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License Renewal
- ALERT-POTENTIAL LICENSE DENIAL OR SUSPENSION FOR FAILURE TO PAY TAXES
- New mandatory fee effective January 1, 2009
The license to practice medicine in California must be renewed every two years. It is illegal to practice medicine with an expired license. The license expires at midnight on the expiration date, which is the last day of the physician's birth month.
To renew a license, the physician must apply on or before the expiration date. The renewal must be on the Board's renewal form, and must include the current renewal fee. Please allow 4-8 weeks for processing. If a renewal notice is not received, the license must still be renewed before the expiration date on the license.
If you have not submitted your renewal notice within two weeks of the expiration date, you may submit it to the address below or renew online.
Forms, information about current renewal fees and requirements may be obtained by contacting:
Medical Board of California
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-2637 or (800) 633-2322
Failure to Renew:
Practicing medicine without a valid license may lead to disciplinary action against a physician.
There is no grace period; if a license has not been renewed within 30 days following the expiration date, the Licensing Program will notify the physician by certified mail. The date a license expires, the status is changed to "delinquent" if the renewal application and fees due are not received.
If a license is renewed more than 90 days following the expiration date, the licensee is required to pay a penalty fee equal to 50% of the renewal plus a delinquency fee equal to 10% of the renewal fee, in addition to the renewal fee. The renewal of an expired license is retroactive to the expiration date if it is renewed within six months of the expiration date.
After a license has been in "delinquent" status for five years, the license is automatically canceled. A canceled license may not be reactivated by simply paying delinquent fees and penalties. The physician must apply for a new license and meet the current licensure requirements.
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