The short answer
The Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) is a competency exam for veterinary technicians. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) owns and administers it and reports scores to states and provinces, but it does not issue credentials. According to the AAVSB, the exam runs three hours and contains 170 multiple-choice questions, 150 of them scored. Exam vendor PSI delivers it at test centers or by live remote proctoring, in English or French. Candidates qualify through one of three eligibility pathways and pay a $375 application fee. Scores appear in the candidate's MyAAVSB Portal within three days, and the state or province where the technician will practice handles credentialing.
Key takeaways
- The AAVSB says it owns and administers the VTNE and sends scores to jurisdictions, but "we don't license or credential veterinary technicians" [1].
- Per the AAVSB, candidates sit the exam through an accredited-program pathway, an on-the-job training (OJT) pathway, or an alternate pathway, and the last two may limit where a technician can later practice [2].
- The AAVSB lists the application fee as $375 or a voucher, and it says "all sales are final and nonrefundable" [3].
- According to the AAVSB, the exam has 170 multiple-choice questions, of which 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pilot items, with a three-hour time limit [4].
- The AAVSB says scores are no longer emailed and are posted to the MyAAVSB Portal within three days [1].
- Penn Foster reports a scaled score range of 200 to 800 and a passing score of 425 [7]. No fetched AAVSB page states those figures.
Ownership and the role of the AAVSB
The AAVSB describes the VTNE as an exam that "evaluates the competency of veterinary technicians." It says most states and provinces require a passing score before a technician can be credentialed [1]. The association does not license or credential veterinary technicians. It reports the score to the jurisdiction where the candidate will practice, and the credential itself comes from that state or province [1].
The AAVSB's licensure page makes the same point more directly: "passing a test does not equal getting licensed" [6]. It lists documents that jurisdictions may ask for, including:
- a licensure application
- school transcripts or diplomas
- professional references
- a photograph
- proof of citizenship or work authorization
- licensing fees [6]
To find each regulator's contact details and requirements, the AAVSB points readers to its Board and Agency Directory [1][6].
Eligibility pathways
The AAVSB recognizes three routes to the exam. It notes that most jurisdictions require graduation from a program accredited by AVMA-CVTEA or CVMA. Some jurisdictions accept on-the-job training, and certain others offer an alternate route that does not require graduation from an accredited program [2]. The AAVSB says it checks the pathway a candidate selects against that jurisdiction's rules [2].
Accredited program graduates
The verification method depends on graduation date, according to the AAVSB [2]:
| Graduation timing | How eligibility is verified |
|---|
| Graduated before January 1, 2025 | The school sends a transcript directly to the AAVSB |
| Graduated or graduating after January 1, 2025 | The program director uploads a roster to the AAVSB, and the candidate cannot test until listed on it |
The AAVSB also notes that some programs may permit students to take the exam during their final semester [2].
On-the-job training
For OJT candidates, the AAVSB describes this sequence [2]:
- Download the jurisdiction-specific OJT form from the MyAAVSB Portal.
- Upload the completed form with the application.
- AAVSB staff confirm that the candidate meets that jurisdiction's OJT rules.
- After confirmation, the candidate is notified and can finish the application.
Alternate pathway
The AAVSB says the alternate pathway includes graduates of programs not accredited by AVMA-CVTEA. These candidates must supply a transcript. Where a jurisdiction requires work experience, they must also upload a work verification form [2]. Because these requirements "vary widely by jurisdiction," the AAVSB directs candidates to their regulatory board's website [2].
Transferability
The AAVSB warns that testing through the OJT or alternate pathway "may limit where you can practice." It says some jurisdictions do not recognize these routes, so a technician who moves may need to retake the exam through a different pathway [2].
Fees, exam windows and rescheduling
The AAVSB sets the application fee at $375, payable at submission, or a voucher can be redeemed instead [3]. The exam is offered in windows. A candidate who does not test within the window they applied for forfeits the fee [3]. Missing the window entirely means filing a new application and paying the full fee again [5].
