In New York, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, and several other licensed healthcare professionals can order clinical laboratory tests. The state also allows limited direct-to-consumer testing without any provider order at all. New York’s rules are more specific than many states, with certain professions restricted to an approved list of tests tied to their scope of practice.
Physicians, NPs, and PAs
Licensed physicians (MDs and DOs) have the broadest authority to order any clinical laboratory test in New York. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants share much of that authority within their collaborative or supervisory agreements. These three provider types account for the vast majority of lab orders in the state, and labs will process their requisitions without any special restrictions on test type.
Specialists With Limited Ordering Authority
Several other licensed professions can order lab tests in New York, but only from a state-approved list that matches their scope of practice. The New York State Education Department’s Office of the Professions publishes these approved test lists for each profession.
- Chiropractors can order from a specific list of clinical laboratory tests approved by the state. The approved list was last revised in 2002 and is limited to tests relevant to chiropractic diagnosis and treatment.
- Optometrists can order laboratory tests from their own approved list, restricted to tests relevant to eye and vision-related conditions.
- Dentists and podiatrists can order tests that fall within their defined scope of practice under New York education law.
- Midwives can order tests related to prenatal, birth, and postpartum care as defined by their practice authority.
If you see one of these specialists, they can order bloodwork or other labs directly, but only tests connected to the condition they’re treating. A chiropractor, for example, cannot order a thyroid panel or a lipid screening unrelated to musculoskeletal care.
Pharmacists: COVID, Flu, and Expanding Authority
New York pharmacists currently have authority to order and administer tests for COVID-19 and influenza. A bill (S1619) that passed the state Senate in February 2026 would expand that authority to include tests for RSV, strep throat, HbA1c (a blood sugar marker used to screen for diabetes), hepatitis C, and HIV. If signed into law, this would bring New York more in line with the 39 states that already permit pharmacists to perform a broader range of simple, FDA-approved point-of-care tests.
For now, if you walk into a New York pharmacy looking for a rapid test, your options are limited to COVID and flu unless the expansion bill completes the legislative process.
Naturopathic Doctors Cannot Currently Order Tests
New York does not license naturopathic doctors. Because there is no state licensing framework, naturopathic practitioners in New York have no legal authority to order clinical laboratory tests. A bill (S1679A) has been introduced in the state legislature that would create a licensing structure and explicitly grant naturopathic doctors the ability to order lab tests from permitted laboratories, perform in-office testing, and use provider-performed microscopy. Until that legislation passes, any lab orders from a naturopathic practitioner in New York have no legal standing with state-permitted labs.
Ordering Your Own Tests Without a Provider
Since September 2002, New York law allows clinical laboratories to offer certain tests directly to consumers with no provider order required. This is called direct access testing. The catch: it only applies to tests for which the FDA has approved an over-the-counter test kit or collection device. If you could buy a home version of the test at a pharmacy, a licensed lab can perform the professional-grade version of that same test on your request.
Common examples include cholesterol screenings, blood glucose tests, pregnancy tests, and certain STI tests. The lab performs the test, and the report goes directly to you rather than to a doctor’s office.
There are limits. Limited service laboratories (smaller labs that operate under a restricted permit, such as those in pharmacies or workplaces) cannot offer direct access testing. Only labs holding a full New York State clinical laboratory permit in the appropriate testing categories qualify. And this pathway does not cover specialized tests like comprehensive metabolic panels, cancer markers, or hormone panels that have no OTC equivalent.
What a Valid Lab Order Requires
For any provider-ordered test, New York requires a complete requisition form. The ordering practitioner’s name, address, telephone number, and license number must appear on the order. The patient’s name, date of birth, and sex are also mandatory. For Medicaid-covered testing, the practitioner’s MMIS provider identification number is required as well.
Labs are responsible for making sure the requisition is fully completed before processing the specimen. If you’re getting bloodwork done and the front desk asks you to verify your information, this is why: incomplete requisitions can delay or invalidate results.
Out-of-State Providers
New York regulations require that lab orders meet both state and federal requirements. For Medicaid laboratory services, the ordering practitioner must be licensed and authorized by law to use the findings of laboratory examinations. If you’re visiting New York temporarily and need lab work, or if your out-of-state doctor wants to order a test at a New York lab, the lab will need to verify that the ordering provider meets applicable licensing requirements. Out-of-state laboratories serving New York Medicaid patients who are temporarily outside the state must hold proper licensure or certification from their home state.