For More Information For more information on how to become a certified phlebotomy technician, please visit the California Department of Health Services’ website.

Effective April 9, all persons performing phlebotomy in California must be either licensed or certified in order to draw blood for laboratory testing. The law does, however, provide an exception for medical assistants working in physician offices under the supervision of a physician, registered nurse or other licensed healthcare provider.

If a medical assistant wants to perform phlebotomy outside a physician office or clinic, he or she must be a Certified Phlebotomy Technician under regulations of the California Department of Health Services. There are three levels of certification for phlebotomists: Limited Phlebotomy Technician (skin punctures), Certified Phlebotomy Technician I (venipunctures and skin punctures), and Certified Phlebotomy Technician II (skin punctures, venipunctures, and arterial punctures).

Health care professionals—including physicians, registered nurses, licensed vocation nurses, and clinical laboratory scientists—do not need additional phlebotomy certification to perform skin, vein, or arterial punctures, as they are authorized to do so under their professional licenses.

More details are available in CMA ON-CALL document #1605, “Medical Assistants.” ON-CALL documents are free to members at CMA's members-only website. Nonmembers can purchase ON-CALL documents for $2 per page in CMA's online bookstore.

For more information on how to become a certified phlebotomy technician, please visit the California Department of Health Services’ website.