Licensure

Requirements

IMPORTANT: NCMB now provides two different pathways for individuals who wish to create or manage a NC-based Professional Corporation or Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC).

If you are a licensee (physician or PA) of the North Carolina Medical Board, please establish your entity of choice by clicking on the Licensee Portal button at right.

If you are a non-licensee, please use the Non-licensee Portal button at right.

If your medical practice is registered as a professional corporation or professional limited liability company in another state, you must meet certain criteria set forth in North Carolina state laws and rules and register with the N.C. Medical Board and the N.C. Secretary of State’s office in order to practice in North Carolina.

It is important that you familiarize yourself with the NC Laws (Medical Practice Act and Professional Corporation Act) and Rules (Corporations) prior to applying to the Medical Board for registration and certification as a Foreign Professional Corporation or Professional LLC for the practice of medicine in North Carolina.  For your convenience we also provide a Handbook for Managing Professional Corporations, Professional Associations and Professional Limited Liability Companies and Frequently Asked Questions.

Additional information and forms concerning Professional Corporations and PLLCs are available on the Secretary of State’s website, or you may call (919) 814-5400 | toll-free at (888) 246-7636.

To apply for certification and registration complete the online portion of the application, available at right, and pay the non-refundable $50.00 application fee by VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. Email all required forms outlined below to corp.application@ncmedboard.org.

Foreign Professional Corporation Required Forms
1. Certificate of Existence (or document of similar import), duly authenticated by the Secretary of State or other official having custody of corporate records in the state of incorporation.
2. Notarized Application for Certificate of Authority for a Professional Corporation.  The form is available from the NC Secretary of State.
3. Notarized NCMB FOREIGN PC-01 form (available at right) 

Foreign Professional Limited Liability Company Required Forms
1. Certificate of Existence (or document of similar import), duly authenticated by the Secretary of state or other official having custody of limited liability company records in the state of organization
2. Notarized Application for Certificate of Authority, for a Professional Limited Liability Company.  The form is available from the NC Secretary of State.
3. Notarized NCMB FOREIGN PLLC-01 form available at right on this webpage. 

Once documents are reviewed by NCMB and it has been determined that all statutory requirements are met, (see the Process Tab) NCMB will email a scanned copy of (1) the Application for Certificate of Authority, (2) NCMB issued Certificate (NCMB PC-02 or NCMB PLLC-02) and (3) the Certificate of Existence/Good Standing from the state of origination for filing with the NC Secretary of State.  All other documents generated during the approval process will also be emailed to you as scanned documents for you to retain for your records.

Creation Filing with the NC Secretary of State (“SOS”) requires the Articles with the NCMB dated/stamped seal, the Board issued Certificate, the Certificate of Good Standing from the state of origination and the required SOS fee. Filing with the SOS must be completed within four months of the NCMB Certificate issued date. NCMB verifies with the NC SOS that your business has submitted a Creation Filing within four months of certification.

To Complete Creation Filing with the NC Secretary of State, you have two options:

1. Print out the hardcopy of the scanned Corporation Documents for NC Secretary of State. These three documents are the stamped/approved (1) Application for Certificate of Authority, (2) NCMB issued Certificate (NCMB PC-02 or NCMB PLLC-02) and (3) the Certificate of Existence/Good Standing from the state of origination for filing with the NC Secretary of State. These three documents, along with the required fee will then need be mailed to the NC Secretary of State.

OR

2. File the attached stamped/approved Corporation Documents for NC Secretary of State with the NC Secretary of State using the NC SOS website: Online Submission of Documents.

Unfiled Certificates expire after four months. If certification expires, reapplication will be required before filing with the SOS.

Process

All application packets must be initiated and paid for online before submitting documents to the Board for approval. Upon receipt, application packets are reviewed to ensure that statutory requirements are being met. The following are examples of what the Board looks for during the application review.

Corporate/LLC Name: The name shall not include any adjectives or other words not in accordance with ethical customs of the medical profession. It may not be identical or so similar in name to an existing registered business entity as to be misleading.

No d.b.a. A Professional Corporation/PLLC may not use any name other than the corporate name registered with the NCMB and the Secretary of State. NCMB rules prohibit using a “d.b.a.”(doing business as) name.

Name Ending: Corporations registering with NCMB are to use Professional Corporation, Professional Association, P.C., P.A., PC or PA as their corporate ending. Do not use the following endings: corporation, company, limited, incorporated, corp., co., ltd. or inc
.
Name Ending: Professional Limited Liability Companies The name shall contain the word “professional” or the abbreviation “P.L.L.C” or “PLLC.”

Foreign Shareholder/Member Requirements: Shareholders and members must be in good standing with relevant licensing boards. “In good standing” means has not been disciplined by a licensing Board and is not currently subject to disciplinary proceedings.
(1) At least one shareholder must be currently licensed and in good standing with this Board
(2) At least one director and one officer must be currently licensed and in good standing with this Board
(3) No person other than a licensee of the Board shall exercise any authority or influence over the practice of medicine in North Carolina.
(4) All shareholders/members not licensed in North Carolina must hold a license in good standing, in their state of practice.

The professional services to be rendered:

• Physicians qualify to apply for a Certificate of Registration as a professional corporation with the purpose of practicing medicine;
• Together a physician and a physician assistant qualify to apply for a Certificate of Registration as a professional corporation with the purpose of practicing medicine;
• If the business entity is registering for additional professional services with other NC Boards, the purpose is reviewed to ensure respective stockholders/members are licensed, certified or otherwise approved to provide the services outlined in the purpose. See the FAQ section for allowable combinations

Fees

Application
Certificate of Registration for a professional corporation to practice medicine in North Carolina
Non-Refundable Fee: $50.00

Registration Renewal
Renewal of Certificate of Registration as a Professional Corporation or PLLC
Fee: $25.00.
Late fee: $10.00
Paid by MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express using online Renewal

If your corporation was suspended by NCMB and you wish to seek reinstatement. Please email NCMB Corporations Coordinator or call 919-326-1109 extension 231
Email: NCMB Corporations Coordinator
Phone: 919-326-1109 (ext 231) | 1-800-253-9653 (ext 231)

Mailing address
North Carolina Medical Board
Attn: Corporations
P.O. Box 20007
Raleigh, NC 27619-0007

Delivery address:
North Carolina Medical Board
Attn: Corporations
1203 Front Street
Raleigh, NC 27609
Questions? Email the Corporations Department