Clinical Chemist License 

Thank you for your interest in the California Clinical Chemist license. Laboratory Field Services (LFS) requires applicants to submit documentation of academic coursework, clinical training, work experience and verification of board certification to qualify for licensure.

Work experience in California as an unlicensed laboratory staff person will not be accepted as qualification toward any clinical laboratory license. Please note that biotech/pharmaceutical, forensic, academic, veterinary, research, and student laboratory experience cannot count as work experience or training for any clinical license. ​

Scope of practice

This license permits you to direct a laboratory certified under CLIA for performing high complexity testing in all areas of the specialty of chemistry.

Academic requirements

• Master of Science or doctoral degree in chemistry.

• Official transcripts must verify the completion of 30 semester or equivalent quarter units of graduate chemistry courses
  

Non-US transcripts

All non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an LFS approved evaluation service to determine if your education is equivalent to an accredited college or university education in the U.S. LFS will accept educational transcript evaluations by “Current Members" of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and “Endorsed Members" of the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE)  if completed on or after August 15, 2016. Evaluations completed before August 15, 2016 will only be accepted if completed by AACRAO.​ You will need both the general and the course by course evaluations. The evaluation service will send an evaluation of your educational institution and academic courses directly to LFS.​​​

To obtain an application, instructions, and information, visit them on the web:

• National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
  

• Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE)
  

If you are an applicant whose education is from a non-U.S. school, college, university, or clinical laboratory, please make sure that your name is printed in English on all your transcripts and supporting documents and that it matches your name on the application.

Training and Experience

• Minimum one year of post-graduate training in clinical chemistry.

AND

• Three years of applicable work experience in a clinical laboratory certified under CLIA, two years of which shall have been at a supervisory level.

• Verification must be signed by the training coordinator (for training) or laboratory director (for experience).
  

Examinations

The American Board of Clinical Chemistry certification for clinical chemist is approved by the Department for clinical chemist licensure as of January 1, 2005. Applicants who are certified before this date must re-take the certifying examination.

Oral examination:

• Most applicants will be required to take a Department-administered oral examination based on the laws and regulations pertaining to a laboratory director's responsibilities.

• Applicable laws and regulations:

• California Business and Professions Code, Division 2. Healing Arts, Chapter 3. Clinical Laboratory Technology, Sections 1206.5 and 1209

• California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Sections 1030, 1030.5-1030.8
  

Renewal

Once you receive your license you will need to renew it every two years. To renew, you must pay a fee and submit documentation of continuing education. For information about the renewal process please visit the LFS renewal webpage.​

Resources

Helpful links

LFS Approved Certification Examinations

Statutes and regulations

California Business and Professions Code, Sections 1202.5, 1207, 1209, and 1264

California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 1030.5

California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 1031.4​

The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.​​

How to Apply

Visit the LFS online application website to create an account and submit an application.

Note: Transcripts must be original documents bearing the school, college, or university registrar’s seal, and must be sent directly to LFS from the office of the college or university registrar. Request to have your transcripts mailed to:

Laboratory Field Services - Laboratory Director Program

850 Marina Bay Parkway, Bldg. P 1st Floor

Richmond, CA 94804

Additional Information:

• Verification of training and experience must be on letterhead and signed by the laboratory director.

• If your education, training, or experience is from a non-U.S. school, college, university, or clinical laboratory, please make sure that your name is printed in English on all your transcripts and supporting documents and that it matches your name on the application.

• A copy of your dissertation or thesis can be uploaded during the online application process.
  
  

*Incomplete application packages may be abandoned. All applicants whose applications have been abandoned who wish to re-apply must pay a new non-refundable application fee.

Documents you may need for your application

• Official transcript.

• NACES or AICE general and course-by-course evaluation.

• Verification of post-graduate training.

• Verification of applicable on-the-job experience in a clinical laboratory (signed by the laboratory director).

• Verification of national certification examination. 
  

For additional information you may contact LFSdirectors@cdph.ca.gov.