District of Columbia Medical License

District of Columbia Board of Medicine: A Guide to Licensing & Renewals

The DC Board of Medicine (BoMed), a branch of the DC Department of Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration (HRLA), was established in 1879. Its duty is to govern the practice of medicine (MD/DO) in the District of Columbia.

Representatives of the Board are selected by the Mayor and undertake three-year terms, with a maximum of three years. The Board publishes a quarterly newsletter with up-to-date information on its operations. 

The Board accepts applications for:

• licensure through national examination; 
• waiver of national examination; 
• reactivation of an inactive license; 
• reinstatement of an expired, suspended, or revoked license, 
• licensure by eminence. 

All candidates for licensure must demonstrate to the Board’s satisfaction that they have the necessary abilities, knowledge, decision-making, and character to practice healthcare in the District of Columbia.

The Board also oversees the regulation of 

• Trauma Technologists, 
• Physician Assistants, 
• Naturopathic Physicians, 
• Anesthesiology Assistants, 
• Acupuncturists, 
• Surgical Assistants, 
• Polysomnographers, 
• Athletic Trainers, 
• Postgraduate Physicians in Training. 

District of Columbia Medical License Application Process

Phase 1: Processing

Your application and fees have to be submitted, and all of the supporting paperwork have to be received by the processing division within 120 calendar days of the submission date. Missing documentation notifications will be sent out at 30, 60, and 90-day intervals. When all of your documents are received, the application will have passed through the processing phase and will be forwarded to the Health Licensing Specialist (HLS) for review.

Phase 2: Analysis

The HLS will perform a more thorough evaluation of all of the papers you supplied. If necessary, the HLS may seek further information from you to wrap up the analysis process. Once step 2 is complete, your application is designated as awaiting approval by the board and forwarded to the Board of Medicine for consideration. 

Phase 3: Decision

Once the Board has evaluated your application and determined that it complies with the rules and regulations for license approval, you will get a license certificate within one week. If the Board believes that your application fails to fully comply with all of the statutory or regulatory licensure requirements, it may request further information from you or request that you appear before them to answer additional questions pertinent to licensure approval. 

If the Board determines that you do not fulfill the standards for licensing or if there is a legal or practice concern that jeopardizes your suitability for licensure, they can officially ask that you withdraw the application or tell you that they plan to refuse your application.

District of Columbia Expedited License

Obtaining a license may be a time-consuming procedure for physician candidates, and because to the close proximity and geographical link of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, many physicians require licenses in all three jurisdictions. The District of Columbia Board of Medicine also has an expedited licensure pathway for US/Canadian educated physicians.

It is important to note that using telehealth does not reduce the need for licensing. The practice of healthcare happens where the patient is situated, hence any practitioner offering telehealth services to patients in the District of Columbia must be licensed by the proper licensing board. DC Health recognizes that many practitioners in the District may provide services to individuals located outside of the District; in such cases, practitioners should consult with the jurisdiction where a patient is located before deciding what, if any, type of a license is required to treat that patient.

The District of Columbia Board of Medicine is also the part of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLCC). The Compact provides an accelerated method for qualifying physicians (MD/DO) to seek license in member states by submitting a single application.

District of Columbia Medical License Requirements

There are five primary procedures for becoming a licensed physician in the District of Columbia. These methods include: 

• Examination: First attempt to pass USMLE, Step 3. 
• Re-examination: Second or subsequent attempt to pass USMLE, Step 3. 
• License by Exam: Successful completion of USMLE Steps; NBME or NBOME Parts, or FLEX Components; the licensing examination that is administered by the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada; combinations of FLEX, NBME, and USMLE; or passing a state constructed examination. 
• Eminence 1: A foreign-trained physician who is of recognized eminence and standing in a discipline of medicine or medical study in the international community and fulfills additional requirements; has been practicing for at least ten years; has successfully finished a two-year clinical training course in the United States; possesses a current ECFMG certificate and a foreign license in good standing. 
• Eminence 2: A foreign-trained physician who has practiced for at least ten years, is nominated by the Dean of an accredited school of medicine in the District of Columbia, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, or the Director of an accredited and licensed hospital in the District of Columbia, and meets other criteria. The license is confined to the practice of a specialization at the nominated institution.

Other requirements include:

• Approved medical school.
• Post-graduate education.
• Verification of all previous medical licenses, if any.
• 3 references from DC licensed physicians in good standing.
• Proof of ECFMG certification, if applicable.
• Criminal background check.

Physician assistants requirements are similar, including:

• Online application and pay the application fee.
• Accredited educational program.
• NCCPA certificate.
• Verification of all previous medical licenses, if any.
• 2 references from DC physicians with at least two years of expertise in the same specialty.
• Criminal background check.

For nurses, the process is administered by the DC Board of Nursing and typically includes similar prerequisites:

• Online application and pay the application fee.
• Accredited nursing program.
• Certification by a national nursing organization, if applicable.
• Verification of all previous nursing licensure.
• Criminal background check.

How to Get a District of Columbia Medical License

The District of Columbia Department of Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration (HRLA), largely licenses individuals using an online system. Any healthcare practitioner who wishes to apply for a medical professional license, or to renew, restore, or reactivate an existing license, should complete an online application.

The license application includes the following steps:

• Choose the type of license you seek.
• Check the box next to the basis of application by which you are applying.
• Enter your legal name exactly as it should appear on the license and submit a social security number.

Your social security number won’t be available to the public, but if it is not given, your application is going to be returned to you. 

• Indicate your preferred mailing address to which all future documents will be mailed. Include home and business addresses.
• List post secondary schools attended, prior to and including medical/professional schools.
• Include experience from the five years before the application submission, as well as any internship, residency, or fellowship training. Include letters from employing facilities and training programs on letterhead, including your start and end date.
• List all states where you have ever held a medical license.
• If your practice is limited to a specialty, indicate the dedicated code.
• If you respond “Yes” to screening questions, please offer a detailed explanation on a separate page of paper. 

DC Board Of Medicine Physician Application Submission Requirements

1. License Application 

This is the primary document in your application. Follow instructions on the form and complete all sections. If you need extra room for employment history or need to explain screening questions, please submit written replies to the form. 

2. Character Reference Form 

The character reference form must be submitted in a sealed envelope along with your application. A form must be completed by each employer or training program within the past five years.

3. AMA Physician Profile 

All applicants must request an AMA profile to be sent to the Board of Medicine. Osteopathic applicants may submit an AOA Profile.

4. Verification of Licensure

You must obtain documentation of licensing from states where you have had a license, which will be delivered directly to the DC Board of Medicine.

5. Examination Scores 

Certified transcripts must come from the proper educational institution. Transcripts can be emailed straight to the Board or included with the application in an enclosed envelope from your educational institution.

6. Undergraduate and Medical School Transcripts 

Certified transcripts must be from the appropriate educational institution. Transcripts should be emailed straight to the Board or included with the application in an enclosed envelope directly from your educational institution.

7. Documentation of post-graduate experience (internships, residencies, and fellowships) 

8. District of Columbia Computer-Based Testing USMLE Step III Candidate Examination Fee Form 

Send this form and the examination fee to the address displayed on the form. The license fee component of the payment is reimbursed in the case of a final license refusal or an applicant’s desire to withdraw the application. 

9. Fifth Pathway Program Certificates/ FMGEMS Certificates 

Fifth Pathway Program Certificates and Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in Medical Science certificates may be requested from the Education Council for Medical Graduates.

10. Criminal Background Check

The Department of Health have to receive a criminal background check results directly from the United States Department of Justice or from a private agency designated by the Department. A health professional’s license or registration can’t be issued until a criminal background check has been properly completed. 

Processing Time for District of Columbia Medical License

The timeline for processing a medical license can vary. Typically, it takes about 12 to 16 weeks to complete. However, this period may extend depending on the specifics of your application. After wrapping up Phase 1, you should receive a decision or update on your status within two to four weeks.

