​Clinical Laboratory Scientist and Limited Clinical Laboratory Scientist Trainee Licenses

*The information on this page applies to the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Generalist) Trainee license.

For information about CLS Trainee licenses limited to a specialty or subspecialty select the limited license type from the list below:

• Clinical Chemist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Cytogeneticist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Hematologist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Histocompatibility Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Immunohematologist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Microbiologist Scientist Trainee License
• Clinical Toxicologist Scientist Trainee License
  

Thank you for your interest in the California Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Generalist Trainee license. Laboratory Field Services (LFS) requires applicants to submit documentation of academic coursework to qualify for licensure. For information about CLS and limited CLS licenses please visit the CLS page. 

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 only to train, not work, as a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

• Permits you to train in all specialty areas of the clinical laboratory only in Department-approved CLS training programs​.
  

Academic requirements

Bachelor’s degree (baccalaureate) with specific course requirements:

• 16 semester or equivalent quarter units of chemistry, which must include clinical chemistry OR analytical and biochemistry.
• 18 semester or equivalent quarter units of biology, which must include hematology, immunology, and medical microbiology.
• 3 semester or equivalent quarter units of physics (light and electricity)
  

Transcripts

Laboratory Field Services Personnel Licensing Section requires you to provide your official transcript from an accredited institution in order to review and determine your education and course qualifications. To be considered official, transcripts must be signed by the school registrar, indicate date of graduation and degree awarded, and postal mailed to LFS in a sealed envelope directly from the source. We do not accept scanned or photocopies of transcripts uploaded or emailed by the applicant for authentication purposes. If your transcript is under a different last name, you must upload legal proof of name change to associate the name discrepancy.

Mail the official transcripts to:

Laboratory Field Services – PLS Program

850 Marina Bay Parkway

Bldg P, 1st Floor

Richmond, CA 94804

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. The evaluation service will send an evaluation of your educational institution and academic courses directly to LFS. Official transcript from the university is required in addition to the evaluation.​

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, 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.

Request the evaluation company to postal mail the evaluation directly to:

Laboratory Field Services – PLS Program

850 Marina Bay Parkway

Bldg P, 1st Floor

Richmond, CA 94804​

Resources

Helpful links

CLS Training Programs​

LFS Approved Certification Examinations

Statutes and regulations

California Business and Professions Code, Clinical Laboratory Technology, Licensing

California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Section 1032, Clinical Laboratory Scientist (generalist)​

The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.

How to Apply

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

*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 showing your baccalaureate degree.

• NACES or AICE course-by-course evaluation.
  

For additional information you may contact LFSscientist@cdph.ca.gov.​