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February 09, 2026
Led by ASCP’s Northern California chapter, California’s laboratory professionals are gearing up to fight a series of massive increases in state licensure fees for 2026.
Last year, the California legislature massively increased licensure fees for California’s laboratory professionals. Now, led by an ad hoc coalition of laboratory organizations organized by the ASCP’s Northern California chapter, they are fighting back. So far, the coalition includes ASCP, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Scientists, College of American Pathologists, California Association of Medical Laboratory Technologists, and others.
Prior to the legislature’s new law, the initial licensure fee for a two-year license was $230 and $179 for license renewal. Under the new law, the legislature has cut the licensure period to one year, increasing the compliance burden on licensees and the State. In addition, it increased both the initial licensure and renewal fees to $300 annually. The new fees represent increases of 260 and 335 percent, respectively, for initial licensure and licensure renewal.
When the legislature adopted the fee increase, it claimed that it was necessary to cover the costs of the licensure program to the State. But an analysis by ASCP reveals that licensure fees for most other non-physician level healthcare professionals are significantly lower. Licensure fees for most other health professions range from about $130-$165 on an annual basis. Registered Nurses, however, pay between $150-$179, biennially, while genetic counselors pay only $100, triennially. ASCP maintains that as the work involved for state licensure boards is relatively similar, licensing costs should be similar for most licensed professions.
ASCP will be working with its members in California and other laboratory and pathology organizations to lobby the state legislature to lower these fees, and to restore the biennial licensure requirement.
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