Rhode Island General Laws Title 5. Businesses and Professions § 5-25-12. Expiration and renewal of licenses

(a) The certificate of every person licensed as a veterinarian under the provisions of this chapter expires on the first day of May of each even-numbered year. On or before the first day of March of each two-year (2) period, the department shall mail an application for renewal of license to every person to whom a license has been issued or renewed during the current licensure period. Every person so licensed who desires to renew his or her license shall file with the department a renewal application duly executed together with a renewal fee as set forth in § 23-1-54 on or before the thirty-first day of March of each even-numbered year.

(b) Upon receipt of an application, and payment of the renewal fee, the department shall grant a renewal license effective the second day of May, and expiring on the first day of May of the next even-numbered year.

(c) Any person who allows his or her license to lapse by failing to renew it on or before the thirty-first day of March of the next even-numbered year, as provided in subsection (a), may be reinstated by the department on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee as set forth in § 23-1-54.

(d) Any person using the title “veterinarian” during the time that his or her license has lapsed is subject to the penalties provided for violations of this chapter.

(e) Every veterinarian licensed to practice veterinary medicine within the state shall, in connection with renewal of licensure, provide satisfactory evidence to the department that in the preceding two-year period the veterinarian has completed a prescribed course of continuing professional education established by an appropriate professional veterinary medicine association and approved by rule or regulation of the department. The department may extend for only one six-month (6) period, these education requirements if the department is satisfied that the applicant has suffered hardship which prevented meeting the educational requirement.