How long does a Georgia medical license take?

Typically 6 to 8 weeks once a complete application without issues is in, according to the board’s April 2025 newsletter, and its June 2026 newsletter says to allow up to 30 days for the initial review. Files that need more information can wait for the Physician Licensure Committee and the monthly board meeting, the board’s rules set no deadline for a decision, and on the compact route IMLCC’s Year 9 averages were 38 days from application to a Letter of Qualification, then 22 days from qualification to issued licenses.

How much does a Georgia medical license cost?

$969.24 for an MD and $1,034.24 for a DO in published fees with a first FCVS profile: the $500 application fee, a $15.75 card fee, FCVS at $395, NPDB reports at $3.50 and $3.00, the $51.99 fingerprint fee, and, for DOs, a $65 COMLEX transcript. An MD whose FCVS profile is already on file pays $673.24, and fees through the IMLC total $1,203. Verifications from your other boards and notary fees come on top.

Is Georgia in the IMLC?

Yes. Georgia enacted the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in 2019, issues licenses through it, and can be your state of principal license. In IMLCC’s Year 9, April 2025 to March 2026, the board approved 410 Letters of Qualification and issued 966 licenses through the compact.

Is the IMLC or the full license cheaper for Georgia?

In published fees, the full license: $969.24 for an MD or $1,034.24 for a DO, or $673.24 for an MD whose FCVS profile is already on file, against $1,203 through the compact. The compact can still make sense when you meet its terms and are adding other member states, since the IMLCC’s $700 covers one application and each state adds its own fee. It also spares you a Georgia FCVS report, though Georgia wants its own documents within 30 days of licensure, and adding Georgia to a Letter of Qualification still within its 365 days costs $600 in compact fees.

Do MDs and DOs apply differently in Georgia?

Barely. One board licenses both through the same application and the same $500 fee, and the IMLCC lists a single Georgia fee of $500; DOs add a $65 COMLEX-USA transcript from NBOME to their FCVS profile, where an MD’s USMLE scores ride in the FCVS fee.

Is FCVS required in Georgia?

Yes, for the full license: a 2026 rule change made an FCVS report mandatory from July 1, 2026, and the rule says it must include your license, exam, school, and training verifications. A first profile costs $395 and a subsequent one $99, and the IMLC route needs no FCVS report.

Does Georgia require fingerprints or a jurisprudence exam?

Fingerprints yes, jurisprudence exam no. Since the 2026 rule change, every applicant for the full license completes a GBI and FBI fingerprint check through IdentoGO, digitally in Georgia or on mailed cards from out of state, within 90 days of enrolling, at a published fee of $51.99. On the compact route, your state of principal license runs the check.

Do I need a Georgia license to treat Georgia patients by telehealth?

Yes, under the board’s telemedicine rule, which says treatment and consultations must be done by Georgia-licensed practitioners. Georgia offers a telemedicine-only license, but it is no shortcut: it carries the full license’s requirements and the same $500 fee, and it cannot be used to practice physically in Georgia except in an emergency. The board also says DEA treats it as a restricted license and suggests the full license to physicians who need DEA authorization.

Does Georgia require a state controlled substance registration?

No. Georgia has no separate state controlled-substance registration; your Georgia license and a DEA registration for Georgia, $888 for three years, carry prescribing authority. Holding that DEA registration means registering with the Georgia PDMP, whether or not you prescribe controlled substances.

What does staying licensed in Georgia involve?

Renewal every two years by the end of your birth month, at $230 plus the card fee; 40 CME hours per cycle after the first renewal, plus one-time training on professional boundaries and, for DEA holders who prescribe controlled substances, on controlled substance prescribing; PDMP registration and checks if you hold a DEA registration; and a separate $888 DEA registration for Georgia.

Georgia physician license: fees, timeline, requirements, and common delays

Georgia licenses MD and DO physicians through one board, the Georgia Composite Medical Board, directly or through the IMLC, and can be your state of principal license. With a first FCVS profile, a full license costs an MD $969.24 in published fees and a DO $1,034.24: the $500 application fee plus a 3.15% card fee, FCVS at $395, two NPDB reports, $51.99 for fingerprints, and a $65 COMLEX transcript for DOs. Through the compact, budget $1,203, mostly the $700 IMLCC fee and Georgia’s $500. The board’s April 2025 newsletter says complete applications without issues typically take 6 to 8 weeks. The friction is the 2026 rule change: since July 1, 2026, every full-license file needs an FCVS report and a fingerprint check.

