Temporary Licensure for Spouses or Domestic Partners of Active-Duty Military Personnel

Effective July 1, 2023, each California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) licensing board and bureau is required to grant temporary licensure to the spouse or domestic partner of an active-duty military member stationed in California if the applicant is currently licensed and holds an active and unrestricted license in another state with the same scope of practice as the profession in California for which they would like to practice. This applicant population also receives expedited processing and initial application and license fee waivers. Applications for this temporary licensure are available through the board or bureau with jurisdiction over the type of license being sought.

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be granted temporary licensure:

• Provide satisfactory evidence the applicant is married to, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with an active-duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is assigned to a duty station in this state under official active-duty military order
• Verify they possess a current, active, and unrestricted license to practice, in another state, district, or territory of the United States, the profession or vocation within the same scope for which the applicant seeks a temporary license from the board or bureau
• Complete and clear a criminal background check, including fingerprinting, if requested by the board or bureau
• Pass the California Law and Ethics exam, if otherwise required by the board or bureau for the profession or vocation for which licensure is sought

There is no fee for the temporary application. However, if required for licensure by the board or bureau, a fee is collected for the following:

• Fingerprint processing
• Law and Ethics Exam

Actions that prohibit issuance of this temporary licensure are:

• Commission of an act in any jurisdiction that would have constituted grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of the license under the Business and Professions Code at the time the act was committed
• Discipline by a licensing entity in another jurisdiction and applicant has not been the subject of an unresolved complaint, review procedure, or disciplinary proceeding conducted by a licensing entity in another jurisdiction

These temporary licenses are nonrenewable and expire 12 months after issuance, upon issuance or denial of a standard license, upon issuance or denial of a license by endorsement, or upon issuance or denial of an expedited license pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 115.5, whichever occurs first. This licensure type is only available for individuals and not other legal entities (i.e., corporations).

Licensure questions should be directed to the board or bureau with jurisdiction over the type of license being sought.