Frequently Asked Questions & Important Links

Go to the 'Application Licensing and Fees' page on our website for more information. 

The average timeframe for the licensing/certification process is 6 to 12 weeks. Once the online application has been completed, and all required documentation has been received, the Board will approve the license/certification at the next scheduled board meeting.

• If an applicant has answered "YES" to questions regarding malpractice, convictions, etc., the application will be reviewed by the Licensing Committee prior to presentation at the Board meeting. If the committee has questions, there may be a delay in the approval process.

No, the fee can be submitted at any time, but it must be received in order for the application to be presented at the Board meeting.

The application will not be considered "complete" until payment has been received by the Board. The fee is non-refundable.

Requirements for licensure as identified in statute are found in Title 26:

Physicians Chapter 23: Medicine

• 1391: Qualifications for Medical Licensure
• 1396: Requirements for Admission to Practice

Physician Assistants Chapter 31, 1733
Podiatrists Chapter 7, 371

U.S. graduates must have two years of post-graduate training in the U.S. at an ACGME-approved program. Foreign graduates must have at least three years of post-graduate training in the U.S. at an ACGMS-approved program. Canada is acceptable as a U.S. program. Instructions and requirements for licensure are also found in the online system once an applicant has created an account.

Full licensure verifications require additional information and a new application, therefore nothing from the physician training license file can be used.

FCVS will collect the verification portion of the medical school, post graduate training, specialty certificates, exam scores, and birth certificate/naturalization certificate.

The UA is incorporated into the Vermont online application, but the system does not pre-populate the application with the UA information. Applicants must enter the information into the system and complete the full application.

No. Passports are not an acceptable form of verification of identity. We only accept certified birth certificates or naturalization certificates for foreign applicants.

We retain all original copies of all documents including birth certificates. Applicants have the option to send an original with their application and then have a certified copy sent to the office later. Once we receive the certified copy, we will return the original.

Verification of any license ever held, including active, inactive, training, temporary, or limited is required.

Direct verification from post-graduate training is required. Research years do not require verification.

Direct verification from all medical schools attended is required (e.g. If the applicant started at one school and received the MD from another school, direct verification will be required from both schools).

“Board-approved medical school” means a medical school that:

2.6.1        Appears on the official California Recognized Medical Schools list; or

2.6.2        A foreign medical school that has been accredited under the system for medical school accreditation established by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and deemed to meet the minimum requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools; or

2.6.3  A medical school that was approved as provided by the standards established by the United States National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation Certification, but only if the applicant holds American Board of Medical Specialties board certification, or meets all eligibility requirements for such certification and is only lacking current licensure.

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Applicants must submit a request for an American Medical Association Profile (AMA) to be sent directly to the board from the AMA. An AMA membership is not required; however, this documentation is required for all applicants.

Effective September 1, 1990, the federal government opened the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), which was mandated by congress to track regulatory board disciplinary actions and certain actions resulting from peer review and malpractice payments. Applicants must submit a self-query request and send the original, unaltered response to the Board. Any specific questions about the process can be directed to the NPDB at 1-800-767-6732.

Applicants seeking to reinstate their medical license must complete the reinstatement application in the online system. Medical school, post-graduate training, exam scores, birth certificate, and FCVS information will not be required, but all licensures will need to be re-verified. For instructions and requirements, log into the online system and select the reinstatement application.