The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners ("Board") will waive the practical examination if the applicant:

A) has possessed, for a minimum of five years immediately preceding the submission of an application, a valid, unsuspended and unrevoked license to practice veterinary medicine after examination by another state (or the District of Columbia) which has education and examination requirements equivalent to those required for licensure in New Jersey;
B) has had active clinical experience of a type acceptable to the Board for three of the five years immediately preceding application;
C) has passed the National Board Examination (NBE); and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT); or the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE); with a grade of 70 or better; and
D) presents no basis for concern as to competency or fitness for licensure and otherwise qualifies for licensure pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:16-6.

Anyone qualifying under this provision for licensure by waiver of the practical examination is required to successfully complete the jurisprudence examination with a grade of 70 or better.

Applicants must:

1. Request an application for a review of credentials from the Board office. Requests for applications for licensure are accepted by phone (973) 504-6500, fax (973) 648-3355 and by letter sent to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, P.O. Box 45020, Newark, N.J. 07101;

2. Complete the application for a review of credentials and have it notarized;

3. Submit or have submitted to the Board, the following:

A) a completed application for a review of credentials;
B) a filing fee for a review of credentials - a certified check or money order for $75 made payable to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;
C) two passport-size photographs (head and shoulders shot) taken within the last six months;
D) proof of a passing grade (70) on the NBE within 10 years preceding application being sent through the Veterinary Information Verifying Agency (VIVA);
E) proof of a passing grade (70) on the CCT within 10 years preceding application being sent through VIVA; or proof of a passing grade (70) on the NAVLE; and
F) an official transcript of veterinary school credits, forwarded directly to the Board by the college/university, containing:

a) the signatures of college officials;
b) the college/university stamp; and
c) if the transcript is in a language other than English, a verified English translation;

4. Make sure the school is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). If the school is not accredited, the applicant must complete the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) training before being eligible to sit for the practical exam;

(If the applicant is a graduate of an ECFVG program, notification that the applicant has satisfactorily completed the program should be forwarded directly to the Board by the ECFVG office.)

5. Submit verification from every state in which the applicant is or has been licensed, verifying that he/she holds or held a valid, unsuspended and unrevoked license to practice from the state board(s);

6. Submit a statement of good standing from any other entity that authorizes the applicant's practice of veterinary medicine, e.g., the Racing Commission. The applicant shall notify the Board in the event that his/her privilege to practice veterinary medicine was ever suspended or revoked by any authority;

7. Submit three notarized certifications of experience, submitted directly by veterinarians actively licensed and practicing in the same jurisdiction(s) for which the experience is being certified. Each certification shall:

A) be on professional letterhead;
B) state the exact dates of the period being certified;
C) indicate the type of experience acquired, i.e., bovine, exotic, equine or small animal;
D) provide certification as to the applicant's moral character;
E) provide a critical evaluation of the applicant's ability to practice with a professional recommendation for licensure;
F) indicate the applicant has held, for a minimum of five years immediately preceding the submission of an application, a valid unsuspended and unrevoked license to practice veterinary medicine issued after examination by another state or District of Columbia, which has education and examination requirements substantially equivalent to those required for licensure in New Jersey;
G) indicate that the applicant has had active clinical experience of a type acceptable to the Board for three of the five years immediately preceding application;
H) indicate the applicant has passed the NBE and the CCT with a grade of 70 or better;
I) indicate the applicant presents no basis for concern as to competency or fitness for licensure and otherwise qualifies for licensure pursuant to N.J.S.A 45:16-6; and
J) submit an examination fee of $250 (certified check or money order made payable to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners).

When the exam application is complete, the Board will vote on whether to approve the application. If the board approves the application, the applicant will be sent an application for the opportunity to sit for the jurisprudence examination and will then be notified of the place and time of the examination.

When the applicant passes the jurisprudence examination, he/she will receive an application for initial licensure. The applicant must complete and return that application with the appropriate fee for initial licensure.

Credentials records with no activity for a period of two years from the last date that the applicant participated in an examination will not be accepted for filing. The applicant shall be required to submit new records and to pay the required filing fee.

If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the Board at (973) 504-6500.

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