State guide · District of Columbia · Licensing
District of Columbia licensing requirements
Medical license application, controlled-substance registration, Medicaid enrollment, telehealth rules, and CME for District of Columbia.
Medical board
DC Health — Health Professional Licensing Administration
License timeline
60–120 days
IMLC member
Yes
CME hours
50 per 2 yrs
Renewal cycle
2 years
Separate CS registration
Yes
The information on this page is provided for general reference only and may not reflect recent regulatory or legislative changes. State licensing requirements, fees, and timelines change frequently. Always verify requirements directly with the relevant state agency or a qualified legal or compliance professional before making practice decisions. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice.
State medical license
DC physicians apply to DC Health — Health Professional Licensing Administration (HPLA). DC is an IMLC member.
DC requires medical school graduation, postgraduate training, USMLE/COMLEX passage, and primary-source verification.
- •Apply through DC HPLA online portal
- •IMLC pathway available
- •Minimum 1 year postgraduate training (3 years for IMGs)
- •Initial license fee approximately $810 (Verify current)
Controlled-substance registration
DC requires a DC Controlled Substance Registration in addition to the federal DEA registration.
Issuing agency: DC Health — Health Regulation and Licensing Administration
Processing timeline: Verify
Medicaid enrollment
Agency: DC Department of Health Care Finance — DC Medicaid
DC Medicaid enrollment is administered through DC Medicaid Provider Enrollment.
Estimated timeline: Verify — typically 60–120 days
- •Apply through DC Medicaid Provider Enrollment
- •DC Medicaid MCO credentialing separate
- •Revalidation required every 5 years
Telehealth notes
DC permits telehealth broadly. DC license required to treat DC-located patients.
- •DC license required to treat DC-located patients
- •Telehealth parity for commercial and Medicaid
CME requirements
DC requires 50 CME hours per 2-year renewal cycle, with topic-specific requirements including HIV/AIDS.
Total hours: 50 per 2-year cycle
Mandatory topics:
Official resources
Bookmark these official agency portals for District of Columbia licensing, controlled-substance registration, and Medicaid enrollment.
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