Getting a Virginia Medical License: Requirements, Costs, and Timeline
Virginia licenses both MDs and DOs through a single unified Board of Medicine under the Department of Health Professions. All applications go through DHP's Unified Online Licensing System at license.dhp.virginia.gov. Paper applications are not accepted for initial licensure. Virginia is a fully participating IMLC state and a valid state of principal licensure.
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Overview
Getting your Virginia medical license? Here's exactly what you need to know so you can focus on practicing, not paperwork.
Who issues your license
Virginia licenses both MDs and DOs through a single unified Board of Medicine under the Department of Health Professions. All applications go through DHP's Unified Online Licensing System at license.dhp.virginia.gov. Paper applications are not accepted for initial licensure. Virginia is a fully participating IMLC state and a valid state of principal licensure.
Eligibility requirements
You'll need a degree from an accredited medical school and at least one year of ACGME, RCPSC, or AOA-accredited postgraduate training. You'll pass USMLE, COMLEX, or an equivalent exam. Virginia also offers an endorsement pathway for physicians with at least five years of unrestricted licensure and five years of active practice averaging twenty hours per week. But recent residency graduates don't qualify.
How to apply
Applications go through the DHP Unified Online Licensing System. Select the Board of Medicine carefully because DHP handles every health profession in Virginia, and selecting the wrong profession creates a record under the wrong board. Initial applications must be submitted online only. Paper applications are not accepted.
What it costs
The initial application fee is three hundred and two dollars. Biennial renewal is three hundred and thirty-seven dollars, due the last day of your birth month in even-numbered years. If you need to renew late, a one hundred and fifteen dollar penalty applies for up to one year past expiration. After that, reinstatement is required. The board targets thirty business days to process a complete file from the date fees are received.
How long it takes
Real-world timelines with verifications typically run eight to twelve weeks. The IMLC pathway typically issues a Virginia license in four to six weeks. Apply at least three to four months in advance. The delays we see most often: selecting the wrong profession in the DHP portal and creating a record under the wrong board. The endorsement pathway requiring five years of active practice. Physicians coming out of training assume they qualify but don't. And the biennial renewal being tied to birth month in even-numbered years instead of a calendar deadline. WhiteGlove handles your Virginia application from start to issued license.
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