FAQ for Veterinary Medicine

• See Board Rule 700-2-.02 for full details. Applicants must submit a complete application and fee. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Any application question answered with “yes,” requires the submission of additional documentation, which can further delay processing time. Include an explanation with your application if you have had any criminal convictions or charges, or sanctions by another state licensing board. The Board, at their next scheduled meeting, will review the application with required documentation. Approval of licensure is at the Board’s discretion.
• NAVLE SCORES: All applicants are required to pass the NAVLE. Please contact the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (formerly the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners) at 701-224-0332 or https://www.icva.net/ to register for the examination. If you have previously taken the NAVLE, NBE and/or CCT, you must have the scores transferred to the Georgia Board by contacting AAVSB at http://www.aavsb.org/VIVA.
• DEGREE TRANSCRIPT: All applicants for licensure must have graduated from an AVMA approved school or college. An official college transcript certifying the grades, degree conferred, and the date awarded must be received in this office directly from the Registrar of the college/school.

OTHER STATE LICENSURE CERTIFICATION/VERIFICATIONS: If you are or have ever been licensed in another States, please have that/those States officially certify that license directly to the Board’s office. The Board’s law/jurisprudence exam is an open-book exam that is part of the application process. If your name has changed since you attended school, please make a note on the application advising of your former names so we can match-up the documents with your application. SECURE AND VERIFIABLE DOCUMENT (SVD) AND AFFIDAVIT OF CITIZENSHIP (AFF): Georgia Law requires all applicants for a license to submit these documents with their application. For a list of approved SVDs and to obtain a copy of the AFF form, download the application from the Board website. BACKGROUND CONSENT FORM: This form authorizes the Georgia Board of Veterinary Medicine to receive any Georgia criminal history record information pertaining to the applicant, which may be in the files of any state or local justice agency in Georgia.

 See Board Rules 700-2-.02(c) and (e)

 (c) An original official transcript sent directly to the Board by an accredited college or school of veterinary medicine certifying completion of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program and the award of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree;

 (e) If an applicant is a graduate of a foreign college or school of veterinary medicine, they must provide the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certificate from the American Veterinary Medical Association or an equivalent document acceptable to the Board;

See Board Rule 700-7-.01 Licenses shall expire on December 31 of the even numbered years and shall be renewable biennially (every 2 years); therefore, renewal is required prior to close of business on December 31 of the even number years. The late renewal period begins January 1 of the odd year following the renewal year and it ends on March 31 of the same odd year.

 If a license is not renewed prior to close of business on December 31 of the even number years, you may not practice until your license has been renewed or reinstated.

See Board Rule 700-7-.03 for the specific CE requirements.

 Thirty (30) hours are required for the renewal period. YOU ARE LIMITED TO 2O HOURS FOR ANY ONE CE PROGRAM.

All 30 hours of CE must be completed within the current biennium (January 1 of the odd years through December 31 of the even years).

***NOTE: By answering "yes" to the CE question on the renewal application, you are attesting that you have completed ALL CE requirements at the time you submitted your renewal application. As a result, it is recommended that you complete all CE prior to submitting your renewal application in order to avoid disciplinary action by the Board.

Your license will expire and be placed on Lapsed/Late Renewal status on December 31 of even- numbered years. You should not practice until your license has been renewed and returned to Active status. If you fail to renew your license by March 31st of following year (odd-numbered year), your license will be lapsed and you will be required to reinstate your license. Practicing with a lapsed license may result in disciplinary action.

See Board Rule 700-7-.02 REINSTATEMENT APPLICATION - Found on the board’s website under the Application/Form Downloads section. Applications are void after 60 days from the date of notification of application deficiencies. If all required supplemental documents are not received within that 60-day window, your application will be withdrawn and you will need to re-apply.

 NOTARIZED APPLICATION, $600. NON-REFUNDABLE & NON-TRANSFERABLE FEE and PHOTOGRAPH taken within last year. Any question answered “yes”, requires further documentation to be submitted. Attach an explanation if you have had any criminal convictions or charges, or sanctions by another state licensing board. The Board, at their next scheduled meeting, will review the application with required documentation. Approval of licensure is at the Board’s discretion.

 OTHER STATE LICENSURE CERTIFICATION: If you are or have ever been licensed in another States, please have that/those States officially certify that license directly to the Board’s office.

 CONTINUING EDUCATION: Submit documentation of CE totaling 30 hours obtained within the last 2 years. Hours used for reinstatement cannot be used for renewal during the next biennium.

 Applicants must submit a complete application and fee. The fee is non-refundable and non-Transferable. Any application question answered with “yes,” requires the submission of additional documentation, which can further delay processing time. Include an explanation with your application if you have had any criminal convictions or charges, or sanctions by another state licensing board. The Board, at their next scheduled meeting, will review the application with required documentation. Approval of licensure is at the Board’s discretion.

An official transcript directly from the school showing Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree or notarized copy of diploma.

A letter of employment from the Veterinary or Veterinary Technician School, College or University is required stating that the applicant will be employed at the school and will practice solely as a faculty member of the institution.

See Board Rule 700-7-.02 REINSTATEMENT APPLICATION - Found on the board’s website under the Application/Form Downloads section. Applications are void after 60 days from the date of notification of application deficiencies. If all required supplemental documents are not received within that 60-day window, your application will be withdrawn and you will need to re-apply.

