Maryland Radiology License: Requirements, Exam, and Renewal

To meet Maryland radiology license requirements, you must be at least 18, graduate from an approved radiography program, pass the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam, clear a criminal background check, and submit an application to the Maryland Board of Physicians with a $150 fee. Processing generally takes three to six weeks when your paperwork is complete.¹²

Who Needs a License

If you work in Maryland as a radiographer, radiation therapist, nuclear medicine technologist, or radiologist assistant, you need a license from the Maryland Board of Physicians. The Board regulates these professions under Title 14, Subtitle 5B of the Maryland Health Occupations Article.

Two exceptions are worth knowing. You do not need a license to operate a bone density scanner. And anyone certified by the Board before October 1, 2008, is not required to meet additional education, training, or exam requirements beyond what renewal calls for.²³ If you only need to take basic X-rays in a limited clinical setting, Maryland has a separate registration for that; see the LXMO section below.

Education Requirements

You must graduate from a radiography education program recognized by ARRT. In practice, that means programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) for radiographers and radiation therapists, or by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) for nuclear medicine technologists.⁴

These programs typically award an associate degree and cover anatomy, radiation physics, patient care, and imaging techniques through classroom instruction and supervised clinical rotations.

Certification Exam

After finishing your program, you must pass the ARRT certification exam in your discipline. The exam is computer-based, uses multiple-choice and case-based questions, and costs $225 for primary certifications in radiography, nuclear medicine technology, and radiation therapy.⁵

Nuclear medicine technologists have an alternative: certification from the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) is accepted in place of ARRT.⁴ Without a passing score from one of these bodies, Maryland will not issue a license.

How To Apply

Once you have your education and certification in hand, the application itself is straightforward but has several moving parts. The Board processes applications in the order received, and delays almost always come from missing documents or slow background check returns.²

You will need to:

Complete the online application on the MBP portal, providing personal information, educational history, and ARRT or NMTCB certification details.
Pay the $150 application fee, which is non-refundable.¹
Complete a criminal history records check. Fingerprints go through the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Central Repository and the FBI. The Board recommends completing this step before you start your application. The fingerprinting fee is approximately $33.⁶
Demonstrate oral and written proficiency in English. If you hold a valid, unrestricted license from another state that already requires English proficiency, you may not need to submit additional evidence.²
Meet the good moral character requirement. ARRT conducts an ethics review during credentialing, and the Board independently reviews any criminal history flagged by the background check.

Official transcripts must come directly from your educational institution. ARRT certification is verified through ARRT’s online credential verification system. If you were previously licensed in another state, you must submit verification of that license, including any disciplinary history.

Maryland does not offer a separate reciprocity or endorsement pathway. Out-of-state applicants meet the same requirements as everyone else.²

What a Radiographer License Lets You Do

Maryland defines radiographer scope of practice in fairly specific terms. The core scope covers evaluating and positioning patients, selecting and operating radiographic equipment, determining exposure factors, applying radiation protection principles, and evaluating images for technical quality.⁷

A few activities come with extra conditions. Administering contrast media requires consultation with, and supervision by, a physician who is physically present and immediately available. Radiographers working in cardiac catheterization or interventional labs who administer IV medications or insert peripherally inserted central catheters must hold advanced ARRT qualifications in cardiac-interventional, vascular-interventional, or cardiovascular-interventional radiography. Onsite physician supervision is required, and the facility must maintain documented training protocols and regularly evaluate the radiographer’s competency.⁷

Limited X-Ray Machine Operator Registration

Maryland offers a separate pathway for people who need to take basic X-rays but do not hold a full radiography degree. The Limited X-Ray Machine Operator (LXMO) registration is not a license and carries a narrower scope, but it allows registered individuals to image the chest, spine, and extremities under defined conditions.⁸

LXMO registration requires:

115 hours of didactic training covering radiography anatomy, digital image acquisition, patient care, medical terminology, imaging equipment, and related topics. A standard radiography degree program does not substitute for this specific training. Instruction must be delivered by an ARRT-certified radiologic technologist.
480 hours of clinical experience over at least six months, under the direct supervision of an ARRT-certified radiologic technologist, including five competencies each for chest, spine, lower extremities, and upper extremities.
Passing scores of at least 75% on each of the Core, Chest, Spine, and Extremities modules of ARRT’s Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography examination. Partial completion does not qualify you.
A criminal history records check and application fee.

The LXMO pathway is designed for medical assistants and other clinical staff in physician offices who need to take routine X-rays but are not pursuing a career in radiologic technology.⁸

Renewal Every Two Years

Radiographer, radiation therapist, nuclear medicine technologist, and radiologist assistant licenses must be renewed every two years. The base renewal fee is $135, plus a $26 Maryland Health Care Commission assessment, for a total of $161.¹⁹

You must complete at least 24 hours of approved continuing education in the two years before your license expires, on topics directly related to your practice area. Maintaining current ARRT registration or active NMTCB certification satisfies the CE requirement instead.¹⁰ The Board conducts random CE audits, and failing one can result in renewal denial.

One renewal condition catches people off guard. The Board will not renew your license until the Maryland Comptroller verifies you have paid all undisputed state taxes and unemployment insurance contributions, or arranged a repayment plan.¹⁰ If your license expires because you miss the renewal deadline, you cannot practice, and you will have to go through reinstatement rather than a simple renewal.

1
Library of Maryland Regulations. COMAR 10.32.10.18 – Fees
2
Maryland Board of Physicians. Licensing Radiographers
3
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Health Occupations 14-5B-09
4
Maryland Board of Physicians. Frequently Asked Questions – Radiologic Technology Licensing
5
ARRT. Application Fees
6
Maryland Board of Physicians. Criminal History Records Checks
7
Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 10.32.10.09 – Scope of Practice – Radiography
8
Maryland Board of Physicians. Limited X-Ray Machine Operator Registration
9
Maryland Board of Physicians. Allied Health License Renewal
10
Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code of Regulations 10.32.10.13 – Renewal and Reinstatement