āClinical 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:
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:
Academic requirement
Bachelorās degree (baccalaureate) with specific course requirements:
Transcripts
Official transcripts must be sent directly to LFS by the institution that issued the transcript. We do not accept scans or photocopies of transcripts uploaded or emailed by the applicant for authentication purposes.
If your transcript is under a different last or first name, please provide legal proof of your legal name or having a name change. Please upload and attach to your application, either legal document(s); (1) driver license and marriage/birth certificate or (2) driver license and court documents.
An official transcript is a copy of a student's permanent academic record issued by a school, college, or university identifying the student and attesting to the student's completion of specific courses with grades, credit hours, dates of attendance, academic major(s), degree or diploma granted, if any, including date of graduation, and any awards or honors. The hard copy official school transcript must bear an official seal, unique identifier of the school, or signature of the registrar, dean, or other authorized official.
You can request your institution to send an official transcript
- By secure electronic submission directly from the school, college, or university registrar, dean, or other person responsible for issuing transcripts; or
- Directly from the school, college, or university registrar, dean, or other person responsible for issuing transcripts in a sealed envelope that bears a tamper-proof mark or seal attached by the school
Ask the office to mail hard copies to:
California Department of Public Health
Laboratory Field Services ā PLS Program
850 Marina Bay Parkway
Bldg. P, 1st Floor
Richmond, CA 94804
Ask the office to email electronic copies by secure email connection to: [email protected].
Legal Authority: This requirement is in accordance with Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, section 1029, "Official Transcript."ā
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 āCurrent Membersā of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and āEndorsed Membersā 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.ā
To obtain an application, instructions, and information, visit them on the web:
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 ā PLS Program
850 Marina Bay Parkway
Bldg P, 1st Floor
Richmond, CA 94804ā
Resources
Helpful links
CLS Training Programsā
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)ā
The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.
How to Apply
Visit the LFS online application website to
create an account and submit an application.
Apply Online *You will need to pay your application fee online.
*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
For additional information you may contact
[email protected].āāāā
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