Phlebotomy Certification Requirements in Louisiana
Louisiana is one of only four US states that credential phlebotomists at the state level. To draw blood for clinical testing here you need the LSBME clinical laboratory personnel certificate (phlebotomist), issued by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. This page lays out exactly what that takes — every fact checked against the agency's own pages and state law.
Louisiana Phlebotomy Requirements at a Glance
- Credential
- LSBME clinical laboratory personnel certificate (phlebotomist)
- Issuing agency
- Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME)
- Accepted certifying bodies
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) · National Certification Agency (NCA) — merged into ASCP BOC in 2009; listed as codified · American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT) · National Phlebotomy Association (NPA) · American Medical Technologists (AMT) · American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) · National Allied Health Test Registry (NAHTR) · International Academy of Phlebotomy Science (IAPS)
- Fees
- Per LAC 46:XLV.3529 (LSBME rules, accessed 2026-07-21): fee for obtaining OR renewing a phlebotomist certificate is $40 (laboratory assistant also $40; clinical laboratory scientist and cytotechnologist $65). Delinquent fee: an additional $50 for failure to renew by January 1. The current LSBME online application confirms a non-refundable $40 application fee paid by credit/debit card.
- Renewal
- Annual, on a calendar-year cycle: per LAC 46:XLV.3527, every license/certificate expires on the last day of the year in which it was issued and must be renewed on or before its expiration date (renewal notices are mailed by November 15; online renewal opens 56 days before expiration). Continuing education: per LAC 46:XLV.3533, every person licensed or certified under the clinical laboratory personnel chapter must complete a minimum of 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs) of continuing education each calendar year, with no carryover; LSBME requires licensees to track CE in CE Broker and blocks renewal if credits are not recorded.
- Verify a credential
- Official Louisiana lookup portal
This table shows only facts we verified from the agency's own pages or Louisiana law on the dates listed under Sources. If a detail you need is missing or marked unpublished, confirm it with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners directly before you rely on it.
AlliedHealthTests is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), or any certifying organization.
How Louisiana Regulates Phlebotomists
Mandatory state certification. Louisiana regulates phlebotomists as a category of clinical laboratory personnel under the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME). A phlebotomist — defined in board rules as an individual performing invasive procedures for the collection of blood samples — must hold LSBME certification (application category "Clinical Laboratory Personnel — Phlebotomist") unless working under a statutory exemption. Authority: La. R.S. 37:1311–1329 and LAC Title 46, Part XLV, Subpart 2, Chapter 35.
Eligibility and Training Requirements
Per LAC 46:XLV.3509.F, to be eligible for certification as a phlebotomist an applicant must: (1) possess a high school diploma or its equivalent; and (2) have successfully completed a certification examination approved by (or written and administered by) the board and its Clinical Laboratory Advisory Committee, following completion of a phlebotomist training program satisfactory to the board consisting of a minimum of 20 lecture hours or adequate practical hours covering specimen collection, tube selection, quality control, anticoagulants, blood-vessel anatomy and circulatory physiology, blood components, and hemostasis. Per LAC 46:XLV.3527.D and the current LSBME application instructions, the application must include a recent photograph, the fee, evidence of the training program and passing exam score (the score report must be sent directly from the examination agency to LSBME — applicant-submitted reports are not accepted), a certified birth certificate or proof of lawful entry for non-U.S. citizens, notarized oath and third-party authorization, and a criminal-history background check. Applications are filed online through the LSBME LaMED Dashboard.
Notes From the Rules and Our Review
Verification portal: the LSBME "Verify a License/Find a Practitioner" tool at online.lasbme.org/#/verifylicense confirmed reachable 2026-07-21 (HTTP 200; it is a JavaScript single-page app, so content renders in-browser). The approved-certifying-organization list in acceptedCerts is the list codified in the board's phlebotomy rule (LSBME Clinical Laboratory Personnel rules PDF, May 2016 codification); the current application instructions say only "a national exam approved by the board" — candidates should confirm their exam with LSBME before applying (licensing@lsbme.la.gov, (504) 568-6820). Note that the NCA no longer exists as a separate body (merged into ASCP), and NHA/NCCT are not on the codified list even though they are widely accepted in other states. ASCP, AMT, NPA, ASPT, and AABB marks are trademarks of their respective organizations.
