State guide · New York · Licensing
New York licensing requirements
Medical license application, controlled-substance registration, Medicaid enrollment, telehealth rules, and CME for New York.
Medical board
New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions
License timeline
60–120 days
IMLC member
No
CME hours
36 per 3 yrs
Renewal cycle
3 years
Separate CS registration
No
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
New York physicians are licensed by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of the Professions, with disciplinary functions delegated to the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) within the Department of Health. NY is not an IMLC member.
NY requires graduation from an accredited medical school, 1 year of accredited postgraduate training (3 years for IMGs without ECFMG-approved alternatives), USMLE/COMLEX passage, and child abuse identification training.
- •Apply through NYSED Office of the Professions online application
- •Minimum 1 year postgraduate training (3 years for IMGs)
- •Child abuse identification & reporting training required (one-time, pre-licensure)
- •Infection control coursework required
- •Initial license fee approximately $735 (Verify current)
Worth knowing
NY is not an IMLC member. Plan 60–120 days. NY processing is slower than average — start early.
Controlled-substance registration
New York does not require a separate state-level controlled substance license for most physicians beyond the federal DEA registration. New York physicians prescribing controlled substances must register with the I-STOP/PMP and use Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS), which is mandatory.
Medicaid enrollment
Agency: New York State Department of Health — eMedNY
New York Medicaid enrollment is administered through eMedNY. Providers enroll online through eMedNY's electronic enrollment system. Most NY Medicaid beneficiaries are in Medicaid Managed Care plans, requiring separate credentialing with each plan.
Estimated timeline: Verify — typically 90–180 days
- •Apply through eMedNY online enrollment
- •Most beneficiaries in Medicaid Managed Care — credential separately with each MCO
- •Revalidation required every 5 years
- •Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) compliance program required for high-volume providers
Telehealth notes
New York permits telehealth broadly. NY license required to treat NY-located patients. NY has expanded telehealth parity requirements for commercial insurance and Medicaid. Audio-only telehealth was made permanent for Medicaid post-PHE.
- •NY license required to treat NY-located patients
- •Telehealth parity for commercial and Medicaid coverage
- •Audio-only permitted for many services
- •Controlled substance prescribing via telehealth follows federal DEA rules + NY EPCS mandate
CME requirements
New York requires 36 CME hours per 3-year renewal cycle, including topic-specific requirements. New York is unique in not requiring a fixed annual hour count but does mandate specific topic coverage.
Total hours: 36 per 3-year cycle
Mandatory topics:
Official resources
Bookmark these official agency portals for New York licensing, controlled-substance registration, and Medicaid enrollment.
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