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District of Columbia (DC)

District of Columbia Medical License Renewal, 2026

Biennial (2 years) renewal through the District of Columbia Board of Medicine (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration). Licenses expire on the last day of your birth month, in odd or even years matching your birth year. Verified from the board's own pages, August 2026.

Renew at the DC board portal →
Quick Facts: District of Columbia Medical License Renewal
Medical Board District of Columbia Board of Medicine (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration)
Renewal Cycle Biennial (2 years)
CME Hours Required 50 hours
Renewal Fee $500 (MD/DO renewal license fee for the 2-year term, per 17 DCMR 3500.1, Medical Doctors: "License (original, renewal, temporary, renewal, or reinstated) - By endorsement, reciprocity, renewal, waiver... $500.00"). A $50 criminal background check fee also appears in the same schedule and the Board notes CBC review is part of renewal processing.
Processing Time No fixed published timeline. Board renewal notice (loaded 2026-08-19): "the issuance of the renewed license is taking longer than expected" due to volume and required review of criminal background checks and disciplinary history; timely filers keep working under "Renewal pending / Authorized to work" status.
Renewal Due Last day of your birth month
Late fee $85

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i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

When it is due
Last day of the licensee's birth month, in odd or even years matching the licensee's birth year. Board statement: all credentials issued or renewed on or after June 16, 2024 "will expire on the last day of the holder's birth month," and "if your birthday is in an odd year, your future renewals will occur in odd years (and the same for even years)." This replaced the old fixed December 31 of even-numbered years anchor; licenses renewed before June 16, 2024 kept their existing expiration for that term and convert at their next renewal.
Fee
$500 (MD/DO renewal license fee for the 2-year term, per 17 DCMR 3500.1, Medical Doctors: "License (original, renewal, temporary, renewal, or reinstated) - By endorsement, reciprocity, renewal, waiver... $500.00"). A $50 criminal background check fee also appears in the same schedule and the Board notes CBC review is part of renewal processing.
Late fee
$85 (17 DCMR 3500.1, Medical Doctors, "Late Renewal Fee $85.00")
If you miss the deadline
No true grace period for practice. A late renewal fee ($85) exists in the fee regulation, implying a late-renewal window. Per the Board's current renewal notice: licensees who submitted the renewal application before the expiration date may continue to work while it is pending with status "Renewal pending / Authorized to work"; those who did not renew show "Expired - renewal eligible" and may not work (for the current cycle, not beyond September 1, 2026, without an active license). A fully lapsed license requires reinstatement: 17 DCMR 3500.1 lists an MD reinstatement application fee of $305 (by endorsement/reciprocity/waiver path) plus the $500 license fee, and the Board lists a Reinstatement Application Checklist on its Physician Licensing page.
Processing time
No fixed published timeline. Board renewal notice (loaded 2026-08-19): "the issuance of the renewed license is taking longer than expected" due to volume and required review of criminal background checks and disciplinary history; timely filers keep working under "Renewal pending / Authorized to work" status.

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your District of Columbia Medical License

Follow these steps to renew your medical license with the District of Columbia Board of Medicine (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration):

  1. Complete your CME for the cycle (50 hours) (see details below)
  2. Log in to the District of Columbia Board of Medicine (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) renewal portal
  3. Complete the renewal application and answer the attestation questions
  4. Pay the renewal fee ($500 (MD/DO renewal license fee for the 2-year term, per 17 DCMR 3500)
  5. Submit and save your confirmation

2 District of Columbia CME Requirements

50 hours per 2-year cycle.

Tracking your CME across multiple states is one of the most time-consuming parts of credential management. CredentialDOMD automatically monitors your CME progress and alerts you when you're falling behind, so you never miss a requirement.

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

These are the mistakes District of Columbia physicians most commonly make during renewal:

Track your District of Columbia license, CME, and DEA in one place

The reminder email above covers this renewal. The app goes further: it watches your DC renewal window, counts your CME hours against the requirement, and tracks your DEA registration alongside your license. Built by a practicing neurosurgeon who uses it daily. Free during beta.

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4 Frequently Asked Questions

When does my DC medical license now expire? ▾
On the last day of your birth month. DC Health moved every health professional credential issued or renewed on or after June 16, 2024 to a birth-month cycle: physicians born in odd years renew in odd years and those born in even years renew in even years, on a 2-year term. Verify your exact date in the DC Health licensure lookup at https://dohenterprise.my.site.com/ver/s/.
How much does renewal cost? ▾
The renewal license fee for an MD or DO is $500 for the 2-year term under 17 DCMR 3500.1 (amended effective May 17, 2024). The same regulation lists an $85 late renewal fee and a $50 criminal background check fee. The Board's fee schedule web page does not print amounts; the regulation and the application in the portal control.
How do I renew? ▾
Online through DC Health's licensing portal at https://dohenterprise.my.site.com/dchealthrenewals/s/portal-page, which handles new, renewal, reinstatement, and reactivation applications for all Board of Medicine professions.
My renewal is still 'pending' after my expiration date. Can I keep practicing? ▾
Yes, if you submitted the renewal application before your license expired. The Board's notice states timely filers hold the status 'Renewal pending / Authorized to work' while criminal background check and CE review is completed, and the renewed license issues as active retroactive to the start of the new term. For the current cycle the Board stated no one may work beyond September 1, 2026 without an active license.
What happens if I miss my renewal deadline? ▾
Your status becomes 'Expired - renewal eligible' and you may not practice. The fee regulation adds an $85 late renewal fee, and a license that fully lapses requires a reinstatement application ($305 application fee plus the $500 license fee under 17 DCMR 3500.1); the Board publishes a Reinstatement Application Checklist on its Physician Licensing page.
Is there a separate osteopathic board in DC? ▾
No. The DC Board of Medicine licenses both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians under the same rules, fees, and renewal cycle.

Medical License Renewal in Nearby States

CA California License Renewal TX Texas License Renewal FL Florida License Renewal NY New York License Renewal

✓ Where this comes from

Double-checked against a second official source, August 2026. These are the primary sources we read:

Boards change fees and rules; always confirm on the board page before you pay. Report anything out of date to [email protected].

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