How to check
How do you verify a doctor's license?
To verify a doctor’s license, use the free online lookup tool run by the licensing board in the state where that doctor is practicing. A license is issued state by state, so you must check the specific state board rather than assuming a license in one state applies everywhere. The lookup will show the license type, current status, and expiration date, and in most states any public disciplinary actions. Physician licenses are labeled MD or DO, while credentials such as DC, ND, NP, PA, and DPT indicate other types of practitioners, not physicians.
Use state board license lookup tools
Every U.S. state offers a free public license lookup run by the board that issues and oversees that profession’s licenses. These tools let you search by name, license number, or sometimes National Provider Identifier (NPI) to see the official record for that clinician.[1][11][12]
Check the license type and scope of practice
On the state board profile, the license type tells you what kind of practitioner you are looking at. MD and DO are physician licenses. Other credentials such as DC (chiropractor), ND (naturopathic doctor), NP (nurse practitioner), PA (physician assistant), and DPT (doctor of physical therapy) are separate license types with different training and scope of practice. The Federation of State Medical Boards provides consumer resources that help explain physician licensing and board oversight.[0]
Verify the correct state and license status
Licenses are issued by individual states, so a doctor licensed in one state is not automatically licensed in another. To verify that a practitioner is licensed where care occurs, you need to look up their license in that specific state’s board system.[0] The board profile will show the license status, expiration date, and in many states any public disciplinary information or board actions tied to that license.[0][12]
Use NPI registry and national physician resources for context
The NPI Registry lets you confirm a clinician’s identity, credentials, and practice locations, which can help you match the right person in a state board lookup.[1] For physicians, the Federation of State Medical Boards’ consumer resources, including DocInfo, offer national information on license history and publicly reported board actions, but the issuing state board remains the final source for current license status and expiration.[0]
Check it yourself
Related
FAQ
Do I need to check a doctor’s license in every state?+
You need to check the doctor’s license in each state where they provide care, including telehealth.
Read the full answerHide the full answer
You need to check the doctor’s license in each state where they provide care, including telehealth. Licenses are issued per state, and being licensed in one state does not mean they are licensed in another.[0]
What information will a license lookup usually show?+
State license lookup tools typically show the license type, current status, expiration date, and in most states any public disciplinary actions or board orders linked to that license.[0][12]
Can I tell if someone is a physician from their license record?+
Yes.
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Yes. Physician licenses are marked as MD or DO in board and NPI records. Other credentials, such as DC, ND, NP, PA, and DPT, indicate different types of licensed clinicians with different scopes of practice.[0][1]