chapter.
Effective: June 29, 2023
History: Amended 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 95, sec. 28, effective June 29, 2023. — Amended
2016 Ky. Acts ch. 116, sec. 17, effective July 15, 2016. — Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 96, sec. 20, effective June 26, 2007. — Created 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 299, sec. 7, effective July 14, 1992.
Legislative Research Commission Note (7/14/92). This statute was created in 1992 Ky.
Acts ch. 299, which contains the enrolled text of Senate Bill 250. A committee substitute for this bill was adopted by the House with a floor amendment, and the Senate subsequently concurred in this action by the House; this amended substitute thus became the enrolled version of the bill. In drafting the House Committee Substitute, the original Section 10 of the bill was deleted in its entirety, but internal section references within the bill were not renumbered to reflect this deletion. Therefore, in codifying this statute, the internal section references within Acts ch.
299, sec. 7, have been changed pursuant to KRS § 7.136(1).
(a) Is a graduate of an approved veterinary technology program with an associate or bachelor’s degree related to veterinary technology;
Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 321.441
- Action: includes all proceedings in any court of this state. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- Applicant: means a person who submits an application for licensure, certification, permit, or registration, whether complete or not, to the board. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Board: means the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Committee substitute: Short for committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.
- Continuing education: means training that is designed to ensure continued competence in the practice of veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, or for certified animal euthanasia specialists, permitted allied animal health professionals, or any board credential holder. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Licensee: means a person licensed by the board under this chapter. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Person: means any individual, firm, partnership, association, joint venture, cooperative, corporation, governmental body, or any other group, legal entity, or combination acting in concert, and whether or not acting as a principal, trustee, fiduciary, receiver, or as any kind of legal or personal representative, or as the successor in interest, assignee, agent, factor, servant, employee, director, officer, or any other representative of the person. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Practice of veterinary technology: means :
(a) The practices of veterinary technology when performing patient care, professional medical care, monitoring, treatment, or other services on an animal that require a technical understanding of veterinary medicine on the basis of written or oral instruction of a veterinarian, or under supervision of a veterinarian. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181 - Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Telehealth: means all uses of technology to remotely gather and deliver health information, advice, education, and care. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Veterinarian: means an individual who is licensed to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine under this chapter. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
- Veterinary technician: means a person who has completed an approved veterinary technology program, is licensed in accordance with this chapter, and meets the requirements in KRS §. See Kentucky Statutes 321.181
(b) Obtains a passing score on an examination as determined by the board to assess the qualifications and fitness of an applicant to engage in the practice;
(c) Is a person of good moral character. As one (1) element of good moral character, the board shall require each applicant for licensure to submit a full set of the applicant’s fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining criminal records checks, pursuant to applicable law. All good moral character information, including the information obtained through the criminal background checks, shall be relevant to licensure eligibility determinations to the extent permitted by law;
(d) Has met all the requirements of the board as established by administrative regulation of the board; and
(e) Has been approved for licensure by the board.
(2) For the purpose of this chapter, “veterinary technician,” “veterinary technologist,” “veterinary nurse,” or any other category of veterinary technician defined by the board in administrative regulation shall have the same meaning as “veterinary technician” under this chapter.
(3) The board shall promulgate administrative regulations for one (1) or more categories of veterinary technicians defining the:
(a) Minimum qualifications required;
(b) Specific tasks that the licensee may perform under a veterinarian‘s supervision; and
(c) Specific tasks that the licensee shall not perform.
(4) A veterinary technician shall be prohibited from performing the activities listed in
KRS § 321.190(6).
(5) The practice of veterinary technology by telehealth or other means shall constitute the practice of veterinary technology subject to licensure and enforcement by the board.
(6) A veterinary technician who performs veterinary technology contrary to this chapter and its associated administrative regulations shall be subject to disciplinary actions in a manner consistent with this chapter applicable to licensed veterinarians.
(7) Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall pay an annual fee as prescribed by the board.
(8) Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall complete annual continuing education hours to renew the license as required by the board in administrative regulation.
(9) Failure to renew shall result in the expiration of the license.
(10) A veterinarian shall utilize the services of a licensed veterinary technician in
accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter and its associated administrative regulations. Unauthorized utilization of licensed veterinary technicians by veterinarians shall be considered as aiding and abetting any unlicensed person to practice veterinary medicine as described in KRS § 321.351.
(11) Nothing in this section shall prohibit volunteer health practitioners from providing services under KRS § 39A.350 to KRS § 39A.366.
(12) Except as authorized by KRS § 321.200, no person shall practice as a veterinary technician or perform any of the duties usually performed by a veterinary technician unless the person holds a license to practice as a veterinary technician issued and validly existing under this chapter.
Effective: June 29, 2023
History: Amended 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 95, sec. 28, effective June 29, 2023. — Amended
2016 Ky. Acts ch. 116, sec. 17, effective July 15, 2016. — Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 96, sec. 20, effective June 26, 2007. — Created 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 299, sec. 7, effective July 14, 1992.
Legislative Research Commission Note (7/14/92). This statute was created in 1992 Ky.
Acts ch. 299, which contains the enrolled text of Senate Bill 250. A committee substitute for this bill was adopted by the House with a floor amendment, and the Senate subsequently concurred in this action by the House; this amended substitute thus became the enrolled version of the bill. In drafting the House Committee Substitute, the original Section 10 of the bill was deleted in its entirety, but internal section references within the bill were not renumbered to reflect this deletion. Therefore, in codifying this statute, the internal section references within Acts ch.
299, sec. 7, have been changed pursuant to KRS § 7.136(1).