12 Dec Renewing your license as a recent grad – yes it’s different!
Disclaimer: The GVMA is an association that provides continuing education and professional resources to those working in the veterinary industry. The Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine (GSBVM) is the governing entity that regulates the licensure of veterinarians. For licensure info, contact the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine. Note that the GVMA is not affiliated and cannot assist with these matters.
Rule 700-7-.01 Renewal of License
(1) Every person who holds a valid license, as issued by the Board, shall immediately upon issuance thereof be deemed registered with the Board and be issued a certificate of registration. Said license shall expire on December 31 of the even numbered years and shall be renewable biennially in accordance with the Official Code of Georgia Annotated Section 43-50-40 upon payment of the biennial license fees. Any licensee whose address changes must update their address information online via the Board website or notify the Board in writing within 30 days of that change of address.
Rule 700-7-.03 Continuing Veterinary Education
(a) General Requirements:
- Each veterinarian and veterinary faculty member licensed to practice in the State of Georgia must obtain thirty (30) hours of Board approved continuing education per biennium for license renewal.
Put simply, the above rules indicate that each veterinarian licensed to practice in the State of Georgia must obtain 30 hours of State Board approved continuing education by the end of every odd year for license renewal. However, the rules are different for recent graduates.
2023 Graduates
- The official State Board rule is “A veterinarian licensed during the first year of a biennium must obtain 15 hours of continuing education and is not required to meet the two hour requirement in Georgia laws, rules and professionalism.”
- This means that veterinarians who obtained their license in 2023 only have to complete 15 hours to renew their license at the end of this year. The two-hour LEAP requirement is also waived but 2023 grads are still strongly encouragement to attend (and it’s free for GVMA members).
2024 Graduates
- The official State Board Rule is “A veterinarian licensed during the second year of a biennium is exempt from obtaining continuing education for that renewal period.”
- This means that veterinarians who obtain their Georgia veterinary license in 2024 do not have complete any CE to renew their license.
All veterinary and veterinary technician licenses, regardless of when they were issued, must be renewed by December 31st, 2024.
For more information on CE Requirements check-out the “Meetings” section of our website! GVMA members can also contact the GVMA office at 678-309-9800 or gvma@gvma.net.
The GVMA offers additional resources for recent grads including an 80-page Recent Grad Handbook (it’s free)! The handbook includes information on obtaining a license, prescribing controlled substances, and Georgia continuing education requirements.