Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-698.8

This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-698.8, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 59, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 59,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

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Licenses - Evidence of suitability to practice -

Official statutory text

Practice without license - Certificate in lieu of license.

A. It shall be unlawful to practice veterinary medicine in this

state without a license or certificate issued by the State Board of

Veterinary Medical Examiners.

B. Requirements for licensure or certification shall be set by

the Board and may be changed as the education and training for the

practice of veterinary medicine changes. Prior to issuance of a

license or certificate to practice veterinary medicine in this

state, the applicant shall have been found by the Board to be of

good moral character and the Board shall consider but not be limited

to the following evidence of suitability to practice:

1. a. Graduation from an approved school of veterinary

medicine whose requirements at the time of graduation

are acceptable to the Board.

b. Graduates of schools of veterinary medicine located

outside the United States and Canada shall be held to

the same standards for evidence of suitability to

practice as are graduates of schools of veterinary

medicine located within the United States in that

applicants shall conform in all respects to the

requirements set forth in this section. Where

necessary, further examination shall be administered

by the Board or its designee to determine competency

to practice. In addition, applicants shall

demonstrate a command of the English language

satisfactory to the Board. Documents and material

submitted in support of application for licensure or

certification, if in a foreign language, shall be

translated and certified as accurate by an

organization acceptable to the Board;

2. Satisfactory completion of a minimum number of months of

education in veterinary medicine as a requirement for graduation

from a school of veterinary medicine as set by the Board;

3. Evidence that the applicant for licensure or certification

is of good moral character;

4. a. Except as otherwise provided by this paragraph,

evidence that the applicant has passed examinations

satisfactory to the Board and that the examination

score is acceptable to the Board. The Board may set

minimum passing scores for examinations and limit the

number of times an applicant may take an examination

in this state.

b. In lieu of national examination requirements, an

applicant shall have actively engaged in the clinical

practice of veterinary medicine for a period of at

least five thousand (5,000) hours during the five (5)

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 665

consecutive years immediately prior to making

application in Oklahoma and hold a license to practice

veterinary medicine in another state, territory,

district or province of the United States and Canada

and successfully passed the Oklahoma State

Jurisprudence Examination;

5. Evidence that the applicant has demonstrated familiarity

with the statutes and rules set by the Board;

6. Evidence that the applicant is mentally and professionally

capable of practicing veterinary medicine in a competent manner as

determined by the Board and willing to submit, if deemed appropriate

by the Board, to an evaluation of skills and abilities;

7. Evidence that the applicant has not been found guilty by a

court of law of any conduct that would constitute grounds for

disciplinary action under the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act or

rules of the Board, and there has been no disciplinary action taken

against the applicant by any public agency concerned with the

practice of veterinary medicine;

8. If the Board deems it necessary, a personal appearance by

the applicant before the Board in support of the applicant's

application for licensure or certification. If the Board is not

satisfied with the credentials of the applicant, or demonstration of

knowledge or skills presented, the Board may require further

examination or supervised practice before reconsideration of the

application; and

9. Evidence that all required fees have been paid.
ce by

the applicant before the Board in support of the applicant's

application for licensure or certification. If the Board is not

satisfied with the credentials of the applicant, or demonstration of

knowledge or skills presented, the Board may require further

examination or supervised practice before reconsideration of the

application; and

9. Evidence that all required fees have been paid.

C. Practice without the legal possession of an active license

or certificate shall be prohibited, and evidence of the practice

shall be reported by the Board to the district attorney of the

county in which the practice is found to occur.

D. Certificates may be issued to any veterinarian who has

failed to obtain or failed to maintain a regular license to practice

veterinary medicine. Such certificates may be issued by the Board

at such times as the Board determines that all requirements for

possession of such certificate have been met as set by rules and

policies of the Board. Certificates may be issued for, but not

limited to, the practice of veterinary medicine under the direct

supervision of a licensed veterinarian while the application for

full licensure is pending.

E. Any active military or their spouse who is licensed in

veterinary medicine or is registered or certified as a veterinary

technician in another state may submit a completed application for

licensure or registration in Oklahoma and if found to be in good

standing and has equivalent education, training and experience shall

be licensed within thirty (30) days. The application fee and the

first period of issuance shall be waived for such active military or

their spouse.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 666

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

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About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.