Georgia at a glance.

License: Full physician license (MD or DO), renewed every two years
MD and DO: One board, with the same application and fees for both
IMLC: Member state, issuing licenses. Georgia can be the SPL; $700 IMLCC fee plus $500 for Georgia
FCVS: Required for the full license since July 1, 2026; not on the IMLC route
Uniform Application: Not used
Fingerprints: Required: a GBI and FBI check through IdentoGO, digital in Georgia or mailed cards from out of state
Jurisprudence exam: None
Interview: Not routine; the Physician Licensure Committee may invite you if it needs more information
Board fee: $500 application fee, non-refundable, plus a 3.15% card fee
Renewal: Every two years by the end of your birth month: $230, plus the card fee
CME: 40 hours every two years, plus one-time required training

Which route fits.

MD and DO applicants file the same application with the Georgia Composite Medical Board, for the same $500 fee, and the IMLC is a second way to a full Georgia license. Telehealth takes a Georgia license too: the board’s telemedicine rule says treatment and consultations must be done by Georgia-licensed practitioners, and its telemedicine license is a narrower license with the full license’s requirements, not an out-of-state registration.

The full license.

Who it fits: Any MD or DO, including physicians licensed in other states and those the compact excludes, such as physicians without specialty certification, which Georgia does not require. Board rules give military spouses and transitioning service members expedited processing, with no time frame stated.
The trade-off: The full Georgia file: an FCVS report on your school, training, and exams, a verification from every board that has licensed you, an NPDB self-query, notarized affidavits, and a state and FBI fingerprint check, for $969.24 (MD) or $1,034.24 (DO) in published fees. The board’s April 2025 newsletter puts applications without issues at 6 to 8 weeks once complete.

Licensing board: Georgia Composite Medical Board.

The IMLC.

Who it fits: Physicians whose state of principal license is another member state and who meet the compact’s terms, which include specialty certification and each USMLE or COMLEX component passed within three attempts. Georgia can also be your state of principal license, to add other member states, if you hold its full license and Georgia is your primary residence, the site of at least 25% of your practice, your employer’s location, or your federal tax residence.
The trade-off: Fees total $1,203: $700 to the IMLCC and $500 for Georgia, none of it refundable, plus a $3 NPDB self-query, against $969.24 (MD) or $1,034.24 (DO) in published fees to apply directly. Your state of principal license runs the verifications and the FBI fingerprint check, so no FCVS report is needed. Within 30 days of licensure, though, Georgia wants a CV, two notarized affidavits, an identity document, a malpractice questionnaire, and the self-query; until staff approve them, the board calls the license temporarily approved.

The telemedicine license.

Who it fits: Physicians who will treat Georgia patients only by telemedicine and hold a full, unrestricted license in another state. It cannot be used to see patients physically in Georgia except in an emergency, and the board issues it at its discretion.
The trade-off: No shortcut: the same requirements and the same $500 fee as the full license, so the same $969.24 (MD) or $1,034.24 (DO) all-in. The board says DEA treats it as a restricted license and suggests the full license to physicians who need DEA authorization; upgrading later costs $200.

What it costs.

MD full license, first FCVS profile
Application fee	$500
Card processing fee, 3.15% of the application fee	$15.75
FCVS profile, required, USMLE transcripts included	$395
NPDB report, billed through FCVS	$3.50
NPDB self-query	$3.00
Fingerprint check, GBI and FBI, through IdentoGO	$51.99
All-in	$969.24
Our service fee	Quoted with your plan

DO full license, first FCVS profile
Application fee	$500
Card processing fee, 3.15% of the application fee	$15.75
FCVS profile, required	$395
COMLEX-USA transcript to FCVS (NBOME)	$65
NPDB report, billed through FCVS	$3.50
NPDB self-query	$3.00
Fingerprint check, GBI and FBI, through IdentoGO	$51.99
All-in	$1,034.24
Our service fee	Quoted with your plan

MD full license, FCVS profile already on file
Application fee	$500
Card processing fee, 3.15% of the application fee	$15.75
FCVS profile already on file, sent to the board	$99
NPDB report, billed through FCVS	$3.50
NPDB self-query	$3.00
Fingerprint check, GBI and FBI, through IdentoGO	$51.99
All-in	$673.24
Our service fee	Quoted with your plan

MD or DO license through the IMLC
IMLCC application fee	$700
Georgia license fee, from the IMLCC fee table	$500
NPDB self-query, due within 30 days of licensure	$3.00
All-in	$1,203
Our service fee	Quoted with your plan

