Medical Laboratory Technician Trainee License
Thank you for your interest in the California Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Trainee license. Laboratory Field Services (LFS) requires applicants to submit documentation of academic coursework to qualify for licensure.
Scope of practice
This license:
Permits you only to train, not work, as a licensed Medical Laboratory Technician.
Permits you to train in the specialties of chemistry, microbiology, diagnostic immunology, hematology, immunohematology and phlebotomy in a clinical laboratory only in a Department-approved MLT training program.
Academic requirements
If you served in the U.S. Air Force, the college work will be posted on a Community College of the Air Force transcript.
If you served in other branches of the U.S. armed forces, the college work will be posted on a transcript from an approved military college.
For additional information, please contact LFSscientist@cdph.ca.gov.
How to Apply
LFS Interim Steps in the Submission of Applications for MLT Trainee License
Pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, title 17, subsection 1030.5(a) as of January 1, 2026, LFS is authorized to issue Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) trainee license.
In response to the interest in this new trainee license from MLT trainee candidates scheduled for clinical rotation, LFS is announcing the following interim steps it will take during the license application submission process for this license.
Until we can complete alterations to our application portal, LFS will process MLT Trainee Licenses by using the existing Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Generalist) Trainee application framework.
Applicants will need to modify the application to reflect their eligibility for the MLT Trainee License following the steps listed below.
Visit the LFS online application website to create an account.
Submit an application by following the instructions below:
In the "Expertise Details" section, proceed to the "Education Details" section and click "Add new education".
Since a Bachelor's Degree is required for the CLS (Generalist) Trainee License, applicants pursuing the MLT Trainee License should select "Bachelor's Degree" even if they only possess an Associate's Degree or have completed at least 6 semester or equivalent quarter credit hours in chemistry and 6 semester or equivalent quarter credit hours in biology and the remaining required credit hours are completed concurrently with the practical training.
In the "Course of Study" field, applicants should enter "MLT (Trainee)" and complete the remaining fields according to their educational background.
After submitting this information and proceeding, in Step 6 (View Disclosure), you can disregard the content, as it pertains to CLS (Generalist) Trainee licenses and not MLT Trainee Licenses.
Finally, you will need to sign and pay the necessary fees to officially submit your application.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to integrate the new license category into our system.
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:
- Official transcript showing your associate degree
- NACES or AICE course-by-course evaluation.
For additional information you may contact LFSscientist@cdph.ca.gov.
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 licensure 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 (1) driver license and marriage/birth certificate or (2) driver license and court documents of the name change.
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 – 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 transcripts from the educational institution are required in addition to the evaluation.
To obtain an application, instructions, and information, visit them on the web:
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.
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
Renewal
Once you receive your license you will need to renew every year. To renew, you must pay a fee. For information about the renewal process please visit the LFS renewal web page.
Resources & Helpful Links
Statutes & Regulations
The requirements listed may not be comprehensive.
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 (California Code of Regulations 1029).