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Phlebotomy Certification Requirements by State (2026)

Research publicationLast updated / verified: August 7, 2026
Four states have a state phlebotomy credential rule: California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington. Together, their current rules and approved lists name 12 national certifying organizations. Only ASCP and AMT appear in all four.

For this review of phlebotomy certification requirements by state, we checked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., against official government sources on August 7, 2026. In the other 47 jurisdictions, we found no state credential for a worker who only collects specimens. The 41 weakest rows are marked “No credential found” instead of being presented as legal proof.

That is the answer most people came for. Here is the part almost nobody reports.

Louisiana’s certificate law has broad listed exemptions. Its statute opens the phlebotomy exemption this way:

“This Part shall not apply to any individual performing phlebotomy” — Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:1313(D), phlebotomy text enacted by Act 369 of 2023

The count also changed recently. The District of Columbia repealed its phlebotomist registration effective July 19, 2024.

Last verified: August 7, 2026 · Dataset version: 1.1 · By: Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team About this section: Castleport Research is an independent research and reference section published by Castleport Test Prep.

Three words people mix up

Before the tables, three terms. They sound alike. They are not the same thing.

  • A state credential is a license, certificate, or registration issued by a state government. If state law says you need it, you need it.
  • A national certification comes from a private testing organization, like ASCP or NHA. It is not a government license. In some states, it is one way to qualify for the state credential.
  • A school certificate means you finished a course. It is not automatically either of the above.

Most of the confusion online comes from treating all three as the same thing. This page keeps them separate everywhere.

What states require phlebotomy certification?

California and Washington issue a credential with phlebotomy in the title. Nevada normally requires a laboratory-assistant credential for phlebotomy work in a licensed lab. Louisiana has a phlebotomist certificate law with broad listed exemptions. In the remaining 47 jurisdictions, we found no collection-only phlebotomist credential.

The popular answer is “four states.” That is true under the definition used here. But it puts four very different systems in one box, and the differences matter if you are the person paying for training.

Table 1. The legal map in one grid, all 51 jurisdictions, verified August 7, 2026
Category Count Jurisdictions What it means in plain terms
Credential with a phlebotomy job title 2 California, Washington The state issues a credential with phlebotomy in the title for covered work.
Credential under a different job title 1 Nevada The usual credential is laboratory assistant, not phlebotomist.
Certificate law with broad listed exemptions 1 Louisiana The certificate law remains, but the statute lists several common exempt settings.
No collection-only credential — an official source says so plainly 6 Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, New York, West Virginia A state agency, statute, or rule states the position directly. This is stronger evidence than silence.
No credential found in the sources we searched 41 All other states We searched the linked state licensing sources and found no phlebotomist credential. This is an evidence statement, not legal clearance.

Source: Castleport Research review of state statutes, administrative rules, and issuing-agency pages, August 7, 2026. Full per-jurisdiction sources appear in Table 2.

Two rows deserve a flag right away.

The six “official source says so plainly” jurisdictions have the strongest negative evidence in the dataset. Connecticut’s Department of Public Health says, “Phlebotomists are not licensed by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.” Florida excludes phlebotomists from its definition of licensed clinical laboratory personnel. West Virginia’s new rule expressly excludes a person who only collects, prepares, or processes specimens and does not test them.

The 41-state row is an honest limit, not legal clearance. We searched the linked licensing sources and did not find a phlebotomist credential. A rule could still sit somewhere we missed. That is why these rows say “No credential found.”

Phlebotomy certification requirements by state: all 50 states and D.C.

The table below covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each row gives the legal status this review could support, a plain-language explanation, whether a state source names national certification, and the official source checked.

