{"id":1622,"date":"2026-09-30T13:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T13:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intuitivehealthservices.com\/blog\/?p=1622"},"modified":"2026-09-30T13:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T13:15:11","slug":"interstate-licensure-compact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intuitivehealthservices.com\/blog\/interstate-licensure-compact\/","title":{"rendered":"Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: IMLC States Map and Application Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) is an agreement among 44 states, the District of Columbia and Guam that gives qualified physicians a faster route to licenses in more than one state. You apply once, your home state verifies you, and each state you choose issues its own license. It is not a national license. As of August 31, 2026, the compact reports 67,067 physician members and 233,959 licenses issued, per the snapshot on<\/span> A Faster Pathway to Physician Licensure<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Does the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact makes it easier for physicians to get licenses in participating states, while each state keeps its own licensing rules and practice laws.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It Is an Expedited Pathway, Not a Multistate License<\/span><\/h3>\n

Physicians do not receive a compact license. Each state issues its own license under its own medical practice act, and you follow that state’s laws. The compact only routes your application through one shared process. According to the General FAQs, about 80% of U.S. physicians meet the criteria.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Two Roles: State of Principal License and Licensing States<\/span><\/h3>\n

Your <\/span>State of Principal License (SPL)<\/i><\/b> is the member state where you hold a full, unrestricted license and which you name as your home base. It checks your credentials, runs the fingerprint background check and issues your LOQ. The other states you pick are licensing states, and they issue your licenses once they receive your LOQ. Member boards also share complaint information, so discipline in one state can trigger action in others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which States Are in the IMLC? Map and Full List<\/span><\/h2>\n

The table follows the IMLCC’s own map categories and reflects its homepage as of September 30, 2026. Alaska became the 44th member state in June 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Interstate<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Status<\/b><\/td>\nWhat it means<\/b><\/td>\nJurisdictions<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SPL-eligible member (38 states, DC, Guam)<\/span><\/td>\nCan be your SPL and issue licenses<\/span><\/td>\nAlabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, plus DC and Guam<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Member, licenses only (2)<\/span><\/td>\nIssues licenses but cannot be your SPL<\/span><\/td>\nHawaii, Vermont<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Passed, implementation in process (4)<\/span><\/td>\nLaw passed, not fully live<\/span><\/td>\nAlaska, Arkansas, New Mexico, Rhode Island<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Legislation introduced (1)<\/span><\/td>\nBill filed, not a member<\/span><\/td>\nNew York<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Not participating<\/span><\/td>\nNo bill listed on the map<\/span><\/td>\nCalifornia, Massachusetts, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, and U.S. territories other than Guam<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Two details trip people up. You cannot enter the compact through Hawaii or Vermont, though you can get licenses there. And the four implementation-in-process states cannot issue compact licenses yet, so ask the state board for a go-live date. Only a legislature can add a state, and the map shows no California bill, so a California license still requires a standard application. The live map sits on the <\/span>Participating States<\/span><\/a> page.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Is Eligible for the IMLC?<\/span><\/h2>\n

You qualify if you hold an unrestricted license in an SPL-eligible state and meet the compact’s education, exam, certification and clean-record rules, all detailed on the Information For Physicians page.<\/span><\/p>\n

Qualify for a State of Principal License<\/span><\/h3>\n

Beyond the unrestricted license, at least one of these must be true in that state:<\/span><\/p>\n