Due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 disaster, please check this page and the TMB's COVID-19 page often, as events may warrant frequent updates. Below you will find disaster licensing information for certain pending applicants and out-of-state providers.

Disaster Licensing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The expiration date for my emergency temporary permit is approaching, do I need to submit a new application to renew my permit?

No. The permit continues to be valid beyond the 30-day expiration as long as the Governor’s emergency disaster declaration is in effect.

What if the Governor’s disaster declaration does not get extended? Can I still practice in Texas under my permit?

In the event the Governor’s March 13, 2020 disaster declaration is terminated, emergency permits will remain in effect for an additional 30 days after the termination of the disaster declaration to allow permit holders and health care entities to properly plan.

Permit holders and health care organizations should stay up-to-date on the latest disaster announcements from the Office of the Governor. You may also subscribe to receive email updates at the following link: https://gov.texas.gov/news/category/proclamation

TMB will update its website, acknowledging any expiration of the disaster declaration. The Board encourages permit holders and organizations to also subscribe to TMB emails for updates: http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/page/join-our-email-list

COVID-19 Disaster Licensing for Pending Physician Assistant (PA), Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP), Perfusionist (PF), and Medical Physicist (MP) Applicants (Updated 8/10/2021)

To assist our pending licensure applicants affected by and/or wanting to assist with the response to COVID-19, the TMB is granting examination waivers for applicants of the license types listed above who have met all but the examination requirements and otherwise qualify for a full license.

Physician Assistant (PA) applicants who currently have an active, pending application on file may be eligible for the Limited Emergency License described below if their pending application lacks the PANCE examination required for NCCPA Certification. The PA applicant must obtain a TX Sponsoring Physician and submit a completed Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit.

Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) applicants who currently have an active, pending application on file may be eligible for the Limited Emergency License described below if their pending application lacks the NBRC CRT/RRT Certification. The RCP applicant must obtain a TX Sponsoring Physician and submit a completed Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit.

Perfusionists (PF) who currently have an active, pending application on file may be eligible for the Limited Emergency License described below if their pending application lacks the ABCP Certification. The PF applicant must obtain a TX Sponsoring Physician and submit a completed Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit.

Medical Physicists (MP) who currently have an active, pending application on file may be eligible for the Limited Emergency License described below if their pending application lacks their specialty Board Certification. The MP applicant must obtain a TX Sponsoring Physician and submit a completed Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit.

After the termination of the disaster declaration, or the emergency license by the appropriate authority, the pending licensure applicants will be returned to applicant status and will be required to submit proof that they have passed the required examination for their license type in order to obtain a Texas license.

Required Forms to Be Filled Out By Texas Sponsoring Physician:

Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit  

To expedite processing, please e-mail the completed form and any supporting documents to: TMBtransition@tmb.state.tx.us

COVID-19 Disaster Licensing for Out-of-State Providers

Pursuant to Title 22, Chapter 172.20 and 172.21 of the Texas Administrative Code, the Texas Medical Board will allow out-of-state practitioners to obtain a Texas limited emergency license or hospital-to-hospital credentialing for no more than thirty (30) days from the date the practitioner is licensed or until the disaster declaration has been withdrawn or ended, whichever is longer.

Hospital-to-Hospital Credentialing

A practitioner who holds a full, unlimited and unrestricted license to practice in another U.S. state, territory or district and has unrestricted hospital credentials and privileges in any U.S. state, territory or district may practice at a hospital that is licensed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission upon the following terms and conditions being met:

    (A) the licensed Texas hospital shall verify all practitioner credentials and privileges;

    (B) the licensed Texas hospital shall keep a list of all practitioners coming to practice and shall provide this list to the Board within ten (10) days of each practitioner starting practice at the licensed Texas hospital; and

    (C) the licensed Texas hospital shall also provide the Board a list of when each practitioner has stopped practicing in Texas under this section within ten (10) days after each practitioner has stopped practicing under this section.

Hospitals can e-mail the required provider information to: TMBtransition@tmb.state.tx.us

Limited Emergency License

A practitioner who holds a full, unlimited and unrestricted license to practice in another U.S. state, territory or district may qualify for a limited emergency license upon the following conditions being met:

    (A) the Texas sponsoring physician must complete a limited emergency license application; and

    (B) the Board shall verify that the practitioner holds a full, unlimited and unrestricted license to practice in another U.S. state, territory or district.

(c) The Board may limit the sponsored practitioner's practice locale and scope of practice.

(d) The Texas sponsoring physician shall be considered the supervising physician for the sponsored practitioner.

(e) The Board shall have jurisdiction over all practitioners practicing under this subchapter for all purposes set forth in or related to Texas Occupations Code, and all other applicable state and federal laws, and such jurisdiction shall continue in effect even after any and all practitioners have stopped practicing under this section related to providing medical services in Texas during the disaster or emergency.

(f) A practitioner license issued under this subchapter shall be valid for no more than thirty (30) days from the date the practitioner is licensed or until the emergency or disaster declaration has been withdrawn or ended, whichever is longer.

