Resources for members of the United States Armed Forces and their families

Honorably discharged military members

Expedited licensure

Expedited licensure is available for an applicant that served as an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces and was honorably discharged.

Expedited licensure includes:

Expedited application processing.
Evaluation of comparable military education and/or experience to satisfy training-related licensure requirements.
Direct telephone and email contact with BAR Licensing staff.

To request expedited licensure, the applicant must supply evidence that they were an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces who was honorably discharged. Examples of acceptable evidence of service and discharge include:

Copy of DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
Copy of ERB (Enlisted Record Brief)
Copy of ORB (Officer Record Brief)

Please note that expedited licensure does not mean a license/registration must be issued, but simply requires the process to be accelerated.

Applicants seeking to have their comparable military education and/or experience evaluated to satisfy training-related licensure requirements must include the following applicable documents with their application and fee:

Copy of DD2586 (Verification of Military Experience and Training form)
Copy of Joint Service Transcripts (military transcripts)
Sealed, official educational transcripts for formal civilian education

Copies of service records can be obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.4)

Active duty military personnel

Renewal requirements waiver

Renewal requirements are waived for a member of the United States Armed Forces when they are called to active duty. The renewal requirements waived include renewal fees, continuing education requirements, and any other requirements as determined by BAR.

To qualify for a waiver, the licensee/registrant must:

Hold a current and valid license when called to active duty.
Submit a waiver request form and written documentation that substantiates the licensee's/registrant's call to active duty.

"Called to active duty" includes licensees in all branches of the United States Armed Forces who, on a temporary basis, travel to remote locations to engage in activity relating to a war, national emergency, or other military operation.

Renewal requirements are only waived for the period of time the licensee/registrant is serving in the temporary assignment at the remote location, and the licensee/registrant must notify BAR of receipt of a notice of discharge date within 60 days of receiving such a notice.

All private practice is prohibited under the waiver. A licensee may not return to private practice until after they have complied with renewal requirements required by the program(s) under which they are licensed/registered.

(Business and Professions Code section 114.3)

Professional license portability

Active duty military personnel may qualify for licensure under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. To learn more, see Professional License Portability and State Registration for Servicemembers and their Spouses.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.10)

Spouses/domestic partners of active duty military personnel

Expedited licensure and initial application fee waiver

Expedited licensure and an initial application fee waiver is available to the spouse or domestic partner of an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces.

To qualify, the applicant must:

Supply evidence that they are 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 California under official orders.
Hold a current license/registration in another state, district or territory of the United States in the profession or vocation for which the applicant is seeking a license/registration.

Failure to provide the required documentation may result in application processing delays.

Please note that expedited licensure does not mean a license/registration must be issued, but simply requires the process to be accelerated for spouses and domestic partners of active duty military personnel.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.5)

Temporary licensure

Effective July 1, 2023, temporary licensure is available to the spouse or domestic partner of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States 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.

To be granted temporary licensure, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

Supply evidence to BAR that 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 California under official active duty military orders.
Hold a current, active, and unrestricted license that confers upon the applicant the authority 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 BAR.
Submit an application to BAR that shall include a signed affidavit attesting to the fact that the applicant meets all of the requirements for the temporary license, and that the information submitted in the application is accurate, to the best of the applicant’s knowledge. The application shall also include written verification from the applicant’s original licensing jurisdiction stating that the applicant’s license is in good standing in that jurisdiction.
Not have committed an act in any jurisdiction that would have constituted grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of the license under this code at the time the act was committed. A violation of this paragraph may be grounds for the denial or revocation of a temporary license issued by BAR.
Not have been disciplined by a licensing entity in another jurisdiction and shall not be the subject of an unresolved complaint, review procedure, or disciplinary proceeding conducted by a licensing entity in another jurisdiction.

There is no fee for temporary licensure. Temporary licenses are nonrenewable and expire 12 months after issuance, upon issuance or denial of a standard license, or upon issuance or denial of an expedited license, whichever occurs first.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.6)

Professional license portability

Spouses/domestic partners of active duty military personnel may qualify for licensure under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. To learn more, see Professional License Portability and State Registration for Servicemembers and their Spouses.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.10)

Service members enrolled in SkillBridge

Beginning July 1, 2024, expedited licensure application processing is available to service members currently enrolled in the U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge Program.

Service members seeking licensure in California who qualify must complete an application for licensure and provide documentation of enrollment, such as an official letter from the commanding officer. Failure to provide proper documentation could result in application processing delays. Applicants must still meet all licensing requirements.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.4)

Professional license portability and state registration for servicemembers and their spouses

The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) authorizes service members or their spouses who currently hold a valid license in good standing in another state, district, or territory to practice in California within the same profession or vocation, if they relocate to California because of military orders. For individuals who desire to practice in California under the terms of the SCRA, please visit: https://www.dca.ca.gov/military/federal.shtml.

(Business and Professions Code section 115.10)

Additional information

Have questions? Contact the BAR Licensing Program at BARLicensing@dca.ca.gov or (855) 735-0462.