A. A person holding a current active license to practice medicine in this state may request an inactive license from the board if both of the following are true:

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 32-1431

  • Active license: means a valid and existing license to practice medicine. See Arizona Laws 32-1401
  • Board: means the Arizona medical board. See Arizona Laws 32-1401
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Medicine: means allopathic medicine as practiced by the recipient of a degree of doctor of medicine. See Arizona Laws 32-1401
  • Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Physician: means a doctor of medicine who is licensed pursuant to this chapter. See Arizona Laws 32-1401
  • Special purpose licensing examination: means an examination that is developed by the national board of medical examiners on behalf of the federation of state medical boards for use by state licensing boards to test the basic medical competence of physicians who are applying for licensure and who have been in practice for a considerable period of time in another jurisdiction and to determine the competence of a physician who is under investigation by a state licensing board. See Arizona Laws 32-1401
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215

1. The licensee is not presently under investigation by the board.

2. The board has not commenced any disciplinary proceeding against the licensee.

B. The board may grant an inactive license and waive the renewal fees and requirements for continuing medical education specified by section 32-1434 if the licensee provides evidence to the board’s satisfaction that the licensee has totally retired from the practice of medicine in this state and any state, territory and district of the United States or any foreign country and has paid all of the fees required by this chapter before the request. The board may grant pro bono registration pursuant to section 32-1428 to a physician who holds an inactive license under this section.

C. During any period in which a medical doctor holds an inactive license, that person shall not engage in the practice of medicine or continue to hold or maintain a drug enforcement administration controlled substances registration certificate, except as permitted by a pro bono registration pursuant to section 32-1428. Any person who engages in the practice of medicine while on inactive license status is considered to be a person who practices medicine without a license or without being exempt from licensure as provided in this chapter.

D. The board may convert an inactive license to an active license if the applicant pays the renewal fee and presents evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant possesses the medical knowledge and is physically and mentally able to safely engage in the practice of medicine. The board may require any combination of physical examination, psychiatric or psychological evaluation or successful passage of the special purpose licensing examination or interview it finds necessary to assist it in determining the ability of a physician holding an inactive license to return to the active practice of medicine.