Physicians with an active NC medical license wanting to convert to the Retired Limited Volunteer License must submit a form entitled Conversion of Full License to Retired Volunteer License

Physicians who have held a medical license in NC and let it go inactive for less than six months must complete the Retired Limited Volunteer License Application (short form) (No application fee is required.)

Physicians who have held a medical license in NC and let it go inactive for more than six months must complete the Retired Limited Volunteer License (full application) (No application fee is required)

Physicians who have never held a NC medical license and want to obtain the Retired Limited Volunteer License must complete the Retired Limited Volunteer License (full application) Submit verification of license in another state. (No application fee is required.)

All physicians holding a Retired Limited Volunteer License must maintain appropriate CME hours as required by 21 NCAC 32R .0101 - .0104

An annual registration fee will be required.

The law permits the Board to issue a Limited Volunteer License to you if you meet the following requirements:

1. You must have a license to practice medicine in another state.  You must have that state licensing board submit a letter verifying that the license is in good standing or have the licensing board complete the enclosed form and return to this Board. 
2. You must produce proof that you are authorized to treat personnel enlisted in the United States armed services or veterans.  This requirement can be satisfied by having a letter submitted from the hospital or clinic administrator verifying that you have privileges at a clinic which treats personnel enlisted in the United States armed services or veterans. 

We ask that you provide the additional information requested in the enclosed application so that our files can be complete and so that we may contact you as the need might arise. 

Applicants for this license are also required to provide fingerprints as set forth in the N.C. G.S. 90-11 (b) and 21 N.C.A.C. in order for the Board to conduct a state and federal criminal history record check. 

Every physician who holds a license is required to register that license within 30 days of his or her date of birth each year.  A registration fee is required. .

This outlines the appropriate requirements for obtaining a special volunteer license. 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
Please do not submit photocopies or facsimilies unless specifically permitted.

A volunteer medical license limits its holder to the practice of medicine as follows:
1. Practice within the confines of specific locations approved by the Board and;
2. Practice with no expectation of payment or compensation or payment to the Special Volunteer license, either director or indirect, monetary, in-kind, or otherwise for a provision of medical services.

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. One certified photograph: 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

3. 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 [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 six (6) 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 Medical 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. [Pursuant to G.S. 90-9 Osteopathic physicians who graduated from medical school prior to January 1960 are not eligible for a North Carolina license.]
• 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.

4. 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.

• 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.

5. 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.

6. 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 .

7. 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 3 years postgraduate training in training programs approved by the ACGME or AOA.
• Foreign Medical Graduates who have less than 3 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.

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

9. 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 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 3 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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 report 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. NPDB

13. 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 8 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 the to request a set of fingerprint cards. A set contains two fingerprint cards.

14. 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. If a personal interview is not required, staff has the authority to issue the full license at that time. Applicants will be notified if a personal interview will be required.

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

Physicians holding an active North Carolina Retired Volunteer License who want to convert back to a full and unrestricted license, must complete the Board’s application form; pay the reinstatement fee and provide documentation of 150 hours CME over the past three years, with at least 60 hours Category 1 and 90 hours Category 2. An interview may be required.