ARTICLE 7. Reciprocity and National Board Diplomate Applications [2135. - 2153.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 7.
in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2135. Section 2135.

The board shall issue a physician’s and surgeon’s certificate to an applicant who meets all of the following requirements: (a) The applicant holds an unlimited license as a physician and surgeon in another state or states, or in a Canadian province or Canadian provinces, which was issued upon: (1) Successful completion of a resident course of professional instruction leading to a degree of medical doctor from a board-approved medical school pursuant to Section 2084. (2) Taking and passing a written examination that is recognized by the board to be equivalent in content to that administered in California. (b) The applicant has held an unrestricted license to practice medicine, in a state or states, in a Canadian province or Canadian provinces, or as a member of the active military, United States Public Health Services, or other federal program, for a period of at least four years. Any time spent by the applicant in an approved postgraduate training program or clinical fellowship acceptable to the board shall not be included in the calculation of this four-year period. (c) The board determines that no disciplinary action has been taken against the applicant by any medical licensing authority and that the applicant has not been the subject of adverse judgments or settlements resulting from the practice of medicine that the board determines constitutes evidence of a pattern of negligence or incompetence. (d) The applicant (1) has satisfactorily completed at least one year of approved postgraduate training and is certified by a specialty board approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties or approved by the board pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 651, (2) has satisfactorily completed at least two years of approved postgraduate training, or (3) has satisfactorily completed at least one year of approved postgraduate training and takes and passes the clinical competency written examination. (e) The applicant has not committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate under Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475) or Article 12 (commencing with Section 2220). (f) Any application received from an applicant who has held an unrestricted license to practice medicine, in a state or states, or Canadian province or Canadian provinces, or as a member of the active military, United States Public Health Services, or other federal program for four or more years shall be reviewed and processed pursuant to this section. Any time spent by the applicant in an approved postgraduate training program or clinical fellowship acceptable to the board shall not be included in the calculation of this four-year period. This subdivision does not apply to applications that may be reviewed and processed pursuant to Section 2151. (g) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2020.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2135.5. Section 2135.5.

Upon review and recommendation, the board may determine that an applicant for a physician’s and surgeon’s certificate has satisfied the medical education requirements of Sections 2084 and 2135 and the examination requirements of Section 2170 if the applicant meets all of the following criteria: (a) They hold an unlimited and unrestricted license as a physician and surgeon in another state and has held that license continuously for a minimum of four years prior to the date of application. (b) They meet the postgraduate training requirements in Section 2096 and are certified by a specialty board that is a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. (c) They are not subject to denial of licensure under Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475) or Article 12 (commencing with Section 2220). (d) They have not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a medical licensing authority or of an adverse judgment or settlement resulting from the practice of medicine that, as determined by the board, constitutes a pattern of negligence or incompetence. (e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2020.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2141. Section 2141.

(a) An applicant under this article shall file a verified application on a form furnished by the Division of Licensing. (b) Each application shall include all of the following: (1) A list of each license to practice medicine issued by a medical licensing authority to the applicant with the date each certificate or license was issued and a description of each certificate or license. The division in its discretion may require the applicant to file an indicia of each certification or licensure. If a certificate or license has been lost, a copy may be filed together with proof satisfactory to the division that the copy is a correct one and that the certificate was issued to the applicant without fraud or misrepresentation. (2) A list of each medical school or college at which the applicant undertook his or her resident course of professional instruction and all postsecondary educational institutions from which the applicant was graduated, including the period of study at each. (3) Other information as may be required by the division. (c) The application shall be accompanied by the reciprocity application fee required in Section 2435.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2143. Section 2143.

An applicant for a reciprocity certificate need not have completed the postgraduate training required in Section 2096 prior to the issuance of a license in another state, if the applicant complies with the requirements of Section 2096 before application is made to the board for a reciprocity certificate.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2144. Section 2144.

The Division of Licensing may make an independent investigation of the educational qualifications and the ability and standing of the applicant. If, after this investigation and any other or further examination or investigation which the division may see fit to make on its own part, it is found that the applicant does not meet the requirements for licensure as a physician and surgeon under this chapter, then the division may deny licensure under this article.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 2151. Section 2151.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Division of Licensing may issue a physician and surgeon’s certificate to a diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners provided the following requirements are met: (a) The standard of the National Board of Medical Examiners on the date the diplomate certificate was issued was in no degree or particular less than that which was required for a physician and surgeon’s certificate under this chapter on the same date. (b) The applicant shall file an application with the division as provided in Article 4 (commencing with Section 2080). The applicant shall not, however, be required to comply with any provision of that article which is inconsistent with or in conflict with the provisions of this section. (c) The application shall be accompanied by the fee required in Section 2435. (d) The applicant shall satisfy the division that the diplomate certificate was procured without fraud or misrepresentation. (e) The applicant shall not have committed any acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of a certificate under Section 480 or Article 12 (commencing with Section 2220).
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements