Disabled Status - Frequently Asked Questions
- What is disabled status?
- Is there a fee to go on disabled status?
- What if my license is delinquent?
- How do I apply for disabled status?
- Do I still need to complete my CME credits while on disabled status?
- Can a physician on disabled status still write prescriptions?
- Can a physician on disabled status work as a volunteer?
- How does a physician come out of disabled status?
What is disabled status?
Disabled status is when a physician demonstrates to the board the inability to practice medicine due to a disability.
Is there a fee to go on disabled status?
If the license is current, no fee is required. However, a physician on disabled status cannot practice medicine in the State of California.
What if my license is delinquent?
If the medical license is currently delinquent, a payment of all accrued renewal fees, delinquent fees, and a penalty fee must be submitted with the application.
How do I apply for disabled status?
A "Disabled Physician Application for Exemption From Payment of Renewal Fee" and a Financial Interest Statement must be completed. All of these forms are available upon written request: Medical Board of California, Licensing Program, 2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1200, Sacramento, CA 95815, or by calling the Consumer Information Unit at (916) 263-2382.
Do I still need to complete my CME credits while on disabled status?
Yes, the holder of a disabled license must comply with the Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements, unless the holder also has applied for and has been granted a CME waiver.
Can a physician on disabled status still write prescriptions?
No. A physician on disabled status cannot write prescriptions.
Can a physician on disabled status work as a volunteer?
No. A physician on disabled status cannot engage in the practice of medicine.
How does a physician come out of disabled status?
Business and Professions Code 2441 requires that the licensee must establish to the board's satisfaction, that the licensee's disability either no longer exists or does not affect his or her ability to practice medicine safely and/or the licensee agrees to limit his or her practice in the manner prescribed by the reviewing physician.
The following application must be completed, "Application to Restore License to Full Active Status from Inactive, Disabled or Fee Exempt Status or From Disabled Status to Active Status with Limitations on Practice." A portion of each application must be completed by the licensee's attending physician. For questions or further information, please contact the Consumer Information Unit at (916) 263-2382.
At the time of the application, the licensee must submit payment of the current (active license) renewal fee. After the initial reactivation, the license is renewed on the licensee's birth month every two years. Reactivation may fall in the middle of a renewal period, so the licensee may not have the benefit of a full two-year renewal period. There are no provisions in California law for prorated license fees.
