International Medical School Graduates (IMG) who meet the criteria for the expedited application process are NOT required to use FCVS.

The expedited license application enables an experienced, eligible physician to obtain a license in North Carolina faster and easier while maintaining the same high quality standards for admission to practice.

The Board reserves the right to make whatever additional demands on the applicant for licensure it deems appropriate at the time.  Useful resources: Chapter 32B NC Administrative Code and NC General Statutes Chapter 90.

Submit all materials to:
NC Medical Board, PO Box 20007, Raleigh, NC 27619, or
NC Medical Board, 1203 Front Street, Raleigh, NC 27609 (express/overnight deliveries)

Eligibility Requirements
1. Completion of specialty board-certification within the past 10 years by (either initial certification or recertification by one of the following:

• ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialities)
• AOA (American Osteopathic Association)
• FRCP (Fellowship of Royal College of Physicians of Canada)
• FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada)
• CFPC (College of Family Physicians of Canada)

2. Currently holds a full unrestricted active license in at least one other state, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territory or Canadian province for the previous five years immediately preceding the application;

3. Been active in clinical practice providing patient care for an average of 20 hours or more per week for at least the last two years (you may be required to show proof) and have a clean license application, as defined below.

A clean license application means the following:

1)  no professional liability claim(s) or payment(s); (Having never been named in a malpractice lawsuit or had a malpractice lawsuit filed again you-regardless of whether the judgment award, payment or settlement was made in your name or a malpractice settlement or payment was made, affecting or involving you, where no lawsuit was file).

2)  no criminal record; (This means that you have never been:
    (a) charged with,
    (b) arrested for, or
    (c) convicted of a misdemeanor or felony including, but not limited to, Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) or Driving While Impaired (“DWI”) and any other violation of the law involving the operation of some mean of transportation while under the influence of drugs or alcohol?  This does not include minor traffic offenses such as speeding tickets, but does include being charged with or being arrested for any alcohol related crime);

3)  no medical condition(s) which could affect the physician’s ability to practice safely;

4)  no regulatory board complaint(s), investigation(s), or action(s) (including applicant’s withdrawal of a license application);

5)  no adverse action taken by a health care institution;

6)  no investigation(s) or action(s) taken by a federal agency, the U.S. military, medical societies or associations;

7)  no suspension or expulsion from any school, including medical school;

8)  if you graduated from a US or Canadian medical school, the school must have been approved by Liaison Commission on Medical Education (LCME)  or the Committee for the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) at the time of graduation;

9)  you must not have submitted the Puerto Rico Written Examination/Revalida to satisfy the requirements for medical licensure in another jurisdiction.

If you do not meet all four requirements, you are not eligible for an expedited license and will need to complete the full license application.  If you have any questions, regarding whether you are eligible for the expedited license, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Application credentials and fee are good for 1 year. If you are not issued a license within the year and choose to reapply for a NC license, you will be required to resubmit all application credentials and the application fee.

RENEWAL – North Carolina law requires licensed physicians to renew with the Board within 30 days of their birth date, every year, no matter when the license is issued.  A renewal fee is required.