The $500 is paid to the Georgia Composite Medical Board by card, with the 3.15% processing fee on top; the board takes no checks or money orders and calls its fees non-refundable. The FCVS fees, including the NPDB report each profile carries, go to FSMB, and the COMLEX-USA transcript fee to NBOME; the self-query is the NPDB’s $3.00 annual subscription; and the $51.99 is the GBI’s published fee for a state and FBI check through IdentoGO, with no separate price published for the mailed-card route. On the IMLC route, the IMLCC calls every fee non-refundable, and adding Georgia to a Letter of Qualification still within its 365 days costs $600 in compact fees, a $100 handling fee plus the $500.

Left out of every total: verifications from every other board that has licensed you, at each board’s own fee; notary fees and, for mailed cards from out of state, the local charge for rolling them, neither of them published; certified English translations of foreign transcripts; a separate USMLE transcript ($70), only if the board asks for one beyond FCVS; for international graduates, ECFMG’s one-time $75 education verification and $70 status report for each board, both billed through FCVS; and SPEX or another competency assessment, if the board requires one. On the IMLC route, your state of principal license runs the fingerprints and verifications, at its fees.

Fees change; verified October 26, 2026.

How long it takes.

6 to 8 weeksA complete application without issuesThe board’s April 2025 newsletter says applications without issues typically take 6 to 8 weeks once complete, and that files needing more review may take longer.Board-published
Up to 30 daysFirst staff reviewThe board’s June 2026 newsletter tells applicants to allow up to 30 days for the initial review once the fee is paid and the documents are in.Board-published
MonthlyBoard review, for files that need itThe board meets monthly, typically on the first Thursday; a file that needs more information can go to an interview with its Physician Licensure Committee, then to the full board for a decision.Board-published
90 daysWindow to complete fingerprintsThe board’s fingerprint guide says fingerprints must be completed within 90 days of enrolling, or the enrollment is canceled and the payment refunded.Board-published
38 daysIMLC application to Letter of QualificationIMLCC’s Year 9 average across the compact, April 2025 to March 2026; 55% received the letter in 30 days or less.IMLCC average
22 daysIMLC qualification to licenses issuedIMLCC’s Year 9 average for the next stage, from qualification to the requested state licenses; 47% received them in 7 days or less. The two stages are separate averages, not a total.IMLCC average

The board’s rules set no deadline for deciding a full-license application, and an application left incomplete for about a year expires. On its IMLC page, the board notes that its move to a new licensing system has delayed some compact applications, and physicians licensed through the compact owe Georgia its post-licensure documents within 30 days. No board guarantees a date.

What the file involves.

A typical Georgia file for an MD licensed elsewhere moves between 8 parties and 10 core document types, more with each extra training program or board that has licensed you; a DO file adds NBOME, for 9 parties. FCVS carries your school, training, and exam verifications, and a 2026 rule change replaced the full license’s professional references with the fingerprint check. International graduates add ECFMG through FCVS. On the IMLC route, the Georgia file involves 5 parties: the IMLCC, your state of principal license, the board, the NPDB, and a notary for the affidavits due within 30 days of licensure.

FSMB, through FCVSAssembles your FCVS report from verified school, training, and exam records, USMLE scores included, and pulls an NPDB report as the board’s agent.
Your medical schoolSends your official transcript, through FCVS.
Each postgraduate training programCertifies your training, on a form carrying the hospital’s seal or a notary’s.
Every board that has licensed youVerifies each healthcare license you have held outside Georgia, directly to the board.
The National Practitioner Data BankAnswers the self-query the board requires from every applicant who has held a license.
IdentoGO, the Georgia Crime Information Center, and the FBITake your fingerprints and run the state and national criminal history checks.
A notary publicNotarizes the affidavits you sign, including the citizenship affidavit the board’s rule requires of every applicant, though its physician page asks it only of non-citizens.
The Georgia Composite Medical BoardReviews the file, through its Physician Licensure Committee and the full board when it needs more information, and issues the license.
NBOME (DO files)Sends your COMLEX-USA transcript to FCVS.

