What is the CORI Form and where do I get it?
A signed and notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Acknowledgment form is required of ALL applicants. It is a background check performed before a license can be issued by DOL. The form can found here.
For information on the Board’s review of CORI, please see the Board Policies and Guidelines (Veterinary Medicine) page.
What is the Board Jurisprudence Examination and where do I get it?
All applicants are required to complete and pass the Board’s Jurisprudence Examination. The Jurisprudence Examination is a twenty (20) question, multiple choice, open book exam intended to familiarize applicants with the Board’s statutes, regulations, and policies governing the practice of veterinary medicine in Massachusetts. A completed Jurisprudence Examination must be uploaded with the rest of your supporting documents at the end of the online application process.
Please note that the Jurisprudence Examination will be scored upon receipt of your application. Applicants will not be notified of their score unless they have failed the examination, which is graded on a pass-fail basis.
How do I complete the Professional and Ethical Reference Forms, and where do I find them?
The form can be found here. The Professional and Ethical Reference form must be completed by a currently licensed veterinarian who is familiar with your veterinary skills as well as your professional and ethical conduct. The recommending veterinarian does not need to be licensed in Massachusetts. All applicants are required to submit two (2) Professional and Ethical References. Each form must be completed, signed by the recommending veterinarian, and notarized. The completed forms must then be uploaded with the rest of your application materials.
How do I apply for reciprocal licensure?
Individuals who have been licensed as a veterinarian in another state for more than five (5) years may apply for licensure in Massachusetts via reciprocity. Reciprocity applicants are required to complete all portions of the application but are not required to submit a copy of their transcript. Applicants must also provide a certified letter of licensure status from all states or jurisdictions in which the applicant is currently, or has previously been, licensed.
Applicants must also arrange for an official score report to be sent to the Board from the Veterinary Information Verifying Agency (VIVA) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). A score transfer request can be processed online through VIVA’s website.
How do I provide proof I am licensed or was licensed in another state/jurisdiction?
All applicants must upload certified letters of licensure status from all states or jurisdictions in which the applicant is currently licensed or has previously been licensed. DO NOT have the licensing authority email OR mail the documents to the Board. They must be uploaded by the candidate when completing the online application.
I’m applying for reciprocal licensure but didn’t take the NAVLE. How do I use my NBE & CCT Scores?
Applicants for reciprocal licensure may meet the national examination requirement by submitting proof of passage of either the NBE or the CCT if they were licensed prior to 1992. The passing score for both exams in Massachusetts is seventy-five (75). Applicants can arrange for an official score report to be sent to the Board from the Veterinary Information Verifying Agency (VIVA) of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). A score transfer request can be processed online through VIVA’s website.
As a Limited Practitioner Applicant, do I need to pass the NAVLE?
The national examination requirement may be waived for Veterinary Medicine–Limited Practitioner applicants who are AVMA board certified in a specialty. If such a waiver is granted, the Board will restrict the licensee’s veterinary practice to their board specialty. Limited Practitioner applicants are required to complete all portions of the application, including the submission of professional references and passage of the Jurisprudence Examination. In addition, a current resume or curriculum vitae and a copy of your board specialty certificate must be submitted with your application. An interview with the Board may also be required.
How do I apply for licensure if I graduated from a non-AVMA accredited university?
Graduates of non-AVMA accredited veterinary schools must complete either the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) before submitting an application to the Board. Please be aware that licensure will not be granted until official documentation of the completion of either the ECFVG or PAVE certification program is received by the Board. Information on the ECFVG certification program can be obtained online at www.avma.org/ecfvg and information on the PAVE program can be obtained online at www.aavsb.org/PAVE.
I attended a non-AVMA accredited university; what are the requirements to submit my transcripts?
Candidates receiving a degree from a foreign veterinary school must provide an original copy of the transcripts as well as an official, notarized English translation of the transcript (if not taught in English).
Reminder that the candidate MUST complete the ECFVG or PAVE program to satisfy Board regulations on licensing.
Can I practice under a Temporary Permit while waiting to complete the ECFVG or PAVE programs?
For temporary permits, please see the Information Regarding Temporary Permits in Veterinary Medicine page.
Applicants seeking a temporary permit must submit a separate Temporary Permit Application with their application materials.
How do I apply to work under the Tufts University Institutional License?
M.G.L. c. 112 § 56D allows for veterinarians, who are not otherwise licensed, to practice veterinary medicine if such practice is conducted in conjunction with their full-time employment by a school of veterinary medicine located in the Commonwealth and which possesses an institutional license. Currently, The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is the only such school with an Institutional License. Those who wish to apply to work in this stated capacity must reach out to Tufts directly: TPVMLicense@tufts.edu.
For a list of individuals who have been approved and registered to practice under the Tufts Institutional License, see this page.
How do I obtain a verification letter if I practice under the Tufts Institutional License?
If you are currently approved and registered to practice under the Tufts Institutional License and wish to obtain a letter verifying your status, please contact the Board by email.