How to Verify a Phlebotomy Credential in Louisiana
The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners runs a free public lookup. Search by name or credential number to confirm a credential is active and unexpired — before a first shift, at renewal time, or to check that your own record shows what an employer will see.
Louisiana Phlebotomy Certification FAQs
Do you need a license to work as a phlebotomist in Louisiana?
Mandatory state certification. Louisiana regulates phlebotomists as a category of clinical laboratory personnel under the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME). A phlebotomist — defined in board rules as an individual performing invasive procedures for the collection of blood samples — must hold LSBME certification (application category "Clinical Laboratory Personnel — Phlebotomist") unless working under a statutory exemption. Authority: La. R.S. 37:1311–1329 and LAC Title 46, Part XLV, Subpart 2, Chapter 35.
Which national phlebotomy certifications does Louisiana accept?
Louisiana's published list of accepted certifying organizations: American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP); National Certification Agency (NCA) — merged into ASCP BOC in 2009; listed as codified; American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT); National Phlebotomy Association (NPA); American Medical Technologists (AMT); American Association of Blood Banks (AABB); National Allied Health Test Registry (NAHTR); International Academy of Phlebotomy Science (IAPS). Confirm the current list with the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners before scheduling an exam, since boards update it.
How much does Louisiana phlebotomy certification cost?
Per LAC 46:XLV.3529 (LSBME rules, accessed 2026-07-21): fee for obtaining OR renewing a phlebotomist certificate is $40 (laboratory assistant also $40; clinical laboratory scientist and cytotechnologist $65). Delinquent fee: an additional $50 for failure to renew by January 1. The current LSBME online application confirms a non-refundable $40 application fee paid by credit/debit card.
How often do you renew a phlebotomy credential in Louisiana, and is continuing education required?
Annual, on a calendar-year cycle: per LAC 46:XLV.3527, every license/certificate expires on the last day of the year in which it was issued and must be renewed on or before its expiration date (renewal notices are mailed by November 15; online renewal opens 56 days before expiration). Continuing education: per LAC 46:XLV.3533, every person licensed or certified under the clinical laboratory personnel chapter must complete a minimum of 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs) of continuing education each calendar year, with no carryover; LSBME requires licensees to track CE in CE Broker and blocks renewal if credits are not recorded.
How do you verify a phlebotomy credential in Louisiana?
Use the official public lookup run by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners at https://online.lasbme.org/#/verifylicense — search by name or credential number to confirm a credential is active and unexpired.
Sources
Last reviewed July 21, 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against the primary sources below on the dates shown.
- LSBME Rules — Clinical Laboratory Personnel, LAC 46:XLV Chapter 35 (phlebotomist eligibility §3509.F; renewal §3527; fees §3529; CE §3533) — linked from lsbme.la.gov/licensure/rules Accessed July 21, 2026
- LSBME — Application & Instructions for Initial Licensure, Clinical Laboratory Personnel ($40 fee; score report direct from exam agency; background check; LaMED Dashboard) Accessed July 21, 2026
- LSBME — Renewals (online renewal, 56-day window, late fees, CE Broker requirement) Accessed July 21, 2026
- LSBME — Clinical Laboratory Personnel licensure hub Accessed July 21, 2026
- LSBME — Verify a License / Find a Practitioner Accessed July 21, 2026
The other licensing states
A National Exam Is Part of the Louisiana Path
Louisiana accepts specific national certifying organizations, so exam prep is built into the process. Our free practice test covers the core domains every certifying body tests — no signup, instant scoring, an explanation for every answer.
AlliedHealthTests is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), or any certifying organization.