Home / State requirements
Phlebotomy certification requirements by state.
Four states require a state-issued license to draw blood. The other 46 don't, but most hospitals and reference labs require national certification anyway. Find your state below.
// The 4 mandatory states
States that require a license to draw blood.
California, Washington, Louisiana, and Nevada require state-issued credentials in addition to (or built from) a national certification.
California
CDPH Lab Field Services issues the CPT I. 40h didactic + 40h clinical with 50 venipunctures and 10 capillary draws supervised. Renews every 2 years with 6 CEUs.
California guide ->License requiredWashington
WA Department of Health issues the MA-P credential. Approved program or experience plus a 7-hour HIV/AIDS training. Annual renewal, 10 CEUs every 2 years.
Washington guide ->License requiredLouisiana
LSBME registration. Document-intensive: transcript, clinical hours log, national certification. Biennial renewal.
Louisiana guide ->License requiredNevada
NV Board of Medical Examiners runs the Office of Laboratory Improvement registration. ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, or AMT RPT all accepted. Biennial.
Nevada guide ->New York City special case. No state license is required anywhere in New York, but NYC employers must operate under a licensed clinical lab technologist, registered nurse, or physician. Upstate NY has no equivalent rule.
// Get certified anyway. Here's why.
Even in the 46 states with no license requirement, ASCP PBT is the credential that opens doors.
The ASCP Board of Certification describes itself as the gold standard of credentialing for laboratory professionals worldwide. Hospital labs and trauma centers show a documented preference for PBT (ASCP) over other phlebotomy credentials.
Source: ASCP.org / BOC
An ASCP-conducted study found certified phlebotomists earn roughly 15% more than non-certified peers. Independent sources put the premium at 5 to 12 percent. Against the BLS May 2024 median wage of $43,660, that gap compounds.
Sources: ASCP study, BLS May 2024
ASCP runs the full credentialing ladder: PBT to MLT (Medical Laboratory Technician) to MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist). PBT is the foundation if you want to climb into lab roles with higher pay later.
Source: ASCP BOC pathways
Stop waiting. If you are working as a phlebotomist or training to be one, get certified. The NHA CPT is the most common entry-level credential; the ASCP PBT is the higher-bar lab standard. The 5-to-12% pay bump pays the exam fee back in weeks, and hospital lab promotions favor candidates who already hold a certification. Every month you delay is money on the table.
// All 50 states
Find your state.
Every state has its own page. License-required states are marked.
// Table view
Compare all 50 states.
| State | State license | Accepted certifications | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Alaska | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Arizona | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Arkansas | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| California | Yes | CPT I via CDPH + national cert | 80h training + 60 supervised draws |
| Colorado | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Connecticut | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Delaware | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Florida | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Georgia | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Hawaii | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Idaho | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Illinois | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Indiana | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Iowa | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Kansas | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Kentucky | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Louisiana | Yes | LSBME registration + national cert | Document-intensive |
| Maine | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Maryland | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Massachusetts | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Michigan | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Minnesota | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Mississippi | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Missouri | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Montana | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Nebraska | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Nevada | Yes | NV Lab. Improvement + national cert | PBT, CPT, or RPT accepted |
| New Hampshire | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| New Jersey | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| New Mexico | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| New York | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | NYC: licensed supervisor required |
| North Carolina | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| North Dakota | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Ohio | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Oklahoma | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Oregon | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Pennsylvania | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Rhode Island | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| South Carolina | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| South Dakota | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Tennessee | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Texas | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Utah | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Vermont | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Virginia | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Washington | Yes | WA DOH MA-P + national cert | + 7h HIV/AIDS |
| West Virginia | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Wisconsin | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |
| Wyoming | No | ASCP PBT, NHA CPT, AMT RPT | - |