The AAVSB describes two kinds of changes [5]:
- Same window: The date, time or location can be changed online through the PSI portal, subject to seat availability. The change must be made at least 48 hours before the appointment.
- Different window: A move to a different window is allowed once per application, for a $90 administrative fee. It must be done at least 48 hours before the appointment or before the window closes. The AAVSB says that after this single transfer, further attempts require reapplying at the full fee.
The fetched AAVSB pages do not give window dates, the number of windows per year, or application cutoffs. The AAVSB tells applicants to download and read the VTNE Candidate Handbook before applying [3].
Exam format and delivery
The AAVSB describes the VTNE as "a three-hour exam with 170 multiple-choice questions" [4]. Scores are based on 150 items. The other 20 are pilot questions, which the AAVSB says are used to build future exams and do not count toward the score [4]. The exam is offered in English or French [4]. Penn Foster's guide gives the same 170, 150 and 20 split [7].
PSI is the AAVSB's exam vendor. Once an application is approved, the candidate sets up a PSI online account and schedules using the candidate ID shown in the MyAAVSB Portal. PSI then emails a confirmation [4]. The AAVSB lists a PSI phone line, +1(833) 256-1419, for scheduling by phone [4].
Candidates can test in person at a PSI Test Center; the AAVSB says these are located throughout the U.S. and Canada. They can also test from home by live remote proctoring [4]. The AAVSB asks home testers to read its Live Remote Proctoring Guide before choosing that option [4]. It also asks candidates to report exam-day problems within 48 hours [4].
On identification, the AAVSB says the first and last name on the application must match a valid government-issued photo ID bearing a signature [3].
Absences and accommodations
The AAVSB separates missed appointments into excused and unexcused absences [5].
An excused absence may allow a no-cost reschedule with documentation. The listed qualifying events are [5]:
- serious illness or death of an immediate family member, which the AAVSB defines as parents, spouses, grandparents, siblings and dependents
- a disabling traffic accident
The candidate must email the AAVSB within 48 hours of the scheduled exam time [5].
An unexcused absence forfeits all fees, according to the AAVSB. Its examples include [5]:
- arriving late and being refused entry
- a name on the ID that does not match the application
- being unable to launch a remote exam because of an unsupported device
- not completing or rescheduling the exam before the window closes
For bad weather or emergencies, the AAVSB says the candidate is expected to attend if the test center is open. If the center closes and appointments are cancelled, PSI contacts candidates to reschedule within the current window [5].
Requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Canadian Human Rights Act are made on the application itself [1][3]. Because the process can take time, the AAVSB advises starting early in the application window, and it publishes a VTNE Accommodations Guide [3].
Scores and the step to licensure
The AAVSB says VTNE scores are no longer sent by email and are available in the MyAAVSB Portal within three days [1]. The fetched AAVSB pages do not state the score scale or the passing score. Penn Foster's guide says scores "are scaled with a range of 200-800, and a passing score is 425" [7]. The same guide cites a 70% VTNE pass rate and a 78% pass rate for its own students [7]. The guide does not give a year or source for either figure, and no fetched AAVSB page publishes a national pass rate.
After the exam, the AAVSB describes several services:
- VAULT First License Application Service: lets a first-time licensee send national exam scores to a chosen jurisdiction [6].
- State and Provincial Assessment (SPA): some jurisdictions require a jurisprudence exam on local laws and rules, and the AAVSB runs the SPA version for some of them [6].
Penn Foster's guide says the VTNE covers ten topics but names only four of them: Pharmacy and Pharmacology; Emergency Medicine/Critical Care; Pain Management/Analgesia; and Communication and Veterinary Professional Support Services [7]. The cited sources do not give domain weights, retake waiting periods, or attempt limits. The AAVSB has separate retake and study pages [1] and publishes a Candidate Handbook [3].
