A DC medical license is issued by the District of Columbia Board of Medicine under DC Health and authorizes you to diagnose, treat, and prescribe for patients located in the District. A standard application takes roughly four to five months. If you already hold a license in another state, two faster pathways can get you practicing in about a month.
Who Needs One
Any physician treating a patient physically located in DC needs a DC license, whether the care happens in a hospital, a private office, or over video from another state.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.01 – License, Registration, Certification, or Approval Required
There is one narrow telehealth exception. If you are licensed in another state and either have an established relationship with a patient who is temporarily in DC, or are treating a DC resident for no more than 120 days, you can provide telehealth without a DC license. The 120-day figure is the outer limit, and the Mayor can adjust it by rule. The exception does not displace the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact or any other reciprocity agreement.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1201.05 – Telehealth
License Types
Most practicing physicians apply for a full, unrestricted license. The Board also issues:
- A medical training license (MTL) for residents and fellows, valid one year at a time and limited to practice inside the training program. It covers up to five years after medical school graduation, or seven years for surgery programs.3District of Columbia Department of Health. Medical Training License Frequently Asked Questions4District of Columbia Department of Health. District of Columbia Municipal Regulations for Pre-Professional Medical Training
- A limited license for specific teaching or research roles within an institution.
- A foreign doctor of eminence license for internationally recognized physicians with at least ten years of practice and an appointment at a DC university or hospital.5D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.09a – Licenses for Foreign Doctors of Eminence and Authority
Eligibility Requirements
Education
You need an MD or DO degree from a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Foreign medical graduates qualify when the Board finds their education substantially equivalent to U.S. standards, which in practice means a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification.6D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.03 – General Qualifications of Applicants
Postgraduate Training
The standard requirement is two years of ACGME- or AOA-accredited training. Applicants who graduated before January 1, 1990, or who use USMLE Step 3 as the basis for licensure, may qualify with one year. Foreign medical graduates typically need three years of accredited training in the United States or Canada.
Examinations
You must pass all three steps of the USMLE within seven years of the first attempt. DO graduates using the COMLEX-USA series face no time limit. Fail Step 3 three times and you will need an additional year of postgraduate training before trying again.7Federation of State Medical Boards. State Specific Requirements for Initial Medical Licensure
Background Check
Every initial applicant has to pass a criminal background check, which includes fingerprinting. The applicant pays the processing fee.8D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.22 – Criminal Background Check
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the DC Health online licensing portal. You create an account, complete the form, and upload the supporting documents: official medical school transcripts, examination scores, verification of postgraduate training, an AMA or AOA physician profile, character references, and verification of any licenses held in other states.
All supporting documents must arrive within 120 calendar days of your initial submission. If something is missing, the processing division sends reminders at 30, 60, and 90 days. Most delays live right here, so request your verifications early. Once the file is complete, a Health Licensing Specialist reviews it before the Board of Medicine makes the final decision. Expect four to five months end to end.
Fees
Fees are set by DC regulation and change periodically. Recent amounts are approximately:
- Initial application: about $805
- Criminal background check: about $35.25
- Biennial renewal: about $675
Confirm the current numbers on the Board of Medicine’s fee schedule before applying.
Faster Paths if You Are Already Licensed
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
DC is one of 43 states, plus Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, participating in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. An active license in a compact member state can bring your DC processing time down to roughly 30 days.9Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Physician License DC enacted the compact into law, so the expedited process has full statutory backing.10D.C. Law Library. DC Law 22-109 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Enactment
DMV Reciprocity
DC, Maryland, and Virginia share a reciprocity agreement for physicians already licensed in one of the three jurisdictions. If your Maryland or Virginia license is active and unrestricted, this pathway lets you skip some verification steps and move through the DC process faster. The Board has not published a specific timeline estimate.11District of Columbia Department of Health. DMV Reciprocity Pathway
Renewing Your License
DC medical licenses last no more than two years.12D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.10 – Term and Renewal of Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications The District has moved from a single December 31 expiration in even-numbered years to a rolling cycle tied to your birth year: even birth year, even expiration year; odd birth year, odd expiration year. The Board sends a renewal notice at least 30 days before your expiration date.
To renew, submit the renewal application through the DC Health portal, pay the fee, and provide proof of continuing education. The Board can also require a criminal background check at renewal.
Continuing Medical Education
You must complete 50 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CME during each two-year cycle.13District of Columbia Department of Health. District of Columbia Municipal Regulations for Medicine Within those 50 hours, DC requires:
- Two hours in LGBTQ cultural competency
- Five hours in a topic the Board designates as a public health priority
- At least one course in pharmacology
To count as actively practicing for CME purposes, you need at least 1,000 patient visits per year, or full-time employment in medical teaching, research, or administration. Part-time faculty who maintain at least 500 patient visits per year also qualify.
If Your License Lapses
A lapsed license is not necessarily a fresh start, but the reinstatement window is limited. Apply within five years of expiration, pay a reinstatement fee, and meet current requirements, and the Board can reinstate you. If you have been out of active practice for more than two years, expect the Board to require proof of competency, which can include additional training, testing, or supervised practice.14D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.12 – Reinstatement of Expired Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications
Past five years, reinstatement is off the table. You would apply for a brand-new license and meet every current requirement, the same as a first-time applicant.
Discipline and Unlicensed Practice
The Board can discipline a licensee for conduct including obtaining a license by fraud, practicing while impaired, filing false medical reports, billing for services not provided, professional incompetence, failing to release patient records on proper request, and being disciplined in another state for conduct that would violate DC rules. Sanctions range from a formal reprimand to practice conditions, additional training, civil fines, suspension, and revocation. You have the right to a hearing before sanctions take effect.
Practicing medicine in DC without a valid license is both a criminal offense and grounds for civil penalties. A first conviction carries up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. A second or subsequent conviction raises the maximum fine to $25,000, with the same one-year imprisonment cap. The DC Attorney General can also seek a court injunction to stop unlicensed practice, and civil fines may be imposed on top of criminal penalties.15D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Title 3 Chapter 12 Subchapter X – Prohibited Acts, Penalties, Injunctions