Need CE fast: a California renewal-crunch guide (DVM + RVT)

Last verified 2026-10-14. Only facts from official or organizer pages are included. A — means the page didn’t say, so check before relying on it. Browse everything on the free CE hub.

How to finish your CA hours fast

1. Know your number. DVMs need 36 hours per 2-year renewal (16 CCR 2085.1). RVTs need 20 hours (16 CCR 2086.2). Your first renewal after licensure is exempt.
2. Do live first. Live webinars and video conferences with real-time interaction count fully. On-demand or recorded courses with no participatory interaction count as self-study (16 CCR 2085(e)–(f)), which is capped at 6 hours for DVMs and 4 hours for RVTs. Every webinar below is live. If you watch the recording later, it becomes self-study.
3. Antimicrobial hour. DVMs need 1 hour on antimicrobial drug stewardship every 4 years, which falls on every other renewal (VMB). The VMB lists two examples: USDA APHIS NVAP Module #23 (requires a National Accreditation Number) and VetVine’s 1-hour RACE course (VMB course list). The VETgirl MIC webinar on Nov 8 covers related material, but it isn’t on the VMB list. Check that its content fits before counting it.
4. Approved provider only. Courses need to come from a statutory provider (AVMA-accredited vet schools, AVMA/CVMA/local VMAs and allied groups, and others) or be RACE-approved (CVMA CE FAQ). Each course must be at least 1 hour, counted as 50 minutes (16 CCR 2085.3). Confirm that 30-minute sessions count before relying on them.
5. Business and wellness cap. At most 24 hours may be business, practice-management or stress-management topics (per CVMA). AAHA’s and SCVMA’s tax and practice webinars fall in this bucket.
6. Spay/neuter (AB 1733, 2026). Spay/neuter volunteer credit is being split out from the self-study cap (DVM 6 + 4, RVT 4 + 2). The effective date has not been confirmed by the VMB yet (bills without an urgency clause usually take effect Jan 1). Check with the VMB before counting it.
7. Save every certificate the same day. Keep them for 4 years (16 CCR 2085.9 for DVMs, 2086.8 for RVTs). The renewal is self-certified, and CVMA says about 10% of renewals are audited.
8. Repeat sessions don’t stack. Elanco runs several talks on more than one date. Count each course once.

Live and free (or low-cost), Oct 14, 2026 – Jan 12, 2027

There are 55 live sessions. Times are as posted by each provider (ET = 3 hours ahead of PT). These count fully under CA rules if you attend live.

On-demand catalogs (self-study: 6-hour DVM / 4-hour RVT cap)

Fastest legal path for a DVM short on hours (example)

• Use up to 6 hours of free on-demand courses (IDEXX, Zoetis, Elanco, Hill’s, VetMedTeam), including the antimicrobial hour if it’s due.
• Fill the remaining hours with live webinars: Elanco evenings, VETgirl Sunday/Monday nights, dvm360, SCVMA lunch Zooms, and the Merck PSV Nov 9 session.
• For a large block in one day: AggieVET SoCal on Nov 14 (7 hours, San Diego or live Zoom; registration closes Oct 30) or Fetch Long Beach on Dec 3–5 (14 hours; RACE pending). See the conference calendar.

Gaps and caveats

• Not verified (data left null): dvm360 cost per webinar, Merck cost, AAHA hours, Purina RACE status and hours, IDEXX live-event RACE status and cost, VECCS RACE status, and UC Davis mini-bootcamp price and hours.
• Not found: no current free live sessions from Zoetis, Hill’s or VIN in the window (their on-demand catalogs are listed above). No ACVECC webinars found (VECCS x VIN is listed instead). VetFolio’s free-access list needs a login to see titles.
• Blocked: VETgirl and VECCS feeds and some Purina pages blocked automated fetches. These were read through public pages instead.
• VETgirl RACE program numbers are shown as displayed. They look like sponsor-series numbers.

VetWander is an independent guide, not legal advice. Confirm your requirements with the Veterinary Medical Board.