Can LPNs draw blood? What state boards say about venipuncture
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 4 min read · Updated November 2026
Checked against official sources: November 2026
Rules, fees and deadlines differ by state and change without notice. Check with your state board of nursing before you rely on them.
Short answer
Yes, LPNs can draw blood in many settings, but training rules differ by state. California requires board blood withdrawal certification, Texas requires a validation course before venipuncture, and New York lets trained LPNs draw from a peripheral IV but not a central line outside dialysis. The NCLEX-PN test plan includes venipuncture for blood draws.
Blood draw rules in four states
Phlebotomy by LPNs is regulated state by state, and the four boards below handle it in four different ways. The table reflects what each board publishes as of November 2026. Where a board's pages are silent, the table says so instead of filling the gap.
| State | Peripheral blood draws | Central line or PICC draws | Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Allowed with board blood withdrawal (BW) or combined IV and BW certification | The board's site does not publish this | Board-approved course or verification by a qualified professional; $50 certification fee |
| Texas | Allowed after a validation course that covers venipuncture | Any IV work on central catheters also needs validation and facility policy; PICC removal is outside scope | Board does not define or set qualifications for the course |
| New York | Trained LPNs may draw from a peripheral IV catheter; straight-stick draws are not addressed in the IV guidance | Not allowed, except in outpatient chronic dialysis facilities | IV training, repeated at least yearly in listed settings |
| Florida | Rule 64B9-12 covers IV therapy, not straight-stick phlebotomy | Allowed for IV certified LPNs under direction after central line training | 30-hour IV course plus at least 4 hours on central and PICC lines |
Employer policy sits on top of all of this. A hospital can require its own competency check or limit LPN draws even where the board allows them, so the board rule is the ceiling, not a guarantee.
Do LPNs need phlebotomy certification?
In California, yes. The Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians says an LVN must be certified by the board to perform blood withdrawal, and the certification shows on the license. Psychiatric technicians can be certified in blood withdrawal too, but not in IV therapy.
Texas takes a different route. Position Statement 15.3 says an LVN may not do venipuncture until completing a validation course, but the board does not define that course or issue an LVN IV certification, so employers and course providers fill the gap. None of the New York or Florida pages we checked describe a separate LPN phlebotomy certificate.
How California blood withdrawal certification works
California offers three certificates: IV therapy, blood withdrawal, and a combined IV and blood withdrawal certificate. You either complete a board-approved course, found through the Department of Consumer Affairs license search, or apply through BreEZe and have a qualified professional verify your skills.
For blood withdrawal alone, the verifier can be a California physician, a California RN or a licensed clinical laboratory scientist. They need six months of blood withdrawal or IV experience in an organized health care system within the last five years, or experience teaching IV or blood withdrawal courses. No one is required to verify you.
Can LPNs draw from a central line?
In New York, generally no. The Board for Nursing's IV guidance says LPNs may not draw blood from a central venous access device or central line, with an exception for outpatient chronic renal dialysis facilities, where LPNs may draw from a central line used for hemodialysis.
Florida goes the other way for trained nurses. Rule 64B9-12.005 says an LPN can perform IV therapy through central and PICC lines under RN or practitioner direction after at least four hours of instruction, and blood drawing from those lines is one of the required topics. An RN must witness the clinical check and file a proficiency statement.
How blood draws show up on the NCLEX-PN
The 2026 NCLEX-PN test plan lists perform venipuncture for blood draws, collect specimens for diagnostic testing, maintain a central venous catheter, and maintain and remove a peripheral IV catheter under Reduction of Risk Potential, which makes up 9 to 15% of the exam.
Know specimen handling, which tubes and timing matter for common labs, and when a result has to go to the RN or provider right away.
Sources
California BVNPT: VN Post-Licensure Certification. Three certificates, approved course and verification routes, verifier qualifications for blood withdrawal
California BVNPT: Frequently Asked Questions and Fee Schedule. LVN must be board certified for blood withdrawal, PTs blood withdrawal only, certification shows on license; $50 fee from bvnpt.ca.gov/licensees/fees.html
Texas Board of Nursing: Position Statement 15.3. Validation course before venipuncture and IV therapy, board does not define the course, PICC insertion and removal outside LVN scope
New York State Board for Nursing: Guidance for LPNs Who Provide IV Therapy Services. LPNs may draw from a peripheral IV catheter, may not draw from a central line except in outpatient dialysis
Florida Rule 64B9-12.005: Competency Requirements for LPN IV Therapy. 30-hour course, 4-hour central and PICC line training including blood drawing, RN proficiency statement
Common questions
Can an LPN draw blood in a doctor's office?
Often yes, but the same state rules apply in an office as in a hospital. In California the LVN still needs board blood withdrawal certification, and in Texas the validation course rule still applies. Check your board and the practice's policy.
Can LPNs draw blood cultures?
Blood cultures are a blood draw, so the state's venipuncture rules apply, plus your employer's culture collection policy. If the culture would come from a central line, the central line limits in your state also apply.
Can a California LVN with IV certification draw blood?
Not on the IV certificate alone. California issues separate IV therapy and blood withdrawal certificates, plus a combined one. To draw blood you need blood withdrawal certification or the combined IV and blood withdrawal certificate.