California Medical License

A California medical license takes most physicians about three to six months and costs $674 to apply plus a $1,176 initial license fee. You apply online through the Medical Board of California‘s BreEZe system, clear a background check, and submit primary-source verification of your education, training, and exams.

Key takeaways

California medical license at a glance

The Verdict: California is one of the most sought-after states to practice in, and one of the more document-heavy to get licensed in. In our experience helping physicians file across all 50 states, the delays are almost never the Board being slow; they are missing transcripts, exam reports, or training verifications. Order every primary-source document on day one, in parallel, and a California medical license is very manageable.

How to get a California medical license, step by step

You get a California medical license by applying online through BreEZe, paying the fees, completing Live Scan fingerprints, and arranging primary-source verification of your medical school, postgraduate training, and exam scores. The Board reviews the file once both the application and fees arrive.

1. Create a BreEZe account and complete the application questions: legal name, SSN or ITIN, address of record, every licensing exam taken, medical school details, California ACGME training, and any other licenses you hold.
2. Pay the $674 application fee. You can pay the $1,176 initial license fee at the same time so the Board can issue the license as soon as the file clears.
3. Submit your Request for Live Scan Service for electronic fingerprints. Out-of-state applicants send fingerprint cards or visit a California Live Scan facility.
4. Have your medical school submit the Certificate of Medical Education (Form MED) and official transcript, or the FCVS primary-source equivalents.
5. Have each training program submit the postgraduate training certificate (Form PTA-PTB or Form CTV).
6. International graduates: submit an ECFMG Certification Status Report.

Pro tip: Pay the application and initial license fees together in BreEZe. The Board can issue the license the moment the file clears, instead of waiting on a second payment step weeks later.

Watch out: If you finished training out of state or in Canada and join a California ACGME program, you must hold your P&S License within 180 days, or stop clinical work until it is issued (BPC section 2065(g)).

California medical license requirements

To qualify for a California medical license, you need a degree from a Board-approved medical school, board-approved postgraduate training (12 months for U.S. or Canadian graduates, 24 for international), passing scores on all required exams, a clean background check, and the documentation below.

• Medical education: graduation from a U.S., Canadian, or international school approved by the Board (BPC section 2084). Schools recognized by LCME, the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools, or COCA qualify; international schools are evaluated through ECFMG.
• Postgraduate training: 12 months for U.S. and Canadian graduates, 24 months for international graduates (BPC section 2096).
• Examinations: passing scores on all required exams, such as USMLE or COMLEX (BPC section 2170).
• Background check: fingerprint results from the California Department of Justice and the FBI.

California medical license cost and fees

Expect about $1,850 in total Board fees for a new license: a $674 application fee plus a $1,176 initial license fee. Physicians enrolled in an accredited training program pay a reduced $600.50 initial fee. Renewal later runs $1,206 every two years.

California medical license processing time

Most complete California applications are reviewed within about three to six months. The Board’s stated goal is roughly 84 days for initial review, but deficient files stretch that out. Apply at least six months before your intended start date to absorb any document delays.

From the applications we process, the single biggest time sink is waiting on a medical school or past training program to return a verification form. Those requests sit outside your control, so send them first. In its 2023/24 reporting, the Board flagged 2,285 initial applications for deficiencies, which is the main reason published timelines run longer than the 84-day target.

By the numbers: The Board recommends submitting your Application for a Physician’s and Surgeon’s License at least six months before you plan to start practicing. Expedited review is available in specific cases (see the FAQ below).

How to verify or look up a California medical license

To verify a California medical license, search the Medical Board of California’s license lookup or the Department of Consumer Affairs License Search by name or license number. It returns license status, issue and expiration dates, and any public disciplinary actions in seconds, at no cost.

1. Open the Medical Board’s license lookup (DCA License Search).
2. Enter the physician’s full name or license number.
3. Review the status, expiration date, and any discipline history.

For osteopathic physicians (DOs), use the Osteopathic Medical Board of California instead. To confirm a prescriber’s federal registration, check the DEA Diversion Control Division. And to pull a physician’s National Provider Identifier quickly, use our NPI lookup tool.

California medical license renewal and CME

A California medical license renews every two years. Active physicians pay a $1,206 renewal fee through BreEZe and self-certify 50 hours of Category 1 CME per cycle. Licenses expire at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the issue month, with no grace period.

For your first renewal, you also provide proof of 36 months of board-approved postgraduate training. This is a one-time requirement. Licenses issued on or after January 1, 2024 run 26 months at first to give you extra time to submit that proof, then revert to a standard 24-month cycle.

Reciprocity, endorsement, and the IMLC in California

California does not participate in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact and offers no license reciprocity. Every physician completes California’s full application regardless of how many other states have licensed them. There is no endorsement shortcut, though prior licensure helps satisfy good-standing and verification requirements.

Two 2023 laws add narrow, short-term exceptions: AB 1369 lets certain out-of-state physicians treat patients with life-threatening conditions, and AB 232 allows a 30-day temporary practice allowance for some out-of-state licensees, but neither replaces full licensure. If you are also weighing nearby states, see our Nevada medical license guide.

Real scenario: An ER physician moving from Houston to Los Angeles holds an active Texas license, but California has no reciprocity. She files the full P&S application, and her Texas license helps only as proof of good standing, not as a shortcut around verification.

Related California licenses: PA and DEA

Physician assistants and DEA registration follow separate tracks. A PA is licensed by the Physician Assistant Board of California, not the Medical Board, and a DEA registration is federal. Both are common next steps once your P&S License is active.

Becoming a PA requires a bachelor’s degree or higher, graduation from an approved PA program, passing the PANCE, and a fingerprint background check. See our overview of physician assistant licensing for the full path. For prescribers, a California DEA registration requires a valid state license, an application, and a fee through the DEA Diversion Control Division.

Need your California license without the paperwork?

Our team handles California physician license applications end-to-end: BreEZe filing, Live Scan and fingerprint coordination, and primary-source verification of your school, training, and exams before the file reaches the Board. We work with physicians, PAs, and other clinicians across all 50 states.

This article provides general guidance only. Physician licensing requirements change frequently and vary by state. Always verify current requirements and fees with the Medical Board of California at mbc.ca.gov before submitting your application. Last fact-checked: June 9, 2026.

Written by Medicallicensing Team · Reviewed by David Ivaniuk, CEO Medicallicensing · Last updated: June 9, 2026 · Last fact-checked: June 9, 2026

About the reviewer

David Ivaniuk is the CEO of Medicallicensing, a licensing services company that has helped physicians, PAs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals navigate state licensing, DEA registration, and payer enrollment across all 50 U.S. states.

References

1. Medical Board of California. “Fees.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.
2. Medical Board of California. “Application Processing Times.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.
3. Medical Board of California. “Renew.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.
4. Medical Board of California. “Transition Process.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.
5. California Legislative Information. “Business and Professions Code sections 2065, 2084, 2096, 2170.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.
6. Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission. “Compact member states.” Retrieved June 2026. Link.