New Mexico Vet & Vet Tech CE Requirements
Find New Mexico veterinary continuing education requirements for veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians, including renewal dates, required CE hours, online CE allowances, interactive requirements, required subjects, and New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine contact information.
Fun Fact: The black bear, New Mexico's state animal, became an iconic symbol of wildfire prevention after a cub was rescued from a forest fire in 1950, inspiring the creation of Smokey Bear.
Fun Fact: The official state reptile is the New Mexico whiptail, which are all female and reproduce through parthenogenesis. The female lizards lay unfertilized eggs that hatch as clones of the mother.
Veterinarians
Next Renewal Date: Varies by licensee; licenses expire annually on the last day of the veterinarian’s birth month.
Renewal Frequency: Annually
Total Required CE: 15 hours
Required Subjects: No specific subject is required. Up to 5 hours may be in facility management, records management, or the complaint process. Alternative/non-Western medicine CE is limited to 11.25 hours and must be specifically applicable to veterinary medicine.
Allowed Online: 15 hours through December 31, 2026. The Board has temporarily extended acceptance of all CE hours completed online/virtually through December 31, 2026. Under the regular rule, non-contact CE, including online training, is limited to one-half of the 15-hour annual requirement. RACE-approved CE, including qualifying ZukuCE courses, is accepted.
Interactive Required: 0 hours through December 31, 2026 under the Board's temporary online/virtual CE policy. Under the regular rule, CE generally must be completed as contact hours, with non-contact instruction limited to half of the annual requirement.
Record Retention: Veterinarians should retain proof of CE completion for at least 4 years.
Audit Information: The Board may audit reported CE. Veterinarians are responsible for proving the validity of reported hours and must provide copies of seminar registrations, completion certificates, or other documentation upon request.
Additional Information: CE is earned during the 12 months preceding the veterinarian's individual license expiration date. New licensees begin the CE requirement with the next full licensing year after initial licensure. Up to 15 excess CE hours may be carried forward to the following licensing year.
Veterinary Technicians
Next Renewal Date: December 31, 2026
Renewal Frequency: Annually; licenses expire December 31
Total Required CE: 8 hours
Required Subjects: No specific subject is required. CE must be appropriate for veterinary technicians and obtained through an approved program, including RACE-approved CE such as ZukuCE.
Allowed Online: 8 hours through December 31, 2026. The Board has extended its temporary acceptance of all CE hours completed online/virtually through December 31, 2026. Under the regular rule, non-contact instruction, including online training, is limited to one-half of the annual 8-hour requirement.
Interactive Required: 0 hours through December 31, 2026 under the Board's temporary online/virtual CE policy. Under the regular rule, non-contact CE may comprise no more than half of the 8-hour annual requirement.
Record Retention: Veterinary technicians must maintain documentation sufficient to verify completed CE hours.
Audit Information: The Board may audit reported CE. Veterinary technicians must provide documentation supporting completed CE hours upon request.
Additional Information: CE is accumulated annually from January through December. New licensees begin the CE requirement with the first full licensure year following graduation. Up to 8 excess CE hours may be carried forward to the following licensing year.
New Mexico State Board of Veterinary Medicine
Website: bvm.nm.gov
Address: 7301 Jefferson St NE, Ste H, Albuquerque, NM 87109
Phone Number: (505) 553-7021