State guide · Tennessee · Licensing
Tennessee licensing requirements
Medical license application, controlled-substance registration, Medicaid enrollment, telehealth rules, and CME for Tennessee.
Medical board
Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
License timeline
60–90 days
IMLC member
Yes
CME hours
40 per 2 yrs
Renewal cycle
2 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
Tennessee physicians apply to the TN Board of Medical Examiners through the Department of Health. Tennessee is an IMLC member.
TN requires medical school graduation, postgraduate training, USMLE/COMLEX passage, and primary-source verification.
- •Apply through TN DOH online portal
- •IMLC pathway available
- •Minimum 1 year postgraduate training (3 years for IMGs)
- •Initial license fee approximately $490 (Verify current)
Controlled-substance registration
Tennessee does not require a separate state-level Controlled Substance Registration beyond the federal DEA registration (Verify). TN prescribers must register with the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database (CSMD).
Medicaid enrollment
Agency: TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid)
Tennessee Medicaid (TennCare) enrollment is administered through TennCare Provider Enrollment. TennCare is fully managed care via three MCOs.
Estimated timeline: Verify — typically 60–90 days
- •Apply through TennCare Provider Enrollment
- •Three MCOs require separate credentialing
- •Revalidation required every 5 years
Telehealth notes
Tennessee permits telehealth. TN license required to treat TN-located patients.
- •TN license required to treat TN-located patients
CME requirements
Tennessee requires 40 CME hours per 2-year renewal cycle.
Total hours: 40 per 2-year cycle
Mandatory topics:
Official resources
Bookmark these official agency portals for Tennessee licensing, controlled-substance registration, and Medicaid enrollment.
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