Applicants must submit the completed application and appropriate fee, and arrange for supporting documents to be submitted to the Bureau of Health Professions. Applicants that are currently licensed or have ever been licensed in another state must arrange for the other state(s) to submit verification of licensure directly to the Bureau of Health Professions. Detailed instructions are included in each application packet.

Q. What methods are accepted for payment of fees?

A. The Bureau of Health Professions currently accepts fee payment by personal check, cashiers check, or money order. All checks and money orders must be drawn from a U.S. financial institution and paid in U.S. funds.

Q. Does my application need to be reviewed by the Board before I am approved for licensure?

A. In most cases, applications for licensure are reviewed and approved by Bureau staff. In rare instances, approval of an application file may need to be determined by the Board itself.

Q. How do I get a wall certificate?

A. A wall certificate, which is not the actual license or registration issued by this office, may be obtained by submitting a form and fee to Total Business Systems. The form may be obtained by calling Total Business Systems at (248) 588-9130 or 1-800-875-3676, or by visiting their website at www.tbsddp.com/certificates/.

Q. How do I change my name or address with the Board?

A. Name changes must be submitted in writing by downloading the Data Change/Duplicate License Request Form. Address changes can be submitted online at www.michigan.gov/mylicense or in writing by downloading the Data Change/Duplicate License Request Form. Fax it to (517) 373-2179 or mail it to the Bureau of Health Professions, PO Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909.

New licenses are not automatically issued for name and/or address changes. To receive a license with your new name and/or address, you must submit $10.00 per license with your request. Duplicate licenses can be paid for online at www.michigan.gov/mylicense.

Q. How do I get a duplicate license?

A. You may obtain a duplicate license if your license has been lost, stolen, or destroyed. You must request a duplicate license in writing and submit $10.00 per license with your request. Mail to Bureau of Health Professions, PO Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909.

If it has been at least a month since your license was issued and it has not been received, you may be issued a duplicate by submitting a written request.

Q. I work in more than one location. How can I have my license on display in all of my work sites?

A. You may make photocopies of your professional license to display in other work sites.

Q. Do I need to have a separate controlled substance license in each place where I practice?

A.  Effective December 2, 2004, you are no longer required to have a separate controlled substance license for each location in which you prescribe controlled substances. You only need one controlled substance license to prescribe controlled substances in Michigan regardless of the number of locations where you prescribe.

If you are receiving or storing controlled substances, a separate controlled substance license is required for each physical location. If you dispense controlled substances to patients, a Drug Control License is also required for each physical location.

Q. Which number on the license I received is my license number?

A. Your license number is referred to as the "Permanent I.D. No." on your license.

Q. Why is my first license valid for less than one year?

A. The license you receive after initially applying for licensure or relicensure is valid only until the next renewal period for your profession, not for a full calendar year. After your first renewal of that license, you will receive licenses valid for the regular renewal cycle established for your profession.

Q. Do the Michigan Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery issue specialty certifications for physicians?

A. No. Specialty certifications for physicians are issued by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Q. How can I verify that my health practitioner is licensed in Michigan? (Licensees who need verification to another State should read the next question.)

A. You may verify the licensure of licensed health professionals in Michigan 1 of 3 ways:

• Call our Verification Unit at (517) 241-9427
• Written verification, $5.00 fee, mail request with payment to: Bureau of Health Professions, Verification Unit, PO Box 30189, Lansing, MI 48909
• License look up web site

Q. How do I have my license verified to another state?

A. To obtain a written verification of your license to be sent to another state, you must submit this request in writing to the Michigan Bureau of Health Professions, Attn: Verifications, PO Box 30670, Lansing, MI  48909, along with the $15.00 fee (check or money order made payable to State of Michigan) for certification processing. Your written request should include your name as it appears on your license, your license number, and the name and address of the state board to which the certification should be sent. Normal processing time is 20-30 business days.

Q. How do I verify my Michigan MD or DO license to another state?

A. Effective January 1, 2009, the Michigan Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery are participating in the VeriDoc electronic license verification system. Michigan licensed MDs and DOs who are applying for licensure in another state should contact VeriDoc at www.veridoc.org to have their Michigan license verified. A fee will be charged for that verification. If you have questions about VeriDoc, please contact them at (701) 319-6500.

Q. How can I find out if my health practitioner has ever had disciplinary action taken against him or her?

A. To find out whether a licensed Michigan health professional has ever had a license disciplined, go to our license look up web site at www.michigan.gov/verifylicense or call our Verification Unit at (517) 241-9427. If there has been disciplinary action against the license, you may obtain specific information regarding the disciplinary action by requesting it through Freedom of Information in writing to the Michigan Bureau of Health Professions, FOIA, PO Box 30670, Lansing, MI  48909 or fax to (517) 241-1212.

Q. Is it possible to come to your office and pick up my license in person or have a copy of it faxed to me?

A. No. While licenses are issued by this Office, they are not printed and mailed from our facility. Office staff never see the licenses that they issue. It takes approximately two weeks from the time a license is issued until the time it is received by the licensee. If it is necessary to verify your license before it is received, you may call our Verification Unit at (517) 241-9427 for verbal confirmation.

Q. I never received my renewal card. Why do I need to pay the late fee?

A. It is the responsibility of the licensee to make sure that his or her license is renewed, whether a renewal card was or was not received. After the expiration date of a license, the licensee has 60 days in which to still renew a license by paying the renewal fee plus the late fees associated with the license(s) held. If the license is not renewed by the end of the 60-day grace period, the license is lapsed and the licensee must apply for relicensure.

Q. Can I work in Michigan using a license from another state?

A. No. Apart from those exceptions listed in Section 333.16171 of the Public Health Code, it is a felony to practice a regulated health profession in Michigan without first obtaining a license or registration from this office.

Q. Once I apply, how long does it take to get a license?

A. The average processing time for a license/registration application is 6 to 8 weeks.

Q. How do I get certified as a pharmacy technician?

A. Pharmacy technicians are not a regulated profession in Michigan. Certification for Pharmacy Technicians is handled by the Michigan Pharmacist Association at (517) 484-1466.