Postgraduate training: One year of ACGME, AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC training for graduates of board-approved schools, which include US, Puerto Rico, and Canadian schools and international schools on the Medical Board of California’s list or with NCFMEA-recognized accreditation; three years for graduates of other schools. The board may accept current ABMS certification as evidence of the training, and its physician page, unlike the rule, puts every international graduate at three years.
Exams: USMLE Steps 1 to 3, COMLEX-USA, or an accepted older combination such as FLEX or NBME, with no exam-attempt limit in Georgia’s rules for physicians already licensed elsewhere. The IMLC requires each component passed within three attempts.
Time out of practice: The board’s rule lets it require SPEX or another competency assessment after more than 30 consecutive months out of practice, and its April 2025 newsletter says physicians out of practice 30 months or more will be required to take a clinical skills exam. Your CV must give the date of your last clinical practice.
International graduates: ECFMG certification or a Fifth Pathway, and, for schools outside the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, at least 130 weeks of instruction.
Non-citizens: One year of residence in the United States, except for graduates of Canadian medical schools, and lawful status, which the board checks through the federal SAVE program at licensure and at every renewal.
Board certification: Not required for the full license. The IMLC requires specialty certification, or a time-unlimited certificate, recognized by the ABMS or the AOA’s Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists.

We run the Georgia file.

We do

Check your IMLC eligibility and weigh the compact against the full license before any compact fee is paid.
Prepare the Georgia application and check every answer against the board’s current rules before it goes in.
Start or update your FCVS profile and chase each verification behind it, plus a verification from every board that has licensed you.
Line up your fingerprint check through IdentoGO, digital in Georgia or by mailed cards from out of state, inside the 90-day window.
On the compact route, assemble the documents Georgia wants within 30 days of licensure.
Answer every board request and follow the file until the license issues.

You do

Share your credentials and license history once, in our secure portal.
Approve your application answers and sign the attestations.
Sign your affidavits in front of a notary.
Get fingerprinted, digitally at an IdentoGO location in Georgia or on cards rolled near you.
Meet with the Physician Licensure Committee if the board invites you to an interview.

Get My Licensing Plan

Staying licensed.

Renewal cycle: Every two years, by the last day of your birth month, for $230 plus the 3.15% card fee. A late renewal in the three months after expiry costs $455; after that the board revokes the license administratively. The board mails no renewal notices but emails reminders starting 90 days before expiry. Licenses issued through the compact renew through the IMLCC, followed by a Georgia renewal application with no second payment.
CME: 40 hours every two years in AMA or AOA Category 1 or another accepted category, with the first renewal exempt from the hours. Two one-time trainings are certified at that first renewal: 2 hours on professional boundaries and physician sexual misconduct for every physician, and 3 hours on controlled substance prescribing if you hold a DEA registration and prescribe controlled substances. Physicians without pain management or palliative medicine certification whose opioid pain management patients make up 50% or more of their patients need 20 of the 40 hours in pain management or palliative medicine. Keep CME records for 5 years; the board audits a fixed percentage of renewals.
State controlled-substance registration: None. Georgia issues no separate controlled-substance registration; DEA lists it among the states that require only the professional license.
Prescription monitoring: If you hold an active DEA registration, register with the Georgia PDMP, run by the Department of Public Health, whether or not you prescribe controlled substances; the board’s rules set a 30-day deadline to enroll. Check the PDMP the first time you prescribe a patient a Schedule II opiate or cocaine derivative or a benzodiazepine, then at least every 90 days, and note it in the record, with exceptions such as a supply of three days and 26 pills or less, hospice or terminal illness, and cancer treatment.
DEA registration: $888 for three years, with a separate registration for Georgia.
Telemedicine prescribing: Board rules make prescribing controlled substances based solely on an electronic consultation unprofessional conduct, outside listed exceptions such as on-call coverage of up to a 30-day supply and documented emergencies, and the telemedicine rule does not authorize controlled-substance prescribing for pain. That rule also asks for diligent efforts to have each telemedicine patient seen in person by a Georgia-licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner at least once a year.
E-prescribing: Permitted, not required. A paper prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance must be on security paper.
Physician profile and reporting: Complete the board’s physician profile within 60 days of its request; report malpractice judgments and settlements, privilege actions, and discipline within 10 days, and other profile changes within 30; and report an address change in writing within 30 days.

Renewals, CME tracking, and DEA registrations are managed where included in your plan: physician licensing at NP Licensing.

Frequently asked questions

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Also licensing in these states?

Florida Separate boards for MDs and DOs, both issuing licenses through the IMLC, plus a telehealth registration with no state fee.
North Carolina One board licenses MDs and DOs, directly or through the IMLC, which North Carolina joined on January 1, 2026.
California Two boards and no IMLC route: every California license is a direct application.
Texas One board licenses MDs and DOs, by direct application or through the IMLC.
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