Table 2. Phlebotomy certification requirements by state, all 50 states and D.C., verified August 7, 2026
State Legal status What the rule means National certification named by a state source? Source checked
Alabama No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Alabama state agency directory
Alaska No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Alaska Professional Licensing
Arizona No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Arizona Revised Statutes Title 32
Arkansas No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Arkansas Directory of Licensed Occupations
California Required — phlebotomy-titled credential A state certificate is required for covered work. California has three levels: LPT for skin puncture, CPT I for skin puncture and venipuncture, and CPT II, which also allows arterial puncture. Yes — 6 approved by CDPH CDPH phlebotomy certificate · approved certifying exams
Colorado No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations
Connecticut No credential — stated by the agency The Department of Public Health says phlebotomists are not licensed. Employers may still require national certification. Not required by the state Connecticut DPH, Phlebotomists
Delaware No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Delaware Division of Professional Regulation
District of Columbia No credential — registration repealed in 2024 D.C. registered phlebotomists beginning in 2015. The section was repealed effective July 19, 2024. There is no current phlebotomist registration. Not applicable — section repealed D.C. Code § 3-1209.12 [Repealed]
Florida No credential — excluded by statute Florida licenses clinical laboratory personnel who perform or report tests. The statutory definition expressly excludes phlebotomists. Not required for phlebotomy alone Fla. Stat. § 483.803(4)
Georgia No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Georgia Secretary of State, Licensing
Hawaii No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing
Idaho No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
Illinois No credential — training rule stated Illinois does not issue a phlebotomist license. State CLIA guidance says a blood-draw worker needs at least a high school diploma and documented training. Not required by the state Illinois DPH CLIA FAQ
Indiana No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Iowa No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Iowa Professional Licensure
Kansas No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Kansas Board of Technical Professions
Kentucky No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Kentucky Department of Professional Licensing
Louisiana Conditional — certificate law with broad listed exemptions A state certificate is required unless an exemption applies. The statute exempts physician-directed work; clinics run by licensed health care providers; hospitals, nursing homes, and other licensed health care facilities; and qualifying CLIA-certified sites with specified training. Yes — 8 named in the rule La. R.S. 37:1313(D) · La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3509(F)
Maine No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Maine Professional Licensing
Maryland No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Maryland Occupational and Professional Licensing
Massachusetts No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Massachusetts Division of Occupational Licensure
Michigan No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Michigan State License Search
Minnesota No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Minnesota State Licensing Boards
Mississippi No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Mississippi State Department of Health, Licensure
Missouri No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Missouri Division of Professional Registration
Montana No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Montana Business Standards Division
Nebraska No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Nebraska DHHS Licensure
Nevada Required for ordinary licensed-lab work — laboratory assistant Nevada does not issue a credential called “phlebotomist.” For ordinary work at a licensed laboratory, the state certifies the worker as a laboratory assistant. A laboratory licensed only to collect specimens has a narrow, separate personnel rule. Yes — 6 named; list is open-ended NAC 652.4855 and 652.296
New Hampshire No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure
New Jersey No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
New Mexico No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found New Mexico Regulation and Licensing
New York No credential — collection-only scope stated New York says a phlebotomist may collect blood or other specimens but may not perform tests on them without the required laboratory license. Not required for collection-only work NYSED Office of the Professions
North Carolina No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found North Carolina occupational licensing directory
North Dakota No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found North Dakota state boards directory
Ohio No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Ohio licenses and permits directory
Oklahoma No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Oklahoma licensed occupations
Oregon No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Oregon state agency directory
Pennsylvania No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
Rhode Island No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Rhode Island Department of Health, Licensing
South Carolina No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found South Carolina Labor, Licensing and Regulation
South Dakota No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found South Dakota boards and commissions
Tennessee No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Tennessee Regulatory Boards
Texas No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
Utah No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Utah Division of Professional Licensing
Vermont No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Vermont Office of Professional Regulation
Virginia No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Virginia Department of Health Professions
Washington Required — phlebotomy-titled credential A medical assistant-phlebotomist credential is required unless another health credential covers the work. The training rule lists three qualifying routes, but the application rule documents only two of them. Yes — 6 named in WAC WAC 246-827-0400 · WAC 246-827-0410
West Virginia No credential for collection-only work — expressly excluded The rule effective July 1, 2026, expressly excludes a person who only collects, prepares, or processes specimens and does not perform tests. Not required for collection-only work W. Va. 64CSR57 § 1.6.3.i
Wisconsin No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
Wyoming No credential found No phlebotomist credential found in the state licensing sources we searched. Employer and facility rules may still apply. None found Wyoming Professional Licensing Boards

Source: Castleport Research, “Phlebotomy Certification Requirements by State, 2026,” dataset version 1.1, verified August 7, 2026. Rows marked “No credential found” describe the search result. They are not a legal opinion.

Which national phlebotomy certification does each state accept?

The four rule states name 12 national certifying organizations in all. Only two — ASCP and AMT — appear in all four. NHA appears in California, Nevada, and Washington. Louisiana does not name NHA.

We built this grid by pulling the names from each state’s current rule or approved list. The states do not publish the four lists side by side, so we did.

Table 3. National certifying organizations named by each state, verified August 7, 2026
# Organization California Louisiana Nevada Washington
1 ASCP — American Society for Clinical Pathology Yes Yes Yes Yes
2 AMT — American Medical Technologists Yes Yes Yes Yes
3 ACA — American Certification Agency Yes — Yes Yes
4 NCCT — National Center for Competency Testing Yes — Yes Yes
5 NHA — National Healthcareer Association Yes — Yes Yes
6 AMCA — American Medical Certification Association Yes — — Yes
7 NPA — National Phlebotomy Association — Yes Yes —
8 NCA — National Certification Agency Historical only: accepted through 10/23/2009 Yes — —
9 ASPT — American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians — Yes — —
10 AABB — American Association of Blood Banks — Yes — —
11 NAHTR — National Allied Health Test Registry — Yes — —
12 IAPS — International Academy of Phlebotomy Science — Yes — —
Total currently named 6 8 6 6

Sources: California Department of Public Health, “Approved Certifying Organization Examinations”; La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3509(F)(2); Nev. Admin. Code 652.4855(2); Wash. Admin. Code 246-827-0400(2). Verified August 7, 2026 by Castleport Research.

Five things this grid shows

1. Only two organizations are universal. ASCP and AMT are the only certifiers named by all four states.

2. California and Washington name the same six. Both name ACA, AMCA, AMT, ASCP, NCCT, and NHA.

3. NHA is named by three states. California, Nevada, and Washington name it. Louisiana does not.

4. Nevada’s list is open-ended. NAC 652.4855 says an approved organization may qualify and then gives six examples “including, without limitation.” Nevada also has two other routes: six months of approved training, or three years of qualifying laboratory work during the prior five years.

5. Louisiana alone names five organizations that no other current state list names. They are NCA, ASPT, AABB, NAHTR, and IAPS. California’s own table places an end date of October 23, 2009 on NCA phlebotomy exams, while Louisiana’s current rule still names NCA without an end date.

How many phlebotomy training hours and blood draws does each state require?

California and Louisiana publish state-set procedure counts. Louisiana’s numbers apply to one training-and-exam route, not to every applicant. Nevada and Washington offer routes without a state-set stick count.

Table 4. State-set training floors and procedure counts, verified August 7, 2026
Credential or route Classroom / lecture rule Clinical / experience rule Venipunctures Skin / capillary punctures Arterial
California LPT 20 basic didactic hours No separate clinical-hour floor stated Not applicable 25 Not applicable
California CPT I — less than 1,040 hours of prior experience 40 basic and advanced didactic hours 40 50 10 Observation required
California CPT I — 1,040+ hours in the past 5 years 20 advanced didactic hours Prior experience is documented 50 documented 10 documented Observation documented
California CPT II No separate classroom minimum stated on the CPT II page At least 1,040 hours of on-the-job phlebotomy experience — — 20 successful arterial punctures
Louisiana — board-approved training and exam route 20 lecture hours or adequate practical hours Not stated as a separate number 100 25 Not addressed
Nevada laboratory assistant — training route 6 months of Division-approved training Included in the 6-month route Not stated Not stated Not addressed
Washington MA-P — practitioner-approved training route No hour count No hour count No number; train until proficient No number; train until proficient Separately regulated

Sources: CDPH LPT, CPT I, CPT II, and Phlebotomy Training Program pages; La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3509(F); Nev. Admin. Code 652.4855; Wash. Admin. Code 246-827-0400. Verified August 7, 2026 by Castleport Research.

Three things are worth pulling out.

California’s LPT floor is 20 classroom hours, not 40. The LPT route also requires 25 skin punctures. The 40-classroom/40-clinical floor belongs to the new-student CPT I route.

