State Medical License Requirements

State Board	USMLE Attempt Limit	Time Limit	Postgraduate Training Requirements		SPEX Required?
			US/Canadian Graduates	Foreign Graduates

ALABAMA	No attempt limit on steps I and II, Three attempts on step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	One Year	Three Years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
ALASKA	One attempt on all Steps.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Three years	NO
ARIZONA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified, life time certified, or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
ARKANSAS	Six attempts per Steps	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Three years	Three years	NO
CALIFORNIA	4 attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within ten (10) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
COLORADO	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
CONNECTICUT	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Two years	NO
DELAWARE	No attempt limit	No limit	One year	Three years	NO
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	No attempt limit on steps I and II. Additional year of PGT required after three failures on step III.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Three years	NO
FLORIDA	No attempt limit	No limit	One year	Two years	NO
GEORGIA	No attempt limit on steps I and II. Three attempts per step III. (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
HAWAII	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
IDAHO	Two attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
ILLINOIS	Five attempts per Step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Two years, One year if completed before 1988	NO
INDIANA	Five attempts per Step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
IOWA	Six attempts at Steps I and II. Three ttempts at Step III.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	One year	Two years	NO
KANSAS	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III. (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 within ten (10) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
KENTUCKY	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Two years	NO
LOUISIANA	Unlimited attempts for Step I. Four attempts at Steps II and III.	No Limit	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
MAINE	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years (exception)	Three years (exception)	NO
MARYLAND	Three attempts per step. (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 within ten (10) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
MASSACHUSETTS	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Six attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
MICHIGAN	No attempt limit	No Limit for steps I & II; Must complete step III within five (5) years of first attempt at step III	Two years	Two years	NO
MINNESOTA	Three attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
MISSOURI	Three attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years, One Year if Board Certified	NO
MISSISSIPPI	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
MONTANA	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Three years	NO
NEBRASKA	Four attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
NEVADA	No more than 6 failed attempts	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Three years	Three years	YES; unless board certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
NEW HAMPSHIRE	Three attempts per step (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Two years	NO
NEW JERSEY	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Five ttempts at Step III. (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step (Waiver can be requested)	One year	Three years, One year if Graduated before 7/85	NO
NEW MEXICO	Six attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Two years	NO
NEW YORK	No attempt limit	No Limit	One year	Three years	NO
NORTH CAROLINA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years, PR award accepted
NORTH DAKOTA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
OHIO	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	One year	Two years	NO
OKLAHOMA	Three attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO
OREGON	Three attempts per step (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
PENNSYLVANIA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years, One year if completed before 7/87	Three years, One year if completed before 7/87	NO
PUERTO RICO	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	One year	NO
RHODE ISLAND	Five attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	Two years	Three years	NO
SOUTH CAROLINA	Four attempts per step	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
SOUTH DAKOTA	Three attempts per step.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step (exception)	Two years	Two years, One year if completed before 7/87	NO
TENNESSEE	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
TEXAS	Three attempts per step.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	One year	Three years	YES; unless board certified or re-certified by a specialty or sub-specialty in the last 10 years
UTAH	Three attempts per step.	Must complete USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	Two years	Two years	NO
VERMONT	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years	NO
VIRGINIA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within ten (10) years of passing the first step (exception)	One year	Two years	NO
WASHINGTON	Unlimited attempts for steps I & II. Three attempts at Step III	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step; 10 years for MD/PhD	Two years, One if completed before 7/87	Two years,One if completed before 7/87	NO
WEST VIRGINIA	No attempt limit	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Three years, One year if Board Certified	NO
WISCONSIN	Three attempts per step.	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	One year	NO
WYOMING	No limit on step I and II, Two attempts on step III (exception)	Must complete USMLE Steps I, II, and III within seven (7) years of passing the first step	One year	Two years	NO

Note: State Medical License Requirements are subject to change without notice

Overview of State Medical Boards

Purpose

The practice of medicine is not an inherent right of an individual, but a privilege granted by the people of a state acting through their elected representatives. The primary mission of state medical boards is to protect health care consumers through proper licensing and regulation of physicians in their state. Every state and U.S. territory has a medical board.

Structure

The structure — and even names — of boards vary from state to state. Some boards are independent and maintain all licensing and disciplinary powers, while others are part of a larger umbrella agency, such as a department of health.

All state medical boards belong to the FSMB, a national non-profit organization whose primary mission is to improve the quality, safety and integrity of health care by supporting state medical boards in the protection of the public.

Staffing

State medical boards are typically made up of physicians and members of the public, who are, in most cases, appointed by the governor. Board members in almost all states are paid a nominal stipend. The majority of state boards employ an administrative staff that may include an executive officer, attorneys and investigators. Legal services are often provided by the state's office of the attorney general.

Funding

Funding for most medical boards is determined by each state's legislature. Some boards are funded directly from physician licensing and registration fees.

In response to the 10^th Amendment, each state legislature created a Medical Practice Act that defines the proper practice of medicine and the responsibility of the medical board to regulate that practice.

Each medical board uses a range of activities to carry out its responsibility, the scope of which is determined by the board's legal authority as defined by the state's Medical Practice Act, and by its financial resources determined by the state's legislature. The primary means by which a medical board promotes sound medical practice and keeps consumers safe is through licensing and regulating physicians.

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