District of Columbia Medical License Cost

The District of Columbia Board of Medicine levies a $805 application processing fee. This is the typical charge for most license routes.

If you are taking your license exam, you will need to budget $288. The price for retaking the test reduces to $85. After passing the exam, you must pay an additional $805 to get your license.

Fees for physicians who have been honored for their competence and contributions to medicine vary. The first tier of eminence is the same as a standard application, at $805, but the second tier, that likely represents stronger credentials or contributions, is substantially more, at $2,000.

It is important to note that application and processing costs are nonrefundable after 120 business days after submission.

DEA Registration and Renewal in the District of Columbia

In the District of Columbia, healthcare professionals who prescribe restricted medications are required to acquire and renew DEA registration.

Initial Registration

To get started with the DEA for the very first time, healthcare professionals must hold a valid medical license in the District of Columbia. The authorization application can be filed online or by mail.

Providers must disclose specific information regarding their practice and experience, including the categories of prohibited drugs they intend to handle. The DEA evaluates the application to ensure that it complies with rules, with an emphasis on the provider’s authority to prescribe restricted medications and any prior compliance difficulties.

Renewal Process

The DEA registration has to be renewed once every three years. It is critical to renew timely in order to avoid gaps in legal permission to prescribe restricted substances, which might jeopardize patient care.

Providers can complete the renewal procedure online for convenience. During renewal, providers have to update any changes to their practice or personal data and certify their continued compliance with DEA requirements.

District of Columbia License Renewal Process

Physician medical licenses are renewed every two years. Aside from educational requirements, license renewals need a fingerprint scan CBC or a CBC performed on a name search, which must contain the applicant’s gender, Social Security number, date of birth, and postal address.

Initial licenses, certifications, or registrations issued on or after June 16, 2024, will expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month. For individuals renewing, this comes into effect in September 2024.

You will receive a renewal notice around three months prior your license expiration. After filling out the renewal form as well as paying the necessary fees, your license will be renewed for two years.

CME Requirements

As part of the license renewal process, the State Board of Medicine mandates that licensees complete at least 10% of their total continuing education hours. The current CE standards are:

• Physicians 

Every two years, participants must complete 50 hours of continuing education, including 2 hours in LGBTQ cultural competence, 5 hours in a public health priority area, and at least one course in pharmacology.

• Physician Assistants

100 hours of continuing education, including 2 hours in LGBTQ cultural competency and 10 hours in an area recognized as a public health priority. PAs can substitute NCCPA certificate for the 100 hours.

• RNs, LPNs and APRNs

RNs and LPNs must complete 24 and 18 hours of continuing education. APRNs have to earn 15 hours of pharmacology CE as an addition to their usual CE requirements.

District of Columbia Medical License Verification

To seek a paper verification, fill out the Verification of Licensure Form and send it to the board along with the $34 verification fee. Due to rising demand for paper confirmations, the delivery procedure might take up to six weeks. 

• RN and LPN license verifications for any board of nursing in the United States must be conducted electronically at Nursys.
   
• To verify your APRN licensing with any entity, please send the Verification of Licensure Form together with your $34 payment to the DC Department of Health at the location listed on the form.

Individuals seeking rapid verification of a license should visit the licensure lookup page. The online licensure search data is taken directly out of the Health Regulation and Licensing Administration’s database and is updated on a daily basis, therefore it is regarded the primary source.

DC Medical Licensing Service

You do not have to manage the difficult and time-consuming processes of the DC Board of Medicine or the Health Regulation and Licensing Administration (HRLA) on your own. 

Whether you’re looking for a new license, upgrading an existing one, or transferring a license from a different state, our team is dedicated to assisting you throughout the entire licensing procedure. Our team have assisted over 50,000 physicians in the United States, boasting a 99% success rate and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We handle all of the documentation and verifications, so the process is as straightforward as possible for you.

Do not let the application procedure deter you — contact us to begin the process of obtaining your medical license in the District of Columbia.