Louisiana’s 100-venipuncture number belongs to one route in the rule. Section 3509(F) lists a Board-approved training and exam route with 100 venipunctures and 25 capillary collections, or a national exam named in the rule. The Board’s live application instructions tell phlebotomist applicants to use a national exam and do not explain how to apply through the Board-exam route.

Washington uses demonstrated skill instead of a fixed count. WAC 246-827-0400 says the trainee must observe and perform procedures until the trainee shows entry-level skill. The number may vary with the trainee’s skill.

What does phlebotomy certification cost, how often do you renew, and how much continuing education is required?

All four fee schedules can now be compared. The annualized renewal fee runs from $24 in Nevada to $150 in California. Louisiana has a live conflict: its statute says $25, while the Board page and administrative rule say $40.

Table 5. Renewal, continuing education, and state fees, verified August 7, 2026
State Renewal term Continuing education Initial state fee Renewal state fee What to know
California 1 year, beginning January 1, 2026 3 CE hours in the prior year $100 $150 Some documents may still display a two-year date during the IT change. CDPH says renew after one year.
Louisiana 1 year; calendar-year renewal 12 contact hours each calendar year; no carryover $25 in statute; $40 in rule and Board instructions $25 in statute; $40 in rule and Board instructions $50 delinquent fee in the rule. The $25-versus-$40 conflict is unresolved on the official sources.
Nevada 2 years 1 unit, defined as 10 contact hours, per 2 years $64 $48 Approved Regulation R072-26 was filed July 1, 2026. The codified NAC webpage still showed the older $60 and $45 figures on the verification date.
Washington 2 years, on the holder’s birthday None $145 $145 $75 late-renewal penalty.

Sources: CDPH renewal, fee, and phlebotomy FAQ pages; La. R.S. 37:1321 and La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3527, .3529, and .3533; Nev. Admin. Code 652.455 and 652.476 plus Approved Regulation R072-26; Wash. Admin. Code 246-827-0600 and 246-827-990, plus Washington DOH’s medical-assistant FAQ. Verified August 7, 2026 by Castleport Research.

Louisiana requires 12 continuing-education hours a year. California requires 3. Nevada requires 10 every two years. Washington requires none for medical-assistant credential renewal.

At the current rates, a ten-year span would mean 120 continuing-education hours in Louisiana and zero in Washington. Same work. Very different rules.

Where official phlebotomy sources disagree or leave a gap

A government page can still give an incomplete answer. We found a live mismatch or narrow gap in California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington.

California: the rule is annual, but some documents still show two years

Beginning January 1, 2026, CDPH moved its laboratory personnel licenses and certificates to a one-year renewal period. Current phlebotomy pages point to annual renewal.

But CDPH also warns that some documents may still display a two-year expiration date during its IT upgrade. The agency says the holder must renew after one year even when the document shows two.

The current rule is clear. The paper can still be wrong.

Primary sources: CDPH renewal page · CDPH fee page and system notice

Louisiana: the official sources disagree in three places

The first conflict is the exemption.

Act 369 of 2023 widened La. R.S. 37:1313(D). The current statute exempts physician-directed work, clinics operated by licensed health care providers, hospitals, nursing homes, other licensed health care facilities, and qualifying CLIA-certified testing sites that provide five calendar days of training and two calendar weeks on the job.

The current administrative rule still carries the older, narrower language. It limits the clinic and facility exemption to places authorized by licensure to perform clinical laboratory testing, and it does not show the newer CLIA-site exemption.

The statute is the later and higher authority. But a person who reads only the rule sees a narrower exemption.

The second conflict is the fee.

La. R.S. 37:1321 says the phlebotomist certification and renewal fee shall be $25 and says Board-set fees may not exceed that amount. The Board’s live application page and La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3529 say $40. We found no official page that explains the difference, so Table 5 shows both.

The third conflict is the qualification route.

La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3509(F) lists two paths: a Board-approved exam after a training program, or an approved national exam. The Board’s live application instructions say phlebotomist applicants must have completed an approved national exam. They do not explain whether the Board-exam route can still be used.

Primary sources: Act 369 of 2023 · La. R.S. 37:1313 · La. R.S. 37:1321 · La. Admin. Code Title 46, Part XLV · LSBME application instructions

Washington: the training rule has three routes, but the application rule has two

WAC 246-827-0400 gives a new medical assistant-phlebotomist applicant three routes:

1. Finish an accredited postsecondary phlebotomy program. 2. Hold a current national phlebotomy certification from ACA, AMCA, AMT, ASCP, NCCT, or NHA. 3. Finish a practitioner-approved phlebotomy training program and show entry-level skill.

WAC 246-827-0410, the application rule, asks for proof of route 1 or route 3. It does not say how a new applicant should document route 2. The Department of Health’s current public instructions also focus on the two training routes.

The official sources do not line up. A person applying through national certification alone should get written direction from the Department before paying or sending documents.

Primary sources: WAC 246-827-0400 · WAC 246-827-0410 · Washington DOH credentialing requirements

Nevada: the collection-only rule is narrower than the general answer

Nevada’s laboratory FAQ says a phlebotomist does not have an independent scope of practice and must work through a Nevada-licensed laboratory.

For ordinary licensed-lab work, the individual laboratory-assistant certificate applies. But NAC 652.296 gives a separate rule to a laboratory licensed only to collect specimens. That lab may use an employee who is competent to collect specimens. The section does not name an individual certificate.

That is a narrow facility route, not a free-standing phlebotomy practice. The general FAQ does not spell it out.

The fee page has its own lag. Approved Regulation R072-26 raises the laboratory-assistant fee to $64 initially and $48 at biennial renewal. It was filed with the Secretary of State on July 1, 2026. Under NRS 233B.070, a permanent regulation takes effect when filed unless it names a later date. R072-26 names no later date.

The codified NAC webpage still showed the older $60 and $45 figures on August 7. Table 5 uses the filed regulation because it was already effective. The webpage had not caught up.

Primary sources: Nevada DPBH laboratory FAQ · NAC 652.296 and 652.4855 · Approved Regulation R072-26, filed July 1, 2026 · NRS 233B.070

Is the number of states requiring phlebotomy certification going up or down?

Down in this dated dataset. The District of Columbia moved the count from five jurisdictions to four when it repealed phlebotomist registration on July 19, 2024. Louisiana also widened its exemptions in 2023.

Those are the two recent changes this review could document directly. We are not claiming a complete history of every state’s older rules.

The D.C. repeal, in detail

D.C. Code § 3-1209.12 took effect on May 2, 2015. It required phlebotomists to register, renew, pay a fee, and work under general supervision.

The section was repealed effective July 19, 2024 by D.C. Law 25-191. The D.C. Law Library now labels it “§ 3–1209.12. Phlebotomist. [Repealed].”

Primary source: D.C. Code § 3-1209.12 [Repealed]

The Louisiana widening, in detail

Act 369 of 2023 did not erase Louisiana’s phlebotomist certificate. It added and widened exemptions. The biggest new route covers a CLIA-certified testing location or laboratory that provides at least five calendar days of phlebotomist training and two calendar weeks of on-the-job training.

Primary source: Act 369 of 2023

What is still moving

West Virginia’s new 64CSR57 took effect July 1, 2026. It licenses people who perform moderate- or high-complexity testing. It also says the rule does not apply to a person who strictly collects, prepares, or processes specimens and performs no tests.

That sentence makes West Virginia one of the strongest “no collection-only credential” rows in this dataset.

Primary source: West Virginia 64CSR57, effective July 1, 2026

What applies in the 47 jurisdictions where we found no phlebotomy credential?

No state credential does not mean no rules. Four other layers can still apply: CLIA facility rules, OSHA or an approved state-plan workplace standard, state delegation and scope rules, and the employer’s hiring rules.

Here is each one in plain terms.

CLIA governs facilities that test human specimens. CMS says a CLIA certificate is not required for a blood draw or specimen collection by itself. Once a facility performs covered testing, the facility needs the proper certificate.

OSHA’s bloodborne-pathogens rule covers occupational exposure to blood. It requires an exposure-control plan, safer sharps and work practices, protective equipment, training, medical follow-up, and an offer of hepatitis B vaccination. Most private-sector workers are covered through federal OSHA or an OSHA-approved State Plan. State and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA; they are covered under the OSH Act only where an approved State Plan reaches them.

