This outlines the appropriate requirements for obtaining a license not using FCVS. The Board reserves the right to make whatever additional demands on the applicant for licensure the Board deems appropriate at the time. Below is a summary of what is listed in the rules of Chapter 32 of the North Carolina Administrative Code.

Submit all materials to:
North Carolina Medical Board, PO Box 20007, Raleigh, NC 27619 (919.326.1100), or
North Carolina Medical Board, 1203 Front Street, Raleigh, NC 27609 (Use this address for express/overnight deliveries)

Please do not submit photocopies or facsimilies unless specifically permitted.

Note: If you have a completed profile with the Federation’s Credential Verification Service (FCVS), DO NOT complete this application. You will then need to complete the License by Endorsement Application using FCVS. If you are unsure whether you have a profile, you should contact FCVS

FCVS was established in September 1996 to provide a centralized, uniform process for state medical boards to obtain a verified, primary source record of a physician’s core medical credentials.  FCVS obtains primary source verification of medical education, postgraduate training, examination history, board action history, board certification and identity. This repository of information allows a physician to establish a confidential, lifetime professional portfolio with FCVS which can be forwarded, at the physician’s request, to any state medical board that has established an agreement with FCVS, hospital, health care or any other entity.

1. Complete the online application. The online application will need to be completed and payment will need to be submitted by Visa/Mastercard within 30 days to avoid having your application deleted.  During the online application, you will be required to provide your chronological history from high school to the present.  If you have problems downloading any forms while completing the online application you may print them by clicking on download form in the list to the right.

2. Applicants must submit two completed fingerprint cards for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.  When possible, have different officials complete each card. It is recommended you have your local law enforcement office complete the fingerprinting. An application is not considered complete until results of the background check have been received.  Expect a minimum of eight weeks for the report to be received.  Since rejections are common, the SBI has suggested that applicants use lotion or witch hazel on their hands before being fingerprinted.  Fingerprint cards are submitted for processing twice a week. The SBI has suggested that using live scan when available may be a more reliable choice. When using live scan, prints must be printed on fingerprint cards and be submitted to the NC Medical Board. They cannot be submitted electronically.  See detailed instructions for completing cards. E-mail fpc@ncmedboard.org to request a set of fingerprint cards”}.  A set contains two fingerprint cards.

3. An applicant must submit a recent photograph at least two inches by two inches, head and shoulders shot, taken within the past sixty (60) days, of photo paper weight quality, (not a snapshot or home Polaroid). This photo should be certified by your medical school on the Board’s Medical School Certification form. This certification must bear the original signature of the Dean or other official of your medical school. Their official title and the seal of the school must be placed over your photo. This requirement CAN NOT be waived.

• Transcripts - If you did not attend one medical school for the standard four years, OR if you attended more than one medical school, you must submit original medical school transcript(s). Please translate into English, if applicable

4. Examination Scores - Applicants must have certified scores submitted directly to the Board office. If you successfully completed:

• Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) or United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) visit the Federation of State Medical Boards Web site to request scores to be sent electronically. [The Board shall not issue a license to practice medicine to any applicant who has failed to receive a passing score of any Step, or component thereof, of the USMLE within three (3) attempts unless it is determined, in the Board’s discretion, that the applicant has successfully completed additional training or education which is approved by the Board.]
• National Board of Medicine Examination (NBME) visit the National Board of Medical Examiners Web site to request scores
• National Board of Osteopathic Medicine Examination (NBOME) visit the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners Web site to request scores.
• Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) visit the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners Web site to request scores
• Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) contact the Licensing Medical Council of Canada to request scores .
• State Board Written Examination contact the state board in which you took the exam to request scores to be sent directly to our office.  The North Carolina Medical Board does not accept the Puerto Rico state board written examination.

5. You must secure a report from each state regarding status of licensure. All licenses, active and/or inactive, must be verified.  Training licenses do not need to be verified. Most licensing agencies charge a fee for this service.

