A Kansas temporary license lets a qualified applicant start working while the state finishes reviewing the full license application. Two agencies issue most of them: the Kansas Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA) for healthcare practitioners and the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) for teachers and substitutes. Healthcare permit fees run from $25 to $50 depending on the profession, and the permit stays valid until the board grants or denies the permanent license.
Which Agency Handles Your Permit
Where you apply depends entirely on what you do. Physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, radiologic technologists, podiatrists, athletic trainers, and other clinical professionals go through the KSBHA. Nurses apply through the Kansas Board of Nursing. Classroom teachers, substitutes, and other educators go through KSDE’s licensure system.
Each agency sets its own eligibility rules, fees, and timelines, so the practical steps below are split by sector.
Healthcare Temporary Permits Through the KSBHA
Who Qualifies
Under K.S.A. 65-2811, the KSBHA may grant a temporary permit to anyone who has applied for a license by endorsement, meets the qualifications for that license, and has paid the required fee. Licensure by endorsement means you already hold (or have held) an equivalent license in another state. The permit authorizes practice within its stated limits until the board issues or denies the full license. The board will not issue more than one temporary permit to the same person unless two-thirds of its members approve.1FindLaw. Kansas Statutes Chapter 65 Public Health 65-2811
Physicians typically need passing scores on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). All applicants must have credentials from an accredited educational program and a clean professional record, meaning no unresolved disciplinary actions or license restrictions in other states.
What It Costs
The KSBHA publishes fees by profession and permit type:2Kansas Board of Healing Arts. License Fees
- Physician (M.D. or D.O.) temporary permit: $50
- Physician limited permit: $30
- Visiting professor temporary license: $25
- Physician assistant temporary license: $30
- Physical, occupational, respiratory therapists; radiologic technologists; athletic trainers: $25
The KSBHA distinguishes between temporary permits, limited permits, special permits, and visiting professor temporary licenses, each with its own scope and fee.
Background Check
Every healthcare applicant must submit to a fingerprint-based criminal background check. The Kansas Board of Nursing, for example, requires the check before issuing any license or temporary permit, with fingerprints submitted to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for state and national criminal history review.3Kansas Board of Nursing. Waiver Agreement and FBI Privacy Act Statement When the FBI processes the fingerprint check separately, there is an additional $18 fee.4Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
How Long It Lasts
A temporary permit under K.S.A. 65-2811 has no fixed calendar expiration. It stays in force until the board grants or denies the permanent license, and it dies with a denial. Combined with the one-permit-per-person rule, that means the temporary route is a bridge, not something you can renew indefinitely.
Education Temporary Licenses Through KSDE
KSDE issues several temporary credentials so districts can keep classrooms staffed while educators complete full certification.
The Transitional License is for educators whose Kansas Initial, Conditional, or Professional license has expired. The Temporary Emergency Authorized License (TEAL) was introduced in 2022 to address pandemic-related teacher shortages. Both require continued progress toward standard licensure, and both carry their own renewal timelines.
The modified emergency substitute teacher license has the lowest entry bar. You need a high school diploma, completion of a KSDE-approved online training course, and a verification of hire from each district where you plan to substitute. A background check is required. Substitutes with this license can work up to 75 school days per semester and no more than 25 consecutive days in the same assignment within one school district.5Kansas State Department of Education. State Board Votes to Continue the Modified Emergency Substitute Teacher License
Temporary education credentials generally align with the school year or a specific semester. The emergency substitute license is tied to the individual district hire verifications and the day caps above.
Faster Routes That May Skip the Temporary Permit
If you already hold a license in another state, two interstate compacts and a military-focused state law may get you working in Kansas without the temporary permit step.
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
Kansas is one of 43 member states (plus two U.S. territories, 58 licensing boards total) in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC). The compact gives physicians a faster route to licensure in multiple states without filing a separate full application in each one. Physicians who designate Kansas as their State of Principal License can use the compact to obtain licenses in other member states, and physicians principally licensed elsewhere can use it to reach Kansas.6Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Physician License
Nurse Licensure Compact
Kansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. Nurses who hold a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Kansas without a separate Kansas license. If you move to Kansas and establish residency, you can continue practicing on your former multistate license until Kansas issues your new one.7Kansas State Board of Nursing. Nurse Licensure Compact Multistate eligibility requires passing the NCLEX, clearing a criminal background check, no felony convictions or nursing-related misdemeanor convictions, and a valid Social Security number.
One boundary worth noting: the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act’s license portability provisions do not apply if your license comes through either compact. Compact rules govern instead.8United States Department of Justice. 2025 Update – Portability of Professional Licenses
Military Spouses and Servicemembers
Kansas law directs licensing bodies to issue the appropriate credential within 15 days of receiving a complete application from a military servicemember or spouse. When the out-of-state license does not perfectly match Kansas’s scope of practice, the licensing body is required to issue a temporary occupational permit so the applicant can work while completing any Kansas-specific requirements.9Kansas State Legislature. Expansion of Military Spouse and Servicemembers Expedited Credentialing
Separately, under the federal SCRA, a professional license is treated as valid in a new state if the servicemember or spouse relocated on military orders, holds a license in good standing, and has applied in the new state. You will need proof of military orders, a marriage certificate for spouses, and a notarized affidavit of good standing. The new state can still run a background check and issue a temporary license while it finishes reviewing the application.8United States Department of Justice. 2025 Update – Portability of Professional Licenses
What Can Get a Temporary Permit Denied or Revoked
Practicing outside the scope of a temporary permit, misrepresenting credentials, or any conduct that would warrant discipline against a fully licensed practitioner can trigger KSBHA enforcement. Under K.S.A. 65-2836, the board can revoke, suspend, or limit a license or permit; publicly censure the holder; impose probationary conditions; or deny an application outright. Grounds include prior discipline in another state, a pattern of negligent practice, and unprofessional conduct.10Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Kansas Code 65-2836 – Revocation, Suspension, Limitation or Denial of Licenses
The KSBHA’s published sanctions range from no action at all up to permanent revocation, with fines and public censure in between.11Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. Guidelines for the Imposition of Disciplinary Sanctions KSDE has parallel authority to revoke or suspend an education credential and refer serious cases to law enforcement. Misrepresenting qualifications on the application is the fastest way to lose both the temporary credential and any chance at the permanent one.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial or revocation can be challenged through an administrative hearing under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. You request a hearing before an administrative law judge at the Kansas Office of Administrative Hearings, where each side presents testimony and documents.12Kansas Office of Administrative Hearings. Administrative Hearings Process If the hearing goes against you, the Kansas Judicial Review Act (K.S.A. 77-621) allows an appeal to a Kansas district court, which reviews the administrative record rather than retrying the case.13FindLaw. Kansas Statutes Chapter 77 Administrative Rules and Regulations and Procedure 77-621