Radiologic technologist license by state: who issues what

A radiologic technologist license, certificate or permit is required in 37 jurisdictions, and an accreditation or registration in 2 more. Check yours.

The state rules apply where you take the images

Example: Texas· change any figure to see your own result

Texas: state credential to take x-rays

Yes

Yes, a state certification

What the state issuesYes, a state certification
Issued byTexas Medical Board
Limited x-ray operatorYes: a limited certification
ARRT primary exam$225
What to doPass the exam the state accepts, then apply to Texas Medical Board

Rule from the ASRT state table, checked against the page of Texas Medical Board on November 13, 2026.

How this is computed

Compiled by Radif Partners · How the rules were read

Read on November 13, 2026, the state table of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists sorts the 50 states and DC into four groups for radiography. 37 issue a state credential, under different names: a license in most, a certification in states such as California, Florida, Arizona and Texas, a certificate in Delaware and Tennessee, a permit in Iowa. 2 use another form: Illinois, Mississippi (an accreditation in Illinois, a registration in Mississippi). 4 have no license but a training standard: Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Pennsylvania. 8 have no rule for the profession: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota. ARRT itself writes that more than 75% of states have licensing laws covering radiologic technology. Where a state credential exists, the ARRT exam is usually the way in, but you apply to the state separately.

Radiologic technologist license by state, in four groups

Radiography in the 50 states and DC (ASRT table, read November 13, 2026)
GroupStatesWhat it means
State license, certificate or permit37Apply to the state agency, usually with the ARRT result
State accreditation or registration2: Illinois, MississippiSame in practice: a state credential to hold
Training standard, no license4: Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, PennsylvaniaEducation or national credentials expected; nothing to file
No state rule8: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South DakotaEmployers hire on ARRT

Limited x-ray operator: is there a permit in your state?

Example: Texas· change any figure to see your own result

Texas: limited x-ray credential

Yes

A limited certification, issued by Texas Medical Board

Limited x-ray operatorYes: a limited certification
Full radiographerYes, a state certification
States and DC with a limited credential27
Full calculator: Limited x-ray license →

All 51 jurisdictions

State credentials for radiography and limited x-ray (ASRT table)
StateRadiographyLimited operatorAgency
AlabamaNo state licenseNoneAlabama Department of Public Health, Radiation Control
AlaskaNo state licenseNoneAlaska Radiological Health Program
ArizonaYes, a state certificationcertificationArizona Bureau of Special Licensing
ArkansasYes, a state licenselicenseArkansas Radiologic Technology Licensure Program
CaliforniaYes, a state certificationpermitCalifornia Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch
ColoradoNo state license; a training standard appliesNoneColorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Radiation Management
ConnecticutYes, a state licenseNoneConnecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section
DelawareYes, a state certificatecertificateDelaware Authority on Radiation Protection
District of ColumbiaYes, a state licenseNoneDC Health
FloridaYes, a state certificationcertificationFlorida Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control
GeorgiaNo state license; a training standard appliesNoneGeorgia Department of Community Health
HawaiiYes, a state certificationNoneHawaii Department of Health, Indoor and Radiological Health Branch
IdahoNo state licenseNoneIdaho Radiation Control Program
IllinoisYes, a state accreditationNoneIllinois Emergency Management Agency
IndianaYes, a state licenselicenseIndiana Department of Health
IowaYes, a state permitpermitIowa Department of Health and Human Services
KansasYes, a state licenseNoneKansas Board of Healing Arts
KentuckyYes, a state licenselicenseKentucky Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy
LouisianaYes, a state licenseNoneLouisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners
MaineYes, a state licenselicenseMaine Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners
MarylandYes, a state licenseNoneMaryland Board of Physicians
MassachusettsYes, a state licenseNoneMassachusetts Radiation Control Program
MichiganNo state licenseNoneMichigan Radiation Safety Section
MinnesotaNo state license; a training standard applieslicenseMinnesota Department of Health, Radiation Control
MississippiYes, a state registrationpermitMississippi State Department of Health, Professional Licensure
MissouriNo state licenseNoneMissouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Radiation Control Program
MontanaYes, a state licensepermitMontana Board of Radiologic Technologists
NebraskaYes, a state licenselicenseNebraska Department of Health and Human Services
NevadaYes, a state licenselicenseNevada Radiation Control Program
New HampshireYes, a state licenselicenseNew Hampshire Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy
New JerseyYes, a state licenselicenseNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
New MexicoYes, a state certificationcertificationNew Mexico Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Program
New YorkYes, a state licenseNoneNew York Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection
North CarolinaNo state licenseNoneNorth Carolina Radiation Control
North DakotaYes, a state licenselicenseNorth Dakota Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Board
OhioYes, a state licenselicenseOhio Department of Health, Radiologic Licensure
OklahomaNo state licenseNoneOklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision
OregonYes, a state licensepermitOregon Board of Medical Imaging
PennsylvaniaNo state license; a training standard appliesNonePennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Radiation Control
Rhode IslandYes, a state licenseNoneRhode Island Department of Health
South CarolinaYes, a state certificationcertificationSouth Carolina Radiation Quality Standards Association
South DakotaNo state licenseNoneSouth Dakota Department of Health
TennesseeYes, a state certificateNoneTennessee Board of Medical Examiners
TexasYes, a state certificationcertificationTexas Medical Board
UtahYes, a state licenselicenseUtah Division of Professional Licensing
VermontYes, a state licenseNoneVermont Office of Professional Regulation
VirginiaYes, a state licenselicenseVirginia Board of Medicine
WashingtonYes, a state certificationNoneWashington State Department of Health
West VirginiaYes, a state licensepermitWest Virginia Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board
WisconsinYes, a state licensepermitWisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
WyomingYes, a state licenselicenseWyoming Board of Radiologic Technologist Examiners

Moving? The moving checker compares two states. The ARRT fees come before any state fee.

Questions students and technologists ask

Tap a question to see the answer.

Which states do not require a license for radiologic technologists?

Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, according to the ASRT table we read. In Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, a training standard still applies; Colorado, for example, says plainly that it is a non-licensure state for ARRT-certified technologists.

Is a state certification the same as a license?

For the job, yes: you cannot take x-rays in that state without it. The name changes with the state: license, certification, certificate, permit, accreditation or registration. The ASRT table treats them all as licensure, “any form of permission granted by state to practice”.

Do I need both ARRT and a state license?

In the states that issue a credential, usually yes: the state grants its license on the strength of the ARRT exam, and many employers also want ARRT registration kept current. In states without a credential, ARRT certification is what employers check.

Next steps

How to become a radiology tech

Program, ARRT exam, state license: the route, its cost in your state and the states that license.

Limited x-ray license

27 jurisdictions credential limited x-ray operators; the name each uses and the rules we read.

Moving to another state

Licensed in one state, moving to another: whether you need a new state credential, and where to apply.

ARRT exam cost

Primary $225, postprimary $225, through ARDMS or NMTCB $450: your total.

State tables, agency pages, fee pages and federal files behind this page (6)

Each form number, fee, length and signer list was read on these official documents on November 13, 2026.

Compiled by

Independent publisher of state-by-state licensing rules and exam cost calculators for sonographers and radiologic technologists. Paid by no one: no school lead, no affiliate link, no paid placement.

Checked on · Editorial policy · Contact

The answers apply the ASRT state table and the agency pages read on November 13, 2026, and the IPEDS files for 2023-24. Rules change: your state agency decides.