Recently, the Florida legislature passed Senate Bill 7016, making Florida the 40^th state to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC), an agreement among multiple jurisdictions that allows member states to expedite the licensure process for physicians who want to practice in multiple states. As of December 2024, the State of Florida is still in the process of fully implementing the IMLC and anticipates it to be operational within a few months. The IMLC streamlines the process of obtaining a medical license in multiple states by completing just one application with the IMLC, rather than having to apply for licensure in each state where the physician intends to practice. The state licenses are processed and issued in the same manner as a typical license application in that state.

Any physician who meets the qualifications of the IMLC is eligible for licensure in any member state. Eligibility requirements include: a degree from an accredited medical school or school listed in the International Medical Education Directory, as well as successful completion of ACGME or AOA-accredited medical education. The physician must also possess a full and unrestricted medical license in an IMLC member state that can serve as the physician’s State of Principal License (SPL). A physician must maintain licensure and residency in their SPL, be employed to practice medicine in the SPL, and ensure that at least 25% of their practice occurs in the SPL. Disqualifying factors include being the subject of a current investigation, any criminal history, or any history of discipline against their license. The map of participating states can be found on the IMLC website.

The attorneys of Nicholson & Eastin routinely represent physicians in connection with medical license applications. If you need assistance applying for a medical license in Florida or with applying for licensure in multiple states under the IMLC, please do not hesitate to contact us.