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Vegas Vet-cation: Game the system with Roo!

Ross Zimmerman
February 29, 2024
Work-Life Balance

Roo’s live in Vegas, baby! And if you happen to live outside of Nevada, you can get in on the fun, too. As luck would have it, a Nevada Temporary License is extraordinarily cheap (only $100) and relatively easy to get if you’re currently licensed in another state, US territory, or Washington D.C. This means a Vegas Vacation with a side of traveling relief work is very much on the menu — all it takes is a dash of preparation.

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a travel vet or just wanted to dip your toe into that incredibly fun and adventurous lifestyle, temp licenses are the name of the game — and Vegas boasts the power combo of 1) Great Vacation Spot, 2) Easy & Cheap Temp Licenses, and now 3) Roo Relief Shifts, which make it a snap to plan ahead and find relief shifts at a new destination.  

And as an extra bonus, you’ll also be able to get money back on your hotel, travel, meals, and various other expenses in the form of tax write-offs (more on this below)!   

Preparation is the name of the game

A Nevada Temporary DVM License allows veterinarians licensed in any other US state, territory, or Washington DC to practice in Nevada for up to 10 consecutive days. 

KEY DEADLINE: You’ll have to submit your temporary license application at least 30 days before you intend to practice.

Included in your application, you’ll need to provide the address(es) of the hospital(s) you’ll be working at and the dates you’re working in advance, which means the best place to start is by picking up shifts on the Roo app. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to plan your travel and get temp licensed; we recommend starting this process a few months out. Once your shifts are confirmed, you’ll be able to provide the exact dates you’ll be working and the address(es) of the hospital(s) in your Nevada Temporary License application. 

As with any Roo shift, hospitals will have 72 hours to confirm any shift requests, and you can make up to three shift requests on the same day to increase your chances of finding work. Take advantage now, you won’t be able to game the odds like this in Vegas! Once a shift is confirmed, any conflicting shift requests will automatically be withdrawn so no need to worry.

All this makes it incredibly easy to travel to Vegas, pick up a few shifts during the week, and party hard during the weekend. If your goal is to pay for your vacation, you may want to pick up a few shifts — just make sure all your shifts fall in the same 10-day window. That’s the Nevada Veterinary Board’s rule, not ours, so they’re gonna be sticklers on it.

Want to double down? Nevada allows you to get two 10-day temporary licenses in a single year! Extensions and renewals are off the table though, so if you’re looking for something longer term, you may want to get fully licensed — Nevada DVM licenses are only $200 for your first year, which are some of the cheapest veterinary licenses out there.  

How to get your Nevada Temporary License to Practice Veterinary Medicine in Las Vegas 

To apply for a Nevada Temporary License, start with this application. Weighing in at only three pages, this is one of the shorter ones we’ve seen. 

All official documents below can be emailed to mail@vetboard.nv.gov.

What you need:

  1. Submit documentation of your current, active license, in good standing, in another US state, territory, or Washington DC  
  2. Official copy of your vet school diploma or transcript OR ECFVG certificate (digital copies okay)
  3. $100 application fee (check or money order)
  4. Dates you’ll be practicing in state and the address where you’ll be practicing
  5. 2” by 2” photograph (taken in the last 60 days)
  6. You must be a US citizen or legally authorized to work in the US 

You can provide proof of your DVM licenses with a letter of good standing sent directly from the issuing state licensing board(s), and you can have your school submit your diploma or transcripts directly to the Nevada Veterinary Board (mail@vetboard.NV.gov).

The Nevada Veterinary Board states they issue licenses in 3 to 5 business days. However, this is the timeline they give for full licenses, which they likely prioritize over temp licenses so plan ahead and give yourself extra wiggle room. No need to start rolling the dice until you’re actually in Vegas.

That’s literally it. Pretty easy, pretty quick, and pretty cheap, which is real good news if you plan on hitting the tables while you’re there. 

Tax write-offs and other perks     

Remember, when you’re traveling over 50 miles for work, you can write-off any of your travel expenses, which includes lodging, meals, transportation, mileage, and parking. Unfortunately, however, anything you lose at the craps table is on you. 

Vegas hotels are already notoriously cheap, especially during the week, so think of this as an extra discount. Your airfare to get to and from Vegas (also usually one of the cheaper flights out there), and any meals or snacks you have (within reason) on any of your work days can be written off too. Any transportation to and from your shift, such as Ubers, taxis, or a rental car if you need one are tax write-offs. And if you're driving in from somewhere nearby like Los Angeles or Phoenix, you can write off your milage and parking.

Just make sure to keep really good records of all your expenses and save those receipts!  

(Essentially) Free trip to Vegas + help a few pets along the way

When you add it all up, your trip to Vegas could pay for itself, and you may even turn a profit (just don’t put it all on black and let it ride)! Just working a few shifts will probably cover your hotel and travel expenses. Roo will let you know exactly what you’ll make for each shift so feel free to do the math yourself.    

We’re going to Vegas, and we want you to come, too! This merits a very serious, shouted from an open limousine sun roof: “Roo-hoo!”

Sources & disclaimer

The above tax tips are brought to you through our partnership with Fit Money CPA, and the advice provided here is for informational purposes only. Always check with your tax professional for up-to-date information that applies specifically to you.

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