Licensing and Certification are two different types of credentials. A Professional or Trade License is issued by a government body and authorizes the license holder to practice their procession or trade in the state where the license has been issued. Certification is a professional credential issued by an industry organization. There are 12 states in the United States that require Medical Laboratory Technicians to be licensed: California, 佛罗里达, 乔治亚州, 夏威夷, 路易斯安那州, 蒙大拿, 内华达, 纽约, 北达科他, 罗德岛州, 田纳西州, 和西弗吉尼亚州. Several employers in Kentucky want Medical Lab Technicians to have the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Medical Technologist (AMT) certification within 12 months of employment.