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, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia. 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.