The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board (NCVMB) is an occupational licensing board, not a private professional association. It was created by state law and is required to follow that law. When the Board fails to enforce standards, ignores complaints, or exceeds its authority, there are formal ways to challenge and correct that behavior.

This page explains how the NCVMB is overseen — and how the public can use those oversight mechanisms.

The NCVMB Is Not Above the Law

The NCVMB’s authority comes entirely from the North Carolina General Statutes. It does not have unlimited discretion to interpret, ignore, or rewrite the law. Like all occupational licensing boards, it is subject to:

• Legislative oversight

• Rulemaking review

• Judicial review

• Ethical and financial accountability

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These safeguards exist to protect the public — not the profession.

Legislative Oversight: Where Structural Accountability Lives

The North Carolina General Assembly oversees licensing boards primarily through the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee (APO).

By law, the NCVMB must:

• File annual reports and financial disclosures

• Comply with statutory mandates governing discipline, transparency, and enforcement

• Operate only within the authority granted by statute

 If the Board fails to comply, the legislature can:

• Order a performance or financial audit by the State Auditor

• Suspend the Board’s authority to spend money until compliance is restored

• Amend the law to restrict or clarify the Board’s powers

Legislative oversight is one of the most effective ways to address systemic failures, not just individual cases.

Rulemaking Oversight: Stopping Boards from Making Their Own “Law”

The NCVMB cannot create binding rules on its own.

Any new rule or policy interpretation must be reviewed by the Rules Review Commission (RRC), which evaluates whether:

• The Board has legal authority to adopt the rule

• The rule complies with statutory limits and procedural requirements

Members of the public may submit objections if a rule exceeds the Board’s authority or improperly shields licensees from accountability.

If the Board attempts to regulate by “policy,” “interpretation,” or informal practice rather than lawful rulemaking, that conduct can be challenged.

Judicial Review: Challenging Unlawful Board Actions

The NCVMB is subject to the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act.

When the Board:

• Fails to act on serious complaints

• Acts arbitrarily or inconsistently

• Misrepresents the law or evidence

• Shields licensees without statutory basis

Affected parties may file a contested case with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).

An Administrative Law Judge has the authority to overturn Board actions that are:

• Arbitrary or capricious

• Contrary to law

• Outside the Board’s statutory authority

• Violative of due process

Judicial review is a critical check when internal complaint processes fail.

Board Members Are Appointed — and That Matters

NCVMB members are not elected. They are appointed by:

• The Governor

• The Speaker of the House

• The President Pro Tempore of the Senate

• The Commissioner of Agriculture

Because board members serve by appointment, appointing officials can be contacted when the Board fails to enforce the law, demonstrates bias, or protects the profession at the expense of the public.

This is often one of the most direct ways to prompt leadership or policy changes.

When the Board Itself May Be Misconducting

If concerns involve the NCVMB’s conduct — not just a veterinarian — additional oversight bodies may be appropriate:

• State Auditor
  For financial mismanagement, transparency failures, or misuse of public funds.

• Attorney General’s Office
  For failures to fulfill consumer-protection obligations or comply with state law.

• State Ethics Commission
  For conflicts of interest, self-dealing, or ethical violations by Board members.

These entities exist to address institutional misconduct, not individual malpractice alone.

Why This Oversight Exists

Occupational licensing boards are granted significant power over the public. In exchange, they are required to:

• Enforce professional standards

• Protect consumers

• Operate transparently

• Follow the law exactly as written

When a board prioritizes professional protection over public safety, oversight mechanisms are not “extraordinary” — they are the system working as designed.

Key Takeaway

If the NCVMB fails to enforce the law, ignores credible complaints, or exceeds its authority, the public is not powerless.

There are lawful, structured ways to:

• Escalate concerns beyond the Board itself

• Trigger audits, rule review, or judicial scrutiny

• Hold both the Board and its members accountable

Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward meaningful accountability.

 Disclaimers: