50-State Guide
California
Last updated June 2026
At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| IMLC Member | No |
| FCVS | Accepted |
| NP Independent Practice | Yes (3 yrs) |
| PA Independent Practice | No |
| Physician-Owned PC Allowed | Yes (51%) |
| Max NPs per Physician | 4 |
| Max PAs per Physician | 8 |
Licensure
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Initial License | $805 |
| Renewal Fee | $1,206 |
| Renewal Cycle | Biennial |
| Annualized Cost | $603.00 |
| Controlled Substance Registration | No |
In-State Physician Requirement
Ready availability; physical presence not required.
APC Supervision
Nurse Practitioners
NPs can practice independently after 3 yrs of supervised practice in California.
- Maximum NPs per physician: 4
Physician Assistants
PAs require physician supervision in California.
- Maximum PAs per physician: 8
Additional Notes
New 2026 Law: PA ratio increased from 4 to 8.
CME & Training Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total CME | 10 hours |
| Category 1 Minimum | See board |
| Cycle | Biennial |
| Opioid/Pain Mgmt | Not required |
| Human Trafficking | Not required |
| Implicit Bias | Not required |
| Suicide Prevention | Required |
| DEA MATE Act | 8 hrs one-time (federal) |
| Jurisprudence Exam | Required |
Fingerprint Requirements
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Required | Yes |
| FBI Check | Yes |
| Method | LiveScan / Ink cards (FD-258) |
| Out-of-State Options | Mail-in ink cards available |
| Timing | After application submitted |
Quirks & Gotchas
Application Requirements
- No jurisprudence exam.** Minnesota does not require a separate law/jurisprudence exam for physician licensure — this is actually one area where MN is less burdensome than many states (e.g., Texas, California).
- FCVS not required but optional.** Applicants can use the FSMB’s Federation Credentials Verification Service, but MN does not mandate it. Notably, FCVS fees are NOT reimbursable if you’re a resident/trainee.
- Heavy verification load — unusual scope.** Most state boards verify education, exam scores, training, and prior licenses. Minnesota also independently verifies: board certification, 2 physician references, the AMA physician profile, NPDB-HIPDB query, 5 years of employment history, and 5 years of hospital privilege history. This is a broader verification sweep than most states.
- Residency permit is a separate track.** PGY-1 trainees apply for a residency permit only; PGY-2 and above must hold a full license simultaneously with the permit.
Other Gotchas
- 3-attempt cap per Step/Level** — stricter than some states. Exception: 4 attempts allowed if currently licensed in another state AND specialty board certified.
- Step/Level 3 must be passed within 5 years of Step/Level 2** OR before the end of residency training, whichever comes first.
- SPEX/COMVEX required** if any licensing or board certification exam was not passed within the past 10 years — this catches physicians returning to practice after a gap or after discipline.
Fingerprints & Background Check
- Mandatory fingerprint-based CBC for all new applicants** under Minn. Stat. § 214.075. Prints are cross-checked with both the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the FBI.
- After the application and fee are received, the board emails an instruction packet for fingerprinting — you cannot initiate fingerprinting independently ahead of time.
- If you’re a resident/trainee at Mayo or similar institutions, fingerprinting is required twice** — once for licensure, separately for institutional credentialing — these do not satisfy each other.
- Fee:** $33.25 (included in the $425.25 total initial cost).
Fees
| Item | Cost | | Processing fee | $200.00 | | Annual registration fee | $192.00 | | Criminal background check | $33.25 | | Total initial | $425.25 | | Renewal (every 3 years) | $192.00 | | Residency permit | $20.00 |
- No hidden administrative surcharges beyond the above.
- FCVS, if used, is an additional out-of-pocket cost the board does not reimburse.
Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP)
- PMP enrollment is mandatory** as of July 1, 2017 for any prescriber holding a DEA registration who prescribes controlled substances to humans in Minnesota.
- Enrollment can be completed during online license renewal.
- The board noted a mandatory PMP check requirement effective January 1, 2021 — prescribers must actually query the PMP before prescribing controlled substances, not just be enrolled.
CME & Mandatory Training
- 75 Category 1 CME hours every 3 years** (renewal by June 30 of the renewal year).
- All 75 hours must be AMA PRA Category 1** — no Category 2 credit accepted.
- One mandatory topic: at least 1 hour in pain and symptom management CME** per renewal cycle. This applies to physicians, PAs, and APRNs alike.
- Alternative to CME:** Current ABMS, RCPSC, or AOA board certification/maintenance of certification fully satisfies the CME requirement — the board waives all 75 hours.
- Minnesota does not mandate CME hours in implicit bias, suicide prevention, domestic violence, or opioid prescribing beyond the federal DEA 8-hour requirement for DEA registrants (effective June 2023, required once at DEA initial registration or first renewal after that date — not a state board mandate).
CME & Mandatory Training
- Opioids and controlled substances awareness training** must be completed before initial licensure.
- Human trafficking identification training** must be completed before initial licensure.
- Both are one-time requirements at initial application, not recurring CME mandates.
Timeline
- Standard processing: 4–5 months** from complete submission (some sources cite 8–12 weeks for initial intake; the difference reflects time for external sources to return primary source verifications).
- No official expedited process** — the board does not offer rush processing.
- Mail loss is a documented problem** given the board’s high application volume. Primary source verifications sent by mail can be lost at the board, requiring re-requests. Using trackable mail or certified mail for direct-source documents is advisable.
- Application must be submitted after February 1** of the appointment year for residency/fellowship programs (e.g., Mayo).
- Verification bottleneck:** The breadth of sources the board verifies (see above) means any institution that is slow to respond — especially hospitals for privilege history — will stall the entire application.
- Telemedicine without a full MN license** is possible for out-of-state physicians if they do not physically see patients or receive calls while in Minnesota — a relatively permissive carve-out, requires annual registration.
Other Gotchas
- No jurisprudence exam
- No implicit bias CME mandate (unlike Michigan, California)
- No suicide prevention CME mandate
- No domestic violence CME mandate
- No separate opioid prescribing CME mandate at the state level beyond the federal DEA 8-hour one-time requirement
- Apply for a License / Minnesota Board of Medical Practice
- Minnesota Board of Medical Practice – Main
- FSMB MN Application Instructions PDF
- MN Physician Application Packet June 2025 (PDF)
- Minnesota Medical Licensing: Requirements, Process, and Advice – medicallicensing.com
Researched from state board websites and regulatory sources. Verify with the board directly before applying.
Resources
Sources
Data compiled from state medical board websites, FSMB, and regulatory filings. Last updated June 2026.
Have a correction or update? Let us know.