State delegation and scope rules are a separate question. A state can have no phlebotomist credential and still control who may draw blood in a medical office or under another licensed professional.

The employer’s hiring rule is the layer most people meet first. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says employers “may prefer to hire candidates who have earned professional certification.”

A number we are refusing to publish

A 93% of employers claim appears again and again in phlebotomy content. This review did not find an original survey name, publisher, year, sample size, or method behind it.

We are not using it. A number with no source is not evidence. Until a real survey can be named and checked, the BLS sentence above is the strongest sourced statement we found on employer preference.

Phlebotomy workforce statistics

The newest BLS wage release estimates 143,540 phlebotomist jobs in May 2025. Median pay was $21.75 an hour, equal to $45,240 at 2,080 hours. The current projection is 6% growth from 2024 to 2034, with about 18,400 openings a year.

Table 6. U.S. phlebotomist employment, pay, and outlook, verified August 7, 2026
Measure Value Period BLS series
National employment estimate 143,540 May 2025 OEWS
Median hourly wage $21.75 May 2025 OEWS
Median annual equivalent $45,240 May 2025 OEWS median hourly wage × 2,080 hours
Mean annual wage $45,520 May 2025 OEWS
Projection baseline 139,700 jobs 2024 Employment Projections / OOH
Projected employment 147,500 jobs 2034 Employment Projections
Projected employment growth 5.6%, shown by BLS as 6% 2024–2034 Employment Projections / OOH
Projected annual openings about 18,400 2024–2034 Employment Projections / OOH
Lowest 10 percent under $34,860 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail
Highest 10 percent over $57,750 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail
Median wage, outpatient care centers $48,450 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail
Median wage, medical and diagnostic laboratories $45,700 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail
Median wage, hospitals $41,490 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail
Median wage, offices of physicians $40,480 May 2024 Current OOH wage detail

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national table; BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034; and the Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Phlebotomists.” Verified August 7, 2026.

The two employment numbers come from different BLS programs. 143,540 is the newest May 2025 OEWS estimate. 139,700 is the 2024 starting point used in the current ten-year projection.

BLS says phlebotomists usually enter the job with a certificate from a postsecondary phlebotomy program. It also says some qualify with a high school diploma and on-the-job training.

What is the difference between a state credential, national certification, school certificate, and CLIA certificate?

A state credential is personal legal permission when a state requires it. A national certification is a private professional credential. A school certificate shows you finished a course. A CLIA certificate belongs to a testing facility, not to the phlebotomist.

Table 7. Four credentials people confuse
Term Who issues it What it proves What it means for state law
State credential A state agency You met that state’s route for the covered role It is the personal state-law credential when the state requires one.
National certification A private certifying organization You met that organization’s education, experience, exam, and renewal rules It may be one route into a state credential. It does not replace the state application.
School certificate A school or training program You completed that program Not by itself. It is not automatically a state credential or a national certification.
CLIA certificate CMS or an approved state program A facility may perform the covered level of laboratory testing It is a separate federal facility certificate, not a personal phlebotomy credential. Blood draw or specimen collection alone does not require one.

Sources: state credential rules cited on this page; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Phlebotomists”; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CLIA application guidance. Verified August 7, 2026.

Does a phlebotomy credential transfer between states?

Not automatically. Nevada has a narrow endorsement route. Louisiana’s chapter has a reciprocity section, but it is written for applicants “for licensure” and does not clearly say that it reaches phlebotomist certificates. California and Washington require their own state applications.

The four states also issue different credential types. California issues phlebotomy certificates. Washington issues a medical assistant-phlebotomist credential. Nevada issues a laboratory-assistant certificate. Louisiana issues a phlebotomist certificate under its clinical-laboratory-personnel law.

Louisiana’s § 3513 says the Board may license without examination an applicant licensed in the same or a comparable category when the other jurisdiction’s qualifications are at least equal. The section says license and licensure. Louisiana calls the phlebotomist credential a certificate. The text does not settle whether this route applies to phlebotomists.

Nevada’s endorsement route is clearer. It requires a comparable unrestricted out-of-state laboratory-personnel certificate from a jurisdiction that required an FBI fingerprint background check, plus a national exam and other proof.

