Physician Landscape
- Telemedicine users
- 74%
- Multi-state licensed
- 35%
- Single state only
- 26%
Telemedicine adoption is driving multi-state licensing despite complex requirements.
Data & research
Credentialing Risk Statistics
Medical licensing, CME, audit, cost, and workforce figures retained for methodology and source review.
Last updated January 2026. Methodology review remains in progress.
Direct answer
Direct answer
More than 1.1 million active physicians work across 71 medical boards. About 35% hold multiple state licenses, and most states require 40-50 CME hours every 2 years.
Visual context
Physician Landscape and Cost of Non-Compliance
Cost of Non-Compliance
- License fee
- $400
- DEA registration
- $888
- Late penalty
- $500
- Revenue loss
- $5,000
The cost of a missed renewal far exceeds the administrative fees to maintain it.
Published context
Licensing and credentialing signals
Physician Demographics
- Active physicians in the US
- 1.1+ millionFSMB 2024 Census
- Physicians holding multiple state licenses
- 35%FSMB Report
- Average number of licenses per multi-state physician
- 3.2CredentialMate Data
- Physicians using telemedicine regularly
- 74%AMA Telehealth Survey 2024
- Physician shortage by 2034 (projected)
- 124,000AAMC Report
Medical Licensing
- US states and territories with medical boards
- 71FSMB
- States in Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
- 43IMLC 2026
- Average initial license processing time
- 8-12 weeksState Board Data
- IMLC expedited processing time
- 3-4 weeksIMLC Statistics
- Average initial license fee
- $300-$600State Board Data
- Average renewal fee
- $200-$400State Board Data
CME Requirements
- States requiring CME for license renewal
- 49FSMB (NY exempt)
- Average CME hours required (2-year cycle)
- 40-50 hoursState Board Data
- Highest CME requirement
- 150 hours/3 years (IL)IDFPR
- States with mandatory opioid CME
- 32+State Board Data
- States with mandatory ethics CME
- 25+State Board Data
Compliance & Audits
- Physicians randomly audited for CME annually
- 3-5%State Board Data
- Audit failure rate (CME non-compliance)
- 8-12%State Board Reports
- Average late renewal penalty
- $100-$500State Board Data
- Time physicians spend on credentialing annually
- 30-40 hoursAMA Survey
Financial Impact
- Average annual cost per state license
- $800-$1,200CredentialMate Analysis
- Cost of missed license renewal (revenue loss)
- $5,000+Industry Estimates
- Average malpractice rate increase for lapsed license
- 15-25%Insurance Data
- DEA registration fee (3-year cycle)
- $888DEA 2025
Operational takeaways
What the data makes visible
Multi-State Licensing
Multi-state portfolios create more renewal cycles, evidence requirements, and board-specific exceptions.
Administrative Burden
The risk is not one deadline. It is the compounding work of requirements, documents, and proof.
Questions behind the figures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CME hours do physicians need for license renewal?
CME requirements vary by state, ranging from 0 hours (New York) to 150 hours over 3 years (Illinois). Most states require 40-50 hours every 2 years. Many states also mandate specific topics like opioid prescribing (32+ states) and medical ethics (25+ states).
What percentage of physicians have multiple state licenses?
Approximately 35% of US physicians hold licenses in more than one state. Multi-state physicians hold an average of 3.2 licenses. This number has increased with the growth of telemedicine and the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
How long does it take to get a medical license?
Traditional medical licensing takes 8-12 weeks on average. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) reduces this to 3-4 weeks for eligible physicians in member states. Processing times vary based on background check requirements and state board workload.
What happens if a physician fails a CME audit?
CME audit failure rates range from 8-12% nationally. Consequences include license suspension until requirements are met, late fees ($100-$500+), required makeup CME with penalties, and potential disciplinary action. Less than 1% of physicians face license suspension for non-compliance.
How to Cite This Data
CredentialMate. "Medical Licensing Statistics 2026." https://credentialmate.com/resources/statistics. Accessed August 12, 2026.
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