Licensure requirements for out-of-state forensic examinations

Forensic clinicians, including psychiatrists, are sometimes asked to perform solely forensic (e.g., court- or litigation-related) assessments or interviews outside states in which they are licensed. A short survey was sent to all U.S. state medical licensing agencies asking whether or not a psychiatrist licensed in another state must also be licensed in the surveyed state before performing a purely forensic interview or examination. Of the 45 states responding, 21 said that no additional "local" license would be required; 6 gave unclear responses; and 18 said a local license would generally be required. At least 7 of the 18 states that generally require a local license accept unlicensed out-of-state physicians when they are requested by or consulting to an in-state physician. The state's definition of "medical practice" figured heavily in many responses. No pattern of state size (area), population density, or geographic location was discerned. The materials received, comments by board staff and attorneys, and interpretations or assumptions by the author are not to be construed as "official" for any state.