How does license reciprocity allow health professionals to practice in another state?

In the United States, health professional licenses are granted by individual states and are generally valid only within the state that issued them. However, most states provide a mechanism for license reciprocity to allow qualified professionals to practice across state lines.12

Through reciprocity, a state board may accept a license earned in another state in lieu of requiring the applicant to pass a new state-specific examination. To qualify for this process, a health professional—such as a physician, nurse, pharmacist, or dentist—must typically demonstrate that they are in good standing in their current state of licensure.21

Because states retain direct authority over health care under the U.S. Constitution, these administrative agencies, known as state licensing boards, maintain the power to evaluate the credentials of applicants seeking to practice under reciprocity. This system balances the need for state-level oversight with the practical necessity of allowing mobile health professionals to provide care in different jurisdictions.12