• The Board requires an additional release form for those licensed in the State of Connecticut.  If you have ever been licensed in Connecticut, you must send this form along with the Licensure Verification form to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.  If you have never been licensed in Connecticut, disregard the form.

6. The Board requires you to submit two recommendations. These recommendations must be from physicians using the Physician Reference forms. Recommendations cannot be from a relative.  These forms must be sent from the reference source directly to the NC Medical Board.

7. ECFMG: Graduates of foreign medical schools must have a current ECFMG.  You will need to contact ECFMG and have a certification status report sent to the NC Medical Board.  This report must be sent to us electronically from ECFMG.
Fifth Pathway: Graduates of a foreign medical school who have completed a Fifth Pathway program must furnish verification of passing the ECFMG examination and completion of the Fifth Pathway Program.  You will need to contact ECFMG and have your score transcript forwarded directly to the NC Medical Board. You can obtain a Fifth Pathway Verification form by .

8. Forward the Postgraduate Training form to all US/Canadian training program(s) in which you have participated.  Request the program director complete the form and return to the NC Medical Board.

** If you left a training program prior to completion provide a detailed explanation regarding the circumstances of your departure.**

• U.S. graduates are required to have one year postgraduate training in a training program approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). 
• Foreign Medical Graduates are required to have three years postgraduate training in training programs approved by the ACGME or AOA.
• Foreign Medical Graduates who have less than three years ACGME or AOA postgraduate training may satisfy the postgraduate training requirement with at least one year of ACGME or AOA approved training in combination with certification by a specialty board recognized by the ABMS or AOA Specialty Boards.

9. If certified or recertified by an American Medical Specialty Board or American Osteopathic Board, send a photocopy of your certificate with your application.

10. In addition to all other requirements for licensure, an applicant who has not met one of the following qualifications within the past 10 years of the date of the application to the Board, must take the SPEX, or other examination as determined by the Board, and attain a score of at least 75:

• National Board of Medical Examiners Certification
• FLEX examination
• USMLE examination
• National Osteopathic Board of Medical Examiners Examination or COMLEX.
• SPEX examination with a score of at least 75
• COMVEX examination, the Osteopathic examination equivalent to SPEX.
• Certification or recertification by a specialty board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
• Completion of formal ACGME or AOA post-graduate training
• Received Certificate of Added Qualifications issued by a speciality board recognized by ABMS or AOA.

You must provide this office with verification of one of the above.  The SPEX requirement may be waived by the Board upon receipt of a current three year AMA Physician’s Recognition Award or equivalent AOA CME.  Visit the AMA’s Web site for CME requirements.  If the AMA/PRA is submitted to satisfy this requirement, copies of the CME documentation used to obtain the award must be included as part of your NC medical license application clearly showing the majority of the CME is relevant to your speciality or area of practice.

11. Applicants must request an AMA Physician Profile from the AMA.  Visit the AMA’s Web site to request a profile be mailed directly to the NCMB office from the AMA. If you are a DO, visit the American Osteopathic Association’s Web site to request a physician profile be sent directly to the NCMB from the AOA.  This should be done in addition to the AMA profile.

12. Applicants who did not take FLEX or USMLE must request a Board Action Databank Inquiry form from the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US.

13. Applicants must submit a National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB) report as part of their application.  The NPDB and HIPDB reports must be dated within sixty (60) days of submission of your application to the NCMB. You will need to send the notarized self -query form to the National Practitioner Data Bank address.  They will send the report to you and you will need to forward the report to the NC Medical Board.

14. If a physician has been away from clinical practice two years or longer, they may be required to develop a reentry plan as part of the license application.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to be prepared to present a program of re-training or supervision that will establish proof of competency in their chosen area of medicine.  Applicants in this category will be required to appear for a license interview.

REGISTRATION - North Carolina law requires licensed physicians to register with the Board within 30 days of their birth date, every year, no matter when the license is issued. A registration fee is required.