Neither route is automatic. A person moving into one of the four states should expect a state application and should confirm the route before paying for a new course or exam.

Primary sources: La. Admin. Code 46:XLV.3513 · NAC 652.471

How did we verify the phlebotomy certification requirements by state?

We reviewed all 50 states and the District of Columbia as one dated dataset on August 7, 2026. We read statutes, administrative rules, and issuing-agency pages rather than copying another comparison page.

Definition used. We counted a jurisdiction as having a phlebotomy credential rule when the state itself issues a license, certificate, or registration that an individual must hold, in at least one ordinary civilian setting, to draw blood or collect specimens for clinical testing.

What we deliberately excluded from the count:

  • An employer’s hiring standard. That is a private rule, not a state credential.
  • A voluntary state credential.
  • A facility license that regulates the laboratory instead of the person.
  • A national certification, which is not issued by a state.
  • A rule limited to forensic blood draws.

What we deliberately included: a required credential filed under a different job title. That is why Nevada is counted even though the state uses laboratory assistant.

Terms searched: phlebotomist, phlebotomy, blood collection, specimen collection, laboratory assistant, and medical assistant-phlebotomist.

Evidence tiers. Every jurisdiction was placed in one of five bands:

1. Required — phlebotomy-titled credential. 2. Required — credential under a different job title. 3. Conditional — certificate law with broad listed exemptions. 4. No collection-only credential — an official source states or expressly excludes the role. 5. No credential found in the sources searched.

Bands 4 and 5 are both included in the 47-jurisdiction headline. They are not equally strong. Band 5 is a search result, not proof that no rule exists.

Source order. We gave the most weight to current statutes and regulations. Agency pages were used for application steps, current fees, and plain-language instructions. When official sources did not agree, we published the conflict instead of hiding it.

Version note. Dataset version 1.1 corrects Nevada’s named-certifier list, California’s LPT training row, Louisiana’s qualification and fee conflicts, the state fee table, OSHA coverage wording, the workforce table, and the interstate-transfer section.

What this phlebotomy certification data shows — and what it does not

This dataset shows the state-level answer this review could support on August 7, 2026. It also compares the four rule states’ credential names, qualification routes, procedure counts, renewal terms, continuing education, fees, and named national certifiers.

Here are the limits.

1. The 41 absence findings are not legal clearance. They mean we searched the linked state licensing sources and found no phlebotomist credential. A rule could still exist in a different code chapter or apply through another profession.

2. Louisiana’s fee is unresolved on the official sources. The statute says $25. The Board page and administrative rule say $40. We show both instead of picking one silently.

3. Louisiana’s Board-exam route is unresolved in the application instructions. The rule lists it. The Board’s live instructions tell phlebotomist applicants to use a national exam.

4. Washington’s national-certification route is unresolved in the application instructions. The training rule lists it. The application rule does not explain how a new applicant proves it.

5. Nevada’s codified NAC webpage lagged behind a filed regulation. Approved Regulation R072-26 was filed July 1, 2026 and set the current laboratory-assistant fees at $64 initially and $48 at renewal. The NAC webpage still showed the older $60 and $45 figures on the verification date.

6. This page is about state credentials for ordinary clinical specimen collection. It does not fully map employer policy, hospital credentialing, facility licensing, nurse or medical-assistant scope, blood-donation centers, forensic blood draws, arterial procedures, mobile collection businesses, or every delegation rule.

7. U.S. territories are out of scope. Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands were not reviewed for this release.

8. Rules change. California’s renewal cycle changed on January 1, 2026. D.C. repealed registration in July 2024. West Virginia changed its rule on July 1, 2026. Nevada filed a fee regulation on July 1, 2026 that the codified NAC webpage had not yet absorbed. The verification date matters.

9. This is educational reference material, not legal advice. For a decision that can cost money or affect a job, confirm the current route with the issuing agency. The source links in Table 2 are the right place to start.

How often is this page updated?

California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington are rechecked every quarter. D.C. and West Virginia are also on the quarterly list because their rules changed recently. The full 51-jurisdiction review is rerun once a year, and sooner when a statute, rule, or agency page changes.

The Last verified date changes only after the sources are read again. Editing the page does not reset it.