NOTARIZED APPLICATION, $600. NON-REFUNDABLE & NON-TRANSFERABLE FEE and PHOTOGRAPH taken within last year. Any question answered “yes”, requires further documentation to be submitted. Attach an explanation if you have had any criminal convictions or charges, or sanctions by another state licensing board. The Board, at their next scheduled meeting, will review the application with required documentation. Approval of licensure is at the Board’s discretion.

OTHER STATE LICENSURE CERTIFICATION: If you are or have ever been licensed in another State(s), please have that/those State(s) officially certify that license directly to the Board’s office.

CONTINUING EDUCATION: Submit documentation of CE totaling 30 hours obtained within the last 2 years. Hours used for reinstatement cannot be used for renewal during the next biennium.

Application processing may take up to 25 business days from the receipt of the application in the Board Office. Should there be any information associated with the application which causes it to fall outside of the administrative guidelines established by the Board (i.e. criminal history, disciplinary history, incomplete application, etc.), processing times may be extended and/or Board review may be required. Applicants may check the status of their application via the "Online Services" section on the Board website or by calling the Board office @ (404) 424-9966 for information.

AAVSB - American Association of Veterinary State Boards

AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association

CCT - Clinical Competency Test

ECFVG – Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduate

GVMA – Georgia Veterinary Medical Association

ICVA - International Council for Veterinary Assessment

NAVLE - North American Veterinary Licensing Examination

NBE - National Board Exam

NBVME – National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

VIVA - Veterinary Information Verifying Agency

VTNE - Veterinary Technician National Examination

O.C.G.A. § 50-13-9.1 Allows for an applicant, a licensee and/or entity to petition the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy to vary (modify) or waive (not apply) all or part of a rule requirement in their particular situation. In order for a rule or portion thereof to be varied or waived, the petitioner must be able to demonstrate strict application of rule can lead to unreasonable, uneconomical, and unintended results in the petitioner’s particular instance. The statute also allows for the Board to grant a variance or waiver when the petitioner is able to demonstrates that the purpose of the underlying statute upon which the rule is based can be or has been achieved by other specific means which are agreeable to the person seeking the variance or waiver and that strict application of the rule would create a substantial hardship to such person.

If an applicant, a licensee and/or entity desires to make such a petition, you must download and complete a Petition for Rule Variance or Waiver form and submit it along with any supporting documentation to the Board for consideration. You may download the instructions and form by visiting the Application/Form Downloads section on the home page of the Board website.

 Please be aware that a failure to properly complete the form and submit the documentation supporting your statements within the petition may result in the denial of the request based on insufficient evidence to substantiate that the application of the rule in your circumstance will cause a hardship.

The petition will be posted for a minimum of fifteen (15 days) on the GeorgiaNet Public Registry and petitioners may conduct a search for their petition. Please note that any member of the public, including interested parties, shall have the opportunity to submit written comments in support of or against proposed variances or waivers prior to the Board decision. The Board has up to 60 days from receipt of the petition to render a decision to either grant or deny the petition. The petitioner will be notified in writing of the Board’s decision and the written statement will include relevant facts and the reasons for the Board’s action.

The Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine does not issue letters of good standing. If another licensing authority or employer requires an official statement about the status of a license in this state, the licensee may submit an Online License Verification request via the Quick Link entitled Purchase a Verification of Licensure, which can be found on the home page of the Board website.

Please note that a $35 fee is required before the verification will be issued. The license verification request will be processed and forwarded to the entity you indicated on the online form. If you have multiple licenses and/or you need the license verification sent to multiple locations, you will be required to submit a new order and fee each time.

If you do not have access to a credit/debit card for payment of the fee or the state or entity requires that you submit a specific form, you must submit your request by mail using a check or money order. Click here to access, download and print the order form. Submit the order form and your fee along with the form you need completed to the address on the order form.

At the time of license renewal, licensed veterinarians must notify the Board of his/her intention to dispense drugs as defined in Article 2 of Chapter 13 of Title 16. This requirement is fulfilled by completing the Notice of Intent to Dispense Drugs form which can

 be downloaded from the Application/Form Downloads section of the Board website. Licensees are encouraged to download the form and complete it prior to logging into your renewal account so that the form may be uploaded to the Board during the renewal application process. Remember to complete the form in its entirety (leaving nothing blank) and include the correct veterinary license number which will have either 3 or 4 letters followed by a 6-digit number (i.e. VET012345 or VETF012345). If the form is not completed accurately, it will not satisfy this requirement of law.

In the State of Georgia, “Chiropractic” means the adjustment of the articulations of the human body [O.C.G.A. § 43-9-1(2)].As a result, the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine strongly encourages veterinarians who adjust animals to refrain from the use of the term "chiropractic" and identify their services as "animal manipulation" in order to avoid any potential violations of law.

You may submit a request; however, any requests to speak or appear and/or add any topics or items for discussion by the Board on the Board's agenda must be received at the Board office, in writing, a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the scheduled meeting date. Such requests may be submitted to: Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, Georgia 31217. If the request or item for discussion is received according to the specified time frame, it will be considered for an agenda item for the next regularly scheduled full board meeting upon the approval of the Board. If the item is not received accordingly, it may be held until the next scheduled in-person meeting of the Board.

 ***NOTE*** If a request is relative to an incomplete application or complaint case which has not yet been considered by the Board during a previous meeting, the request to appear may be tabled until the Board has rendered an initial decision on the complete application or complaint case.