OPINION: Why title protection is the critical next step for credentialed veterinary technicians

Credentialed veterinary technicians (CrVTs), known in the United States by their various earned titles of RVT, CVT, LVT, and LVMT, are the backbone of veterinary medicine. At least that’s what we keep being told by associations and our superiors.

In all seriousness, CrVTs are highly educated and skilled healthcare professionals who dedicate their lives to animals, performing or assisting in complex medical, surgical, and anesthetic tasks under the supervision of a veterinarian. The work is demanding, and the commitment to keeping up-to-date for not one, but many species is anything but trivial.

Sadly, it is not uncommon to hear of CrVTs literally breaking their bodies, struggling with mental health—a reflection of their soul poured into the profession—and bank accounts rarely full enough to stay financially comfortable and stable on a single income.

For this essential profession to achieve the recognition and stability it deserves, strong title protection is not just a regulatory or legislative goal, it is one small piece of a critical change needed for a threatened profession.

The power of professional clarity and public trust

Title protection is fundamentally about honoring commitment and safeguarding public health. When a state’s Veterinary Practice Act reserves titles like “Veterinary Technician,” “Vet Tech,” or “Technician” for only those who have graduated from an accredited program, passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) or state exam, and maintained their credential, it achieves several vital objectives:

• It builds consumer confidence. When clients know that a “Veterinary Technician” is a regulated professional, it increases trust in the quality of care their beloved pet is receiving.
• It validates the hard-earned credentials. Legal protection ensures the title accurately represents the expertise, education, and commitment of the professional. As a former president of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) noted, “If we’re not valuing a title, we’re not giving anyone an incentive to go to school or to move forward.”
• It prevents title misuse. It is a common challenge for the profession to have the title “veterinary technician” and now “nurse” applied loosely to individuals without credentials. Title protection language prevents individuals from misrepresenting themselves, providing a clear distinction between a credentialed technician and a veterinary assistant, or anyone else that may interact with clients and patients.
• It defends professional boundaries. This pursuit of clarity is crucial across all licensed professions. For instance, in a recent legal challenge with the final ruling released in September of 2025, a federal court in California upheld a state law that prevents (human) nurses who hold a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from using the title “doctor” in clinical settings. While the DNPs are indeed “doctors” the court found that using this title in a healthcare settling was “inherently misleading” and could confuse patients about whether they were being treated by a physician, even if the nurse disclosed their DNP status. This ruling highlights a universal principle, that legal title protection is necessary to maintain clear, defensible boundaries between licensed healthcare professions and protect the public from confusion, making the push to secure and respect the veterinary technician title all the more vital.

Defining our identity

For years, the profession has explored various pathways to enhance its standing, including changing the title to “veterinary nurse.” While this idea has merit for increasing public understanding, there has been a shift from adopting a new title to one of supporting, strengthening and protecting the existing, legally established titles with the help of the NAVTA.

The title “nurse” is a legally defined title heavily protected by law under many human nursing boards throughout the nation. We must assertively recognize the reality that while a few states have pursued rule changes to recognize the title “nurse,” rules are not laws.

Instead, the profession has by and large wisely prioritized efforts to protect the titles RVT, CVT, LVT, and LVMT in statute, rather than risking potential legal conflict by co-opting a title that is already legally protected by another profession.

Some of these efforts are more grassroots like the Missouri Veterinary Technician Association’s education campaign started in 2023, to legislative wins for title protection in states like Illinois. In a bit of irony, the debate over the use of “nurse” in the veterinary industry is not dissimilar to the current focus of protecting the title “veterinary technician” for those that are credentialed.

Why are we assuming an already protected title while fighting for title protection in the very basic sense? The California court ruling mentioned above is likely one of the first challenges to state practice act language with striking similarities to this debate.

So, while some entities support or push the use of “nurse” for staff, one as an individual needs to make a personal risk assessment to use or not use the title. In a significant change of course as of Oct. 24, 2025, Purdue University announced in an email that its “Veterinary Nursing” program will revert to the pre-2018 name of “Veterinary Technology.” The change reflects the need to embrace what is already recognized statutorily, amid continued opposition from the American Nurses Association with the potential of legal repercussions for individuals using the title “nurse” regardless of the “veterinary” descriptor. At the very least, no matter where one falls on the title debate, either title should only be used for those that are indeed credentialed.

Uplifting momentum

The vast majority of the profession is united on the title protection front, with 93% of veterinary technicians advocating for title protection in NAVTA’s 2024 demographic study also echoed in several other surveys. This momentum is already translating into success. Illinois as mentioned has just gained title protection, joined by Colorado and Minnesota which have also secured title protection gains.

The next frontier: protecting the Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS)

For credentialed professionals who pursue the pinnacle of excellence, obtaining a specialty certification as a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) is a monumental achievement. These individuals, certified by a NAVTA-approved academy, demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge and skill in one of 16 disciplines like Anesthesia, Dentistry, or Emergency and Critical Care. Title protection must also extend to these advanced credentials to fully recognize this higher level of specialization. Barely a handful of states (California, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Colorado)  recognize VTSs in their practice acts. In early 2025 however, in a win for all NAVTA-approved academies, the academies became shared owners in a federal trademark for “VTS.”

A final note

Every credentialed veterinary technician has already earned their title through years of dedication, skill, and compassion. What remains is to protect that title so it cannot be diminished, borrowed, or blurred by anyone who has not walked the same path.

Legislative action only happens when professionals demand it. So, contact your state representatives, join your state VMA or technician association, and speak up! Title protection isn’t just policy, it’s professional survival. Our patients, our colleagues, and the next generation of technicians are counting on us to defend what we and our predecessors have built.

Photo credit: © arenacreative via iStock/Getty Images Plus

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