How to cite this page

This block gives the page’s identifying details for a reference list. It is neutral attribution information, not a request.

Page citation Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. “Phlebotomy Certification Requirements by State (2026).” Castleport Research. Dataset version 1.1. Last verified August 7, 2026. https://castleporttestprep.com/research/phlebotomy-certification-requirements-by-state/

Dataset citation Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. “Phlebotomy Certification Requirements by State, 2026.” Version 1.1. Castleport Research. Verified August 7, 2026.

Each table is plain HTML and has a visible source line.

Frequently asked questions

What states require phlebotomy certification?

California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington have a state phlebotomy credential rule under the definition used in this dataset. California and Washington issue a credential with phlebotomy in the title. Nevada normally certifies the worker as a laboratory assistant. Louisiana has a certificate law with broad listed exemptions. In the other 47 jurisdictions, we found no collection-only phlebotomist credential.

Which national phlebotomy certification is named by all four states?

ASCP and AMT are the only two national certifiers named by California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington. The four states name 12 organizations in all.

Can you work as a phlebotomist without certification?

In most of the country, we found no state phlebotomist credential. That does not erase employer rules, facility rules, delegation law, OSHA duties, or training requirements. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says employers may prefer applicants with professional certification.

Is NHA certification accepted in every state?

Most states do not keep a state acceptance list because they do not issue a phlebotomist credential. Among the four rule states, NHA is named by California, Nevada, and Washington. Louisiana does not name it. A national certificate also does not replace a state application.

How many blood draws do you need to get certified?

The state number depends on the route. California’s new-student CPT I route requires 50 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures. Louisiana’s rule puts 100 successful venipunctures and 25 capillary collections in its Board-exam route, but the Board’s live instructions point applicants to a national exam. Nevada and Washington do not set a procedure count in the routes reviewed here.

How long does a state phlebotomy credential last?

California and Louisiana renew each year. Nevada and Washington renew every two years. California changed to a one-year period on January 1, 2026, even though some documents may still display a two-year date during the state’s IT change.

How much are the state phlebotomy credential fees?

California lists a $100 initial application fee and a $150 annual renewal fee. Nevada’s Approved Regulation R072-26 sets $64 initially and $48 every two years for a laboratory assistant. Washington lists $145 initially and $145 every two years. Louisiana’s statute says $25, while the Board page and administrative rule say $40.

Does my phlebotomy license transfer to another state?

Not automatically. Nevada has a narrow endorsement route. Louisiana’s reciprocity section is written for licensure and does not clearly say that it covers phlebotomist certificates. California and Washington require their own state applications. A national certification is separate from a state credential.

Does California require phlebotomy certification?

Yes. California issues Limited Phlebotomy Technician, Certified Phlebotomy Technician I, and Certified Phlebotomy Technician II certificates through the Department of Public Health. The work allowed and the training route depend on the level.

Does Washington require phlebotomy certification?

Yes, unless another health credential covers the work. Washington issues a medical assistant-phlebotomist credential. WAC 246-827-0400 lists three qualifying routes, but the application rule and current agency instructions document only the school-program and practitioner-approved training routes. The official sources do not line up.

Does Nevada require a phlebotomy license?

Nevada does not issue a credential called phlebotomist. For ordinary work in a licensed laboratory, phlebotomists qualify as laboratory assistants. The current rule names six national certifiers, including NHA and NPA, and also provides training and experience routes. A laboratory licensed only to collect specimens has a narrow separate rule.

Does Louisiana require a phlebotomy certificate?

The certificate law remains, but La. R.S. 37:1313(D) exempts physician-directed work; clinics run by licensed health care providers; hospitals, nursing homes, and other licensed health care facilities; and qualifying CLIA-certified sites that provide five calendar days of training and two calendar weeks of on-the-job training.

Did any jurisdiction stop requiring a phlebotomy credential?

Yes. The District of Columbia repealed its phlebotomist registration effective July 19, 2024. It had been on the books since May 2, 2015.

Do you need a CLIA certificate to draw blood?

No. CMS says a CLIA certificate is not required for blood draws or specimen collection by itself. A facility that performs covered testing needs the proper CLIA certificate.

Primary sources

California

Louisiana

Nevada

Washington

Other jurisdictions cited

Federal