A DC medical license is issued by the District of Columbia Board of Medicine, under DC Health, and it is what legally lets you diagnose, treat, or prescribe for patients located in the District. A standard application runs about four to five months. If you already hold an active license in another compact state, an expedited path can get you licensed in roughly 30 days. Practicing without one is a crime that carries up to a year in jail and up to $10,000 in fines on a first conviction.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Title 3 Chapter 12 Subchapter X – Prohibited Acts, Penalties, Injunctions
Who Needs a DC License
Any physician who provides care to a patient physically located in the District needs a DC license, whether the care happens in a hospital, an office, or by telehealth from another state.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.01 – License, Registration, Certification, or Approval Required
Telehealth has a narrow exception. A physician licensed in another state can treat a patient temporarily in DC with whom they already have an established relationship, or treat a DC resident for up to 120 days, without a DC license. That 120-day cap is the outer limit and can be adjusted by the Mayor through rulemaking.3D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1201.05 – Telehealth
What You Need to Qualify
Education
You need an MD or DO from a school accredited by the LCME or the AOA. Foreign medical graduates qualify if the Board finds their training substantially equivalent to U.S. standards, which in practice means holding a valid ECFMG certification.4D.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 postgraduate clinical training. One year is enough if you graduated before January 1, 1990, or if you’re licensing on the basis of USMLE Step 3. Foreign medical graduates typically need three years of accredited training in the U.S. or Canada.5District of Columbia Department of Health. District of Columbia Municipal Regulations for Pre-Professional Medical Training
Examinations
All three steps of the USMLE, completed within seven years. DOs using the COMLEX-USA series have no time limit. Three failed attempts at USMLE Step 3 trigger an added year of postgraduate training before you can sit again.6Federation of State Medical Boards. State Specific Requirements for Initial Medical Licensure
Criminal Background Check
Every initial applicant has to pass a fingerprint-based criminal background check, and you pay the processing fee.7D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.22 – Criminal Background Check
License Types
Most practicing physicians apply for the unrestricted full license. Residents and fellows practice under a medical training license, valid one year at a time and limited to the training program.8District of Columbia Department of Health. Medical Training License Frequently Asked Questions A limited license covers specific teaching or research roles inside an institution. There is also 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.9D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.09a – Licenses for Foreign Doctors of Eminence and Authority
Faster Paths If You’re Already Licensed Elsewhere
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
DC is one of 43 states, along with Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. An active license in a compact member state can put your DC license in hand in about 30 days rather than months.10Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Physician License DC enacted the compact into law, so the expedited process has full statutory backing.11D.C. Law Library. DC Law 22-109 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Enactment
DMV Reciprocity
DC, Maryland, and Virginia share a reciprocity pathway. If you hold an active, unrestricted license in Maryland or Virginia, you can skip some standard verification steps and move faster through the DC process. The Board does not publish a specific timeline for this track.12District of Columbia Department of Health. DMV Reciprocity Pathway
How to Apply
Applications run through the DC Health online licensing portal. You create an account, complete the form, and upload 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. The processing division sends reminders at 30, 60, and 90 days if something is missing. This is where most delays happen, so request your verifications early. Once the file is complete, a Health Licensing Specialist reviews it in detail, and the Board of Medicine makes the final decision.
Plan on four to five months for a standard application. Compact applicants generally finish in about 30 days.
Fees
Fees are set by DC regulation and updated periodically. Recent amounts:
- Initial application: approximately $805
- Criminal background check: approximately $35.25
- Biennial renewal: approximately $675
Confirm the current schedule on the DC Health website before you submit. Military spouses relocating to DC on a permanent change of station may be reimbursed up to $1,000 in licensing costs through their service branch under the National Defense Authorization Act.13Military OneSource. Transferring Your Professional License
Keeping the License Active
DC medical licenses last no more than two years.14D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.10 – Term and Renewal of Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications The District previously expired all physician licenses on December 31 of even-numbered years and has moved to a rolling schedule tied to your birth month. Born in an even year, your license expires in even years; odd birth year, odd expiration year. The Board sends a renewal notice at least 30 days before your expiration date.
Continuing Education
You need 50 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CME each two-year cycle.15District 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, and at least one course in pharmacology.
To count as actively practicing, you need at least 1,000 patient visits per year, or full-time employment in medical teaching, research, or administration. Part-time faculty with at least 500 patient visits per year also qualify.
Renewing
Submit a timely renewal through the DC Health portal, pay the renewal fee, and provide proof of your completed CME. The Board may also require a criminal background check at renewal.7D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.22 – Criminal Background Check
If Your License Lapses
You can apply to reinstate within five years of expiration by paying a reinstatement fee and meeting current requirements. If you’ve been out of active practice for more than two years, the Board may require proof of competency, which can include additional training, testing, or supervised practice.16D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 3-1205.12 – Reinstatement of Expired Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications After five years, reinstatement is off the table, and you apply as a first-time applicant.
Grounds for Discipline
Common grounds for Board action include obtaining a license through fraud, practicing while impaired by alcohol or drugs, 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 also violate DC rules. Sanctions run from a formal reprimand to license suspension or revocation, and the Board can also impose practice conditions, order additional training, or levy civil fines. You have the right to a hearing before sanctions take effect.
Penalties for Practicing Without a License
Unlicensed practice is both a crime and a civil matter in DC. A first conviction carries up to one year in jail and up to $10,000 in fines. A second or later conviction raises the fine cap to $25,000, with the same one-year imprisonment limit. The DC Attorney General can also seek a court injunction to stop unlicensed practice, and civil fines can be added on top of any criminal penalties.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Title 3 Chapter 12 Subchapter X – Prohibited Acts, Penalties, Injunctions