Overview

Applicants seeking an exemption under Section 601.203(b)(1) of the Texas Occupations Code, claiming the inability to attract or retain an MRT, LMRT or NCT, must be located in a Texas county with a population of 50,000 or less.

Applicants applying for any hardship exemption under Section 601.203(b) will be required to submit sufficient documentation demonstrating the hardship, as determined by the Board. If you currently have an active hardship exemption that was issued prior to September 1, 2017, and will no longer qualify under the statutory and rule changes, you will be allowed to renew your hardship one additional time under the previous exemptions. Upon expiration of the final hardship exemption individuals who are not appropriately trained as an MRT, LMRT or NCT will no longer be allowed to perform radiologic procedures. Information about available training programs and the requirements for certification as an MRT, LMRT or NCT can be found on the website.

  • A hospital, federally qualified health center (FQHC) or practitioner may apply for a hardship exemption from employing an MRT, LMRT, or NCT

 

  • The applicant must demonstrate a hardship in employing an MRT, LMRT, or NCT, as described in Texas Administrative Code Title 22, Part 19, Chapter 186, Subchapter D, Rule 186.40.

 

  • The hardship exemption applicant shall not allow a person who is not an MRT, LMRT, or NCT to perform a radiologic procedure until a hardship exemption is granted.

 

  • The hospital, FQHC, or a practitioner must reapply annually for the exemption and meet the then current requirements for a hardship exemption. Please note that a hospital, FQHC, or a practitioner who does not reapply for an exemption shall not allow a person to perform a radiologic procedure unless the person is a practitioner, MRT, LMRT, or NCT.

 

  • No more than seven individuals will be allowed to perform radiologic procedures under the hardship exemption, if granted. Fingerprinting and criminal background checks are required by statute (Senate Bill 202) for all persons performing radiologic procedures in the State, including those that are performing the procedures under a Hardship Exemption. Instructions on the fingerprint process can be found under the Fingerprints tab below. Criminal history will be taken into consideration as part of the approval process and could potentially result in denial of the request for a Hardship Exemption.

Hardship Exemption applications cannot be submitted online and must be submitted by mail with an application fee to the Board. 

 

Helpful Document

Hardship Exemption Application Fee: The fee for a Hardship Exemption application in Texas is $30.00 and includes a $5.00 Office of Patient Protection fee. Additional non-refundable surcharges related to the National Practitioner Data Bank/Health Integrity Data Bank and the Texas Physician Health Program may be assessed with the application fee. The entire fee must be submitted before your application can be assigned and processed.

 

Application-Related Fees: Fees are typically required from other entities that provide documents or services. IdentoGo by IDEMIA does charge a fee for processing the criminal history check. 

The waiver of application fees for any military service member, military spouse or military veteran is allowed, however, other surcharges and fees assessed at the time of application cannot be waived. There is no current reduced registration fee.

This number is assigned to you at the time you submitted your application for licensure. For physicians, it can be found online through LIST (Licensure Inquiry System of Texas). For all other applicants, it can be found in the email correspondence you received from the Board indicating the status of your application (be sure to check the subject line as well as the text of the email). If you are still unable to located your 6-digit Board issued ID number, please contact the Texas Medical Board Customer Service Department at (512) 305-7030 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST or email Screen-CIC@tmb.state.tx.us for assistance.

Call (512) 305-7030 to reach a member of the TMB Call Center between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST.

You must provide us with a statement that gives an explanation of your request and a copy of the legal document(s) that granted your name change, i.e. marriage license, divorce decree etc.

The social security number of an applicant for or holder of a license, certificate of registration, or other legal authorization issued by a licensing agency to practice in a specific occupation or profession that is provided to the licensing agency is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under the open records law.

Texas requires licensees to professionally use the name under which they are licensed by the Texas Medical Board. Using any other name may confuse or mislead the public and could be considered by the Board to be unprofessional conduct. A licensee who wishes to change his or her professional name must use the Application for Name Change.

No.  Changes in mailing or practice addresses can be updated through My TMB.

An application fee may be refunded under certain limited circumstances, however, other surcharges and fees assessed at the time of application are non-refundable.

Yes, applicants for a NCT hardship exemption will be required to have their fingerprints taken each time an application is submitted.

A Hardship Exemption is approved for one year and a new application and fingerprints must be completed each year.

Not at this time. Board rule 186.41 states that as long as a person is not performing radiologic procedures other than bone densitometry is not required to obtain a hardship exemption as long as they are in compliance with the rest of Board Rule 186.41.