State Medical Board Licensing Requirements
| State | PGT for Domestic Grads | PGT for International Grads | ABMS/SPEX/10 Year Rule | Step 3 USMLE Attempts | USMLE 7 Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMLCC Compact Licensing | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Alabama | 1 year | 3 years | Yes | 3 (10 total attempts) | 7 |
| Alaska | 2 years | 3 years | No | 2 attempts per step | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD |
| Arizona | 1 year | 3 years | Yes - Exempt if Board Certified | None | 7 if first license None if licensed |
| Arkansas | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 attempts per step | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| California | 1 year | 2 years | Yes - Exempt if NBME or ABMS | 4 | 10 |
| Colorado | 1 year | 3 years | No | None | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| Connecticut | 2 years | 2 years | No | None | 7 |
| Delaware | 1 year | 3 years | No | 6 | 7+ |
| Florida | 1 year | 2 years | No | None | None |
| Georgia | 1 year | 1 or 3 years. 1 year if Med. Sch. approved by California. 3 years if Med. Sch. not approved by California. | No | 3 | 7 or 9 (Md/PhD) |
| Hawaii | 1 year | 2 years | No | None | 7 |
| Idaho | 1 year | 3 years | No | 2 per step | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| Illinois | 1 year before 1988; 2 years after 1987 | 1 year before 1988; 2 years after 1987 | No | 5 attempts allowed on all steps combined - total | 7 |
| Indiana | 1 year | 2 years | No | 3 per step | 10 |
| Iowa | 1 year | 2 years | No | 6-step 1&2 3-step 3 *3 yrs of approved PGT required if outside of attempt limits | 10 (no year limit if Board Certified) |
| Kansas | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3+ | 10 |
| Kentucky | 2 years | 2 years | No | 4 per step | None |
| Louisiana | 1 year | 3 years | Yes | 4-step 2 & 3 | 10 |
| Maine | 1 year before 07/2004; 2 years after 07/2004 | 3 years | NA | 3 *Waiver required if more than 3 | 7 |
| Maryland | 1 year | 2 years | Yes - Exempt if Board Certified | 4 | 10 |
| Massachusetts | 1 year | 2 years | Yes | 6 | 7+ |
| Michigan | 2 years | 2 years | No | Yes - 3 attempts | Yes 7 years - 4 years to pass Step 3 from first attempt |
| Puerto Rico | 1 year | 1 year | No | None | 7 |
| District of Columbia | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3+ | 7 |
| Minnesota | 1 year | 2 years | Yes | 3 (if not licensed) 4 (if licensed and board certified) | Step 3 must be passed within 5 years of Step 2 or before the end of the residency training |
| Mississippi | 1 year | 3 years | Yes | 3 | 7 |
| Missouri | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 | 7 |
| Montana | 2 years | 3 years | No | 3 | 7 |
| Nebraska | 1 year | 3 years | No | 4 (each step) | 10 |
| Nevada | 3 years | 3 years | Yes - Exempt if Board Certified | 9 total attempts for all steps combined Step 3 in 3 attempts | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| New Hampshire | 2 years | 2 years | Np | 3 | none |
| New Jersey | 1 year if before 07/03, 3 years if after 07/03 | 3 years | No | 5 | 7 |
| New Mexico | 2 years | 2 years | No | 6 | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| New York | 1 year | 3 years | No | None | None |
| North Carolina | 1 year | 3 years | Yes - Exempt-150 CME Hrs 3yrs | 3 attempts per step | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| North Dakota | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 attempts per step | 7 |
| Ohio | 1 year | 2 years | No | 5 attempts per step | 10 |
| Oklahoma | 1 year | 2 years | No | 3 attempts per step | 10 |
| Oregon | 1 year | 3 years | Yes - Waiver if ABMS and 150 CME Hrs in 3 years | 3 or 4 w/Board Certification | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 3 years | No | None | None |
| Rhode Island | 2 years | 3 years | No | 3 attempts per step | 7 |
| South Carolina | 1 year | 3 years | Yes - Waiver if 150 cme hrs 3 yrs | 4 attempts per step | 10 |
| South Dakota | Complete a Residency | Complete a Residency | No | 3 | 7 |
| Tennessee | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 | 7 (waived if licensed in 3 States) |
| Texas | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 attempts per step | 7 |
| Utah | 2 years | 2 years | No | 3 | 7 or 10 (MD/PhD) |
| Vermont | 1 year | 3 years | No | 3 | 7 |
| Virginia | 1 year | 2 years | No | None | 10+ |
| Washington | 2 years | 2 years | No | 3 | 7+ |
| Virgin Islands | 1 year | 2 years | No | none | 10+ |
| West Virginia | 1 year | 3 years | No | 6 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 2 years | 2 years | No | 3+ | 10 |
| Wyoming | 1 year | 1 year | No | 7 total USMLE attempts | 7 |