Licence Types

All practising veterinarians in Ontario must be licensed by the College. Only licensed members of the College are allowed to call themselves a veterinarian.

The following types of licences are issued:

General

• Applicants must complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Applicants must successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• A person holding a General licence may practice veterinary medicine in Ontario, without restriction on scope, species or place of practice.

Restricted

• A Restricted licence is a licence with conditions or limitations imposed by a committee at the College.

• A Restricted licence may be requested when an applicant does not meet any or all of the requirements for a General licence.

• Applicants must successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• See Registration Committee policy on Restricted Licensure and Registration Committee information.

Educational

• Applicants must demonstrate that they are enrolled in a program of postgraduate veterinary education provided by the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• A person holding an Educational licence may engage in the practice of veterinary medicine only as required by the program of education in which the licensee is enrolled and only under the supervision of a full-time employee of the University of Guelph who holds a General licence or an Academic licence.

Postgraduate and Resident

• Applicants must demonstrate that they are enrolled as an intern, resident or Doctor of Veterinary Science student at the Ontario Veterinary College, the University of Guelph.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Applicants must successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• A person holding a Postgraduate and Resident licence may engage in the practice of veterinary medicine only as required by the program in which they are enrolled as an intern, resident or Doctor of Veterinary Science student.

Academic

• Applicants must demonstrate that they hold a full-time teaching or research appointment of professioral rank at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Successful completion of the CVO Jurisprudence Exam is required.

• A person holding an Academic licence may engage in the practice of veterinary medicine only in the department in which they hold a professorial appointment and to the extent required by the appointment.

Public Service

• Applicants must demonstrate that they are employed as a veterinarian by the Government of Canada.

• Applicants must complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• A person holding a Public Service licence may engage in the practice of veterinary medicine only in the course of employment as a veterinarian employed by the Government of Canada.

Short Term

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete an approved examination or assessment pathway.

• Applicants are not required to successfully complete the CVO Jurisprudence Exam.

• A person holding a Short Term licence must be supervised by a veterinarian holding a General licence in Ontario without conditions.

• A person holding a Short Term licence may engage in the practice of veterinary medicine only to the extent required by the appointment or consent provided by the College’s Registrar.

• The issued Short Term licence will terminate on the earliest of:

  • the day the appointment ends;
  • the day the licensee leaves Ontario; and
  • thirty days after the licence is issued.

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