(g) Practitioners holding limited emergency licenses under this subchapter shall not receive any compensation outside of their usual compensation for the provision of medical services during a disaster or emergency.

Required Forms to Be Filled Out By Texas Sponsoring Physician:

Physician Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit

Non-Physician Provider - Emergency Visiting Practitioner Temporary Permit

To expedite processing, please e-mail the completed form and any supporting documents to: TMBtransition@tmb.state.tx.us

The Licensure Department licenses physicians, physician assistants, acupuncturists, and surgical assistants; issues physician-in-training permits; registers non-certified radiologic technicians; and certifies acudetox specialists, pain management clinics, and non-profit health organizations.

The Licensure Department processes the applications of practitioners and non-profit entities to determine whether they meet all the criteria to practice or operate in Texas.  In general, applicants must graduate from appropriate educational institutions, pass national exams, pass the appropriate Texas Jurisprudence exam, and possess good professional character.

More details on the requirements to practice or operate in Texas for each type of practitioner or non-profit entity can be found by using the navigation links at the top of this page. 

Due to the high volume of applications being processed by the agency, staff members are unable to meet personally with applicants about their file. Questions or concerns regarding applications should be submitted in writing.

• For Physician applicants – Please use the LIST system to submit your questions. 
• For MRT, TMRT, LMRT, TLMRT, RCP, TRCP, Perfusionist, and Medical Physicists applicants – Please submit your questions by email to TMBscreening@tmb.state.tx.us
• For Physician Assistant, Physician-in-Training and all other applicants - Please submit your questions by email to screen-cic@tmb.state.tx.us.

Applicants who appear at the agency’s office will be asked to submit their inquiry in writing on the form provided and they will be contacted in 3 business days by agency staff. 

Senate Bill 807 (2015) allows for the waiver of application fees for any military service member, military spouse or military veteran.

Current Board rule and Statute include the following definitions:

Military service member - A person who is currently serving as a full-time military service member in the armed forces of the United States; or a person who is currently serving as a member of the Texas military forces or similar military service of another state performing state active duty service, federally funded state active duty service, or federal active duty service (but not including service performed exclusively for training, such as basic combat training, advanced individual training, annual training, inactive duty training, or special training periodically made available to service members). 

Military spouse - A person who is married to a military service member who is currently on active duty (as defined above).

Military veteran - A person who served on active duty in the army, navy, air force, marine corps, or coast guard of the United States, or in an auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces and who was discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable.

The Military Fee Waiver review is separate from the application process, and does not detract nor add to the processing time for an application as those lacking items are considered separately. 

To apply for this waiver of application fees, please complete the Military Service Member Fee Waiver Request Form and submit it along with the requested additional documentation.

• Copy of passport, or birth certificate , which is acceptable as required birth documentation after submission of an application for licensure with our agency; or
• Copy of State Issued Driver's License, which can ONLY be used as proof of identity for Military Fee Waiver determination  

And

• DD2-14; or
• Copy of current original orders, including signature page(s)

Physicians (MDs & DOs), PAs, ACs, SAs, and ADs should communicate their MFW paperwork as PDF or TIF attachments to Screen-CIC@tmb.state.tx.us.

PITs (MDs & DOs) should communicate their MFW paperwork as PDF or TIF attachments to PIT.application@tmb.state.tx.us.

MPs, MRTs, PFs, RCPs, NCTs should communicate their MFW paperwork as PDF or TIF attachments to TMBScreening@tmb.state.tx.us.

Please note that email attachments will not be opened unless they are received as PDF or TIF attachments, as all other types of email attachments are prohibited by our IT Department.  Further, TMB cannot sign up with Google docs or any other documentation service to receive documents, nor should documentation be clipped and pasted into the body of the email.

Upon receipt of your request with the required documentation, the Licensure Department will evaluate the documentation and provide written confirmation of approval or an explanation as to why the waiver request is being denied. Upon receipt of the approval confirmation you will be able to apply online without submitting the application fee.

Military Fee Waiver of PIT Permit Application fee:

• If you are active duty military, a military spouse or a military veteran you can apply for a waiver of the application fee.  
• If you are beginning a postgraduate training program in Texas or a rotation in Texas, your program coordinator or GME representative may have initiated a request for the waiver on your behalf. Please consult with your program coordinator or GME representative to determine if the request has been submitted. If they have not initiated the request, please ask them to contact our office at pit.application@tmb.state.tx.us for further instructions.
• If you have applied and paid the application fee you can submit a request for a refund of the application fee. You will need to complete the Military Service Member Fee Waiver Request Formundefined undefined and return it with the required documentation (as outlined above) to initiate the request for a refund.

Please allow at least 14 business days for initial processing of all military fee waiver requests.  We can only make your determination for qualification of the Military Fee Waiver (MFW) after all required information is received.  It is up to each applicant to decide whether they would prefer to wait for the MFW determination prior to submitting their online application with no fee if they qualify for the MFW, or submit their online application first and, if they qualify for the MFW, request a refund after the MFW determination has been made.