Active, Inactive, Expired: What Each Veterinary License Status Means

When you look up a veterinarian or veterinary technician on a state board's website, the most important line on the record is the status. It is also the line most open to misreading, because boards do not all use the same words. One state says current where another says active. One shows delinquent where another simply shows expired.

This guide explains the statuses you are most likely to see, what they usually mean, and what to do about each one when you are hiring. Always read the board's own definitions too, because the exact rules are set state by state.

Active or current

This is the status you want for someone who will practice. It means the license is valid and the holder may work in that state under its terms. Some boards add detail, such as active with conditions, which brings us to discipline below.

Note the expiration date even on an active license. Many states renew every one or two years on a fixed date for everyone, so a whole group of licenses can come up for renewal at once.

Current inactive or inactive

The person holds the license but has told the board they are not practicing. People choose inactive status while they are on leave, working outside clinical practice, or living in another state. It usually costs less to keep and may have lighter continuing education requirements.

In most states an inactive licensee cannot practice until the license is reactivated. If you are hiring someone whose license shows inactive, ask about their plan to reactivate and confirm the change before their first shift. California's board, for example, shows current inactive as its own status for this situation.

Expired, lapsed or delinquent

The license was not renewed by its deadline. Some boards give a grace period during which the license shows delinquent and can be renewed with a late fee. After that it may show expired, lapsed or cancelled, and getting it back can take an application.

An expired license does not allow practice. If a candidate's record shows expired, it may simply be a missed renewal, which is easy to fix. Ask, and check again once they tell you it has been renewed.

Probation

A board has found a problem and allowed the person to keep practicing under conditions for a set time. Conditions vary: supervision, limits on certain drugs, extra education, regular reports to the board. Probation does not stop someone from working, but the conditions can affect the role you have in mind. Read the order before you decide.

Suspended

The license is temporarily not valid. The person cannot practice during the suspension. A suspension may be followed by probation once it ends.

Revoked

The board has taken the license away. The person cannot practice in that state. Some states allow an application for reinstatement after a period of time, which the board decides case by case.

Surrendered or relinquished

The licensee gave the license up. This can be routine, such as someone retiring or leaving the state, or it can happen while a complaint is being investigated. The record or the board's order usually says which.

Retired

Some states offer a retired status for people who have stopped practicing for good. It usually cannot be used to practice, though a few states allow limited volunteer work.

Statuses that are not about the person

Some records describe something other than the individual license:

• Premises or facility registrations. Several states register the practice location itself. That record belongs to the clinic, not to the people who work there.
• Permits for specific tasks. California, for example, issues a Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit to assistants who handle controlled drugs. It is a permit for one task, not a license to practice.
• Temporary or provisional licenses. These let someone work for a limited time while a full application is processed. Note the end date.

When a record has no status at all

A few boards publish lists without a status column. In those cases the list may include only people with active licenses, or every license is treated as valid until its expiration date. Read the board's note about what the list contains before you rely on it.

What to do with what you find

A status only tells part of the story, and most of what it tells is good news. The vast majority of licenses you look up will be active with nothing attached. For the ones that are not, the board's record gives you what you need to have a straightforward conversation.

For the full process, see how to verify a veterinary license in any US state.

FAQ

Can someone with an inactive license work at my practice?

Usually not as a veterinarian or credentialed technician until the license is reactivated. Ask the board what reactivation requires and confirm the change before the start date.

Does probation mean I should not hire someone?

Not necessarily. Probation lets a licensee practice under conditions. Read the board's order and decide whether the conditions fit the role.

What is the difference between expired and revoked?

An expired license was not renewed and can often be restored with a late renewal. A revoked license was taken away by the board, and the person cannot practice in that state.