Application for reciprocity of a medical license

Information
For Physicians

Introduction

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact offers a voluntary, expedited pathway to licensure for qualified physicians who wish to practice in multiple states. The Compact significantly streamlines the licensing process.

Applying for licensure through the Compact eliminates the need to manage multiple applications — including the time and expense of communicating with more than one state medical board.

If you are an eligible physician, you can qualify to practice medicine across state lines within the Compact if you meet the Compact’s agreed-upon eligibility requirements. You may apply through the Compact for licensure in multiple states, receiving separate licenses from each state in which you intend to practice. The states chosen must be participants in the Compact.

These licenses are still issued by the individual states – just as they would be using the standard licensing process – but because the application for licensure in these states is routed through the Compact, the overall process of gaining a license is significantly streamlined. Physicians receive their licenses much faster and with fewer burdens. Approximately 80% of U.S. physicians meet the criteria for licensure through the Compact.

The Compact currently includes 37 states, the District of Columbia and the Territory of Guam. In these jurisdictions, physicians are licensed by 50 different medical and osteopathic boards. The Compact became operational in April 2017.

Physicians apply through the Compact to receive a Letter of Qualification from a State of Principal License (SPL). Physicians cannot obtain licenses through the compact unless they have an SPL and are issued a Letter of Qualification.

In order to participate in the Compact, states must pass legislation authorizing it.

Do I qualify for Compact licensure?

It is important to determine your eligibility prior to applying to participate in the Compact. There are two types of eligibility requirements: SPL eligibility and general eligibility.

SPL eligibility

In order to receive licensure through the Compact, you must:

In addition, at least ONE of the requirements below must apply:

In order to remain active within the Compact, you must maintain your SPL status at all times. You may re-designate your SPL to another state after you have received your initial qualification – as long as the state is a participant in the Compact.

General Eligibility

In addition to having basic SPL status, there are several General Eligibility requirements. You must:

In addition, you must:

***If you completed your GME outside of the United States, please verify that your program is ACGME or AOA accredited before applying***

Each physician is responsible for making a self-determination of eligibility prior to applying to participate in the Compact, and they must confirm that they understand the Compact rules.

For further clarification, please refer to our FAQs or our Compact Policies, Rules and Laws section.

After issuing a license to a physician holding a letter of qualification, the issuing medical board may ask for additional, ancillary information to fulfill the requirements of their respective medical practice act and their operational requirements. Examples include passing a juris prudence examination, completing an on-line profile, documenting legal authorization to work in the US, etc.

The license holder is required to comply with these requests, and failure to do so may result in action against the license by the issuing board.

If you meet these requirements you can apply by visiting our application page. Be sure to confirm your eligibility before applying, as the application fee is non-refundable.

How do I apply?

To apply to participate in the Compact, you will need to complete our online application, which can be found by clicking on “Apply” in the “Go” bar at the top of our homepage. (Other functions in the “Go” bar include Renew, LOQ ReApply, Add States and Redesignate. These functions are explained below.)

As you complete any of these functions, please be sure to provide an email address that you monitor closely, as ALL Compact-related notifications will be sent to the email address you provide us. It is also a good idea to periodically check your spam folder in case Compact-related notifications do not make it to your in-box.

Here is a basic summary of the nine application steps you will complete to become a Compact participant:

  1. Confirm you are eligible. We ask that you begin the process by confirming that you are eligible to participate in IMLC. This is important, as Compact fees are non-refundable. If you are not sure of your eligibility, visit our Compact eligibility requirements.
  2. Start the application process. After you have confirmed that you are eligible, you will click on the Apply tab in the “Go” bar on our homepage to begin the process.
  3. Choose an SPL. As a first step, you will be asked to select your State of Principal License (SPL). The SPL must be a state participating in the Compact. The SPL will process your initial application.
  4. Complete the application form. You will then complete a short application to participate in the Compact.
  5. Pay the application fee. At the end of the application process you will be required to pay by credit card a non-refundable application fee of $700.00. You will receive an email receipt for your payment.
  6. Complete mandatory fingerprinting. After your designated SPL receives your application, it will contact you with instructions on obtaining fingerprints in order to complete a national criminal background check. You will have 60 days to obtain and submit your fingerprints. Along with reviewing your training and other qualifications, the Compact verification process involves querying data banks and completing the criminal background check. As a result, it may take several weeks for your selected SPL to complete this step.