Provisional License to Foreign Medical License Holders with Offers of Employment

Individuals considering applying for a provisional license should review the documents below for more information about eligibility, the application, and the required documentation and fees before submitting their applications. In addition, The Medical Practice Act, Texas Occupations Code §155.1015 and Texas Administrative Code Rule §161.53 should be reviewed prior to applying. An application fee may be refunded under certain circumstances, however, other surcharges and fees assessed at the time of application are non-refundable. 

Uniform Application for Physician State Licensure

The Texas Medical Board offers applicants the ability to enter in their Uniform Application (UA) ID Number issued by the FSMB as part of the online application.

The UA, kept on file with the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), will benefit physicians by reducing redundancy in filling out applications when applying for licensure in multiple states, thus increasing portability. The UA does not replace the TMB licensure application. You will still need to apply online through the TMB once you have completed the UA through the FSMB.

Helpful Documents

• Sample Application
• Medical School Codes
• Substantial Equivalent List
• US Citizenship or Lawful Presence Requirement*

* The Texas Medical Board (TMB) requires applicants for an initial license or license renewal to submit documentation establishing lawful presence in the United States from TMB’s list of acceptable documents: US Citizenship or Lawful Presence Requirement. Verification of this documentation is part of the Board’s licensure and renewal process to confirm a person’s eligibility to hold a license in Texas. 

Under 8 U.S.C. § 1621, an individual who is not lawfully present in the United States is not eligible to receive a public benefit. Licenses issued by the TMB constitute public benefits under the law therefore submission of documentation establishing lawful presence is required as a condition of licensure. 

Applicants must submit documentation from the list of acceptable documents before a license may be issued or renewed. Initial applications or applications for renewal will remain pending and will not be eligible for approval until the required documentation is submitted.  The documentation must be unexpired on the date the initial license is issued or the date the license is renewed.

An initial provisional license is issued for two years. Applicants must be ECFMG certified, passed USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2, and have an offer of employment.  Individuals considering applying for an initial provisional license should review the Eligibility Checklist. 
 

Helpful Documents

• Eligibility Checklist – Initial Provisional  

A second provisional license may only be issued after successful practice under an initial provisional license and is issued for two years. Applicants must practice only in a rural community or medically underserved area or health professional shortage area, as designated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, that has a current shortage of physicians. Individuals considering applying for a second provisional license should review the Eligibility Checklist.

Helpful Documents 

• Eligibility Checklist - Second Provisional 

Physicians must successfully practice under an Initial Provisional License and Second Provisional License within a period of six years to be eligible to apply for a full, unrestricted Texas medical license. In addition, applicants must provide a certified transcript of examination scores documenting passage of each step of USMLE within three attempts and within seven years.

Texas has a two-stage application process – Pre-Licensure/Screening and Licensing. Both stages use the License Inquiry System of Texas (LIST) which is an online communication system for messages to and from the Board and physician applicants regarding application requirements.
 

Stage 1 - Pre-Licensure/Screening

• You will be emailed your LIST username and password the first business day after you apply. If you need to change the license type for an application already submitted, please contact Board staff through the LIST portal to request an update. If you are unable to log in, please contact Board staff at (512) 305-7030 or at Screen-CIC@tmb.texas.gov for assistance.

• Submit the items listed under the Lacking Reasons tab in LIST. These items are generated based on your application. Applicants can upload certain lacking item documents required for their licensure application through their LIST account. This feature can be found under the “Forms” tab in LIST, along with details on the document formats that can be uploaded. Applicants should log into their LIST account and review each specific lacking item to determine which documents are acceptable by upload. Currently this option is limited to non-third party documents that are not required to be submitted directly to the Board. Standard processing times apply to uploaded documents and your LIST account will be updated once an item has been reviewed/accepted.

• Check LIST frequently to track receipt of the items and submit questions one at time. Applicants who both call and submit LIST messages or submit multiple LIST messages when they don’t get an immediate response, delay staff response time and increase application processing time. All LIST questions will be answered by staff in the order received. Please allow 3-5 business days for a response.

During Pre-licensure/Screening, the documentation requested is based on the standard requirements for licensure and information provided with the application. Documents are not reviewed for content until you have been determined to be Screen Complete. Your application may be returned to screening if it is determined by a Pre-Licensure Quality Review Specialist that additional information is required before the application can be assigned to a licensing analyst. Completing Stage 1 (Pre-Licensure/Screening) does not mean you are eligible for licensure. Only after you complete Stage 2 (Licensing) are you determined to be ready for licensure.

Although the TMB is legislatively mandated to process all physician licensure applications within an average of 51 days, individual application processing time will vary based on the complexity of the application. The processing time clock begins when the applicant has submitted all initial documents and has moved to the Licensing Stage.
 

Stage 2 - Licensing

• You’ve submitted all of the documents required for your application in Pre-Licensure/Screening.

• Your application has been assigned to a licensing analyst.

• Keep checking LIST. Your licensing analyst will post requests for additional items in the Lacking Reasons section.

Individual application processing time will vary based on the complexity of the application. Factors that increase the processing time may include, but are not limited to, answering “yes” to any of the Professionalism questions on the application or failing to follow instructions when submitting documentation. However, failing to answer application questions truthfully may be considered falsification of your application, will increase the processing time of your application, and could result in punitive action by the Board.

Application Complete

• Congratulations! You are ready to be licensed.

• Licenses are issued approximately twice a month.

• Register your license. You will receive a letter and an email within 2 weeks of being licensed, with registration instructions.

Licenses are issued approximately every two weeks in conjunction with the traditional physician licensure pathway. Please find the current fiscal year’s dates below.

*Additional licensing dates for the remainder of fiscal year 2026 will be made available in May 2026.

Application Fee: The fee for provisional licensure in Texas is $602.00 and includes the Jurisprudence Exam fee. Additional non-refundable surcharges related to the National Practitioner Data Bank/Health Integrity Data Bank ($21.00) and the Texas Physician Health Program ($7.00) will be assessed with the application fee. The entire fee must be submitted before your application can be assigned and processed.

Application-Related Fees: Fees are typically required from other entities that provide documents or services. This list is not all inclusive, but examples of entities that typically charge fees are:

• The Federation of State Medical Boards for the FCVS packet or exam transcripts;
• FCSA for a foreign education evaluation;
• IdentoGo by IDEMIA for processing the criminal history check; and
• KSTAR, PACE, or CPEP physician assessment (if required)