This outlines the appropriate requirements for obtaining a license through reinstatement. 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.

Doctors that held a North Carolina Medical License that has been inactive for more than one calendar year are eligible to reinstate their medical license. This requires the submission of materials, payment of $388.00 (and includes a $38 fee for criminal history record check). Fees submitted are not refundable, and a personal interview may be required.

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

Please do not submit photocopies or facsimilies unless specifically permitted.

1. Completed application form.

• CIRCLE the correct answer for all questions.
• Provide DETAILED explanations for affirmative answers. A claim form must be completed for EACH malpractice suit or settlement (form enclosed-photocopy as needed). Attach a photocopy of plaintiffs complaints and settlement orders for each incident.
• Sign applicant’s oath and have signature NOTARIZED. Make sure the original application form is submitted to the Board.
• Include name change documentation, if applicable.

2. You must secure a report from each state regarding status of licensure. All licenses, active and/or inactive, must be verified. Most licensing agencies charge a fee for this service. The verifications should be sent directly to the NC medical Board. The NC Medical Board accepts license verifications through the veridoc service.

• If you have ever been licensed in Connecticut, you must send an additional release form, located in the list to the right, along with the licensure biography form to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. If you have never been licensed in Connecticut, disregard the form.

3. Two recommendations must be from physicians using the enclosed Physician Reference Forms. Recommendations must not be from a relative. These forms must be sent from the reference source directly to the NC medical Board.

4. 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.
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 5th 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

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

6. 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, 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 specialty 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 website 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.

7. 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.

8. Applicants must request a Board Action Databank Inquiry form from the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US. Visit the Federation’s web site. This form will be sent directly to the NC Medical Board.

9. 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.  The NPDB will send you e-mail notification when the report is available for online viewing.  You can access this report online from their web site.  You will need to print this report and send to the NCMB.  You can e-mail a copy of the report to license@ncmedboard.org. 

10. 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 a response has been received from the appropriate agency. Expect a minimum of eight weeks for the report to be received. First set of fingerprint cards must be submitted with your NCMB application. 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 upon receipt of your application for a license, fingerprint cards, authority for release of information form and the fingerprinting fee. The SBI has suggested that using live scan when available may be a more reliable choice. E-mail to request a set of fingerprint cards. 

11. When all applications materials have been received, your file will be forwarded to a staff member for quality assurance review. If the quality assurance review is complete and no additional information is needed, your file will be forwarded to a board member for review to determine whether you will be required to appear for a personal interview. Upon receipt of the board members decision, your license will be reinstated if a personal interview is not required. Interviews scheduled prior to applicant being notified by NCMB staff that the application is complete may be cancelled.

12. If a physician has been away from clinical practice 2 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 or medicine. Applicants in this category will be required to appear for a personal 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 licensed was issued. A registration fee is required.