How do I find out if a doctor is licensed?

Search the public register of the regulator where the doctor practises: the state medical board in the US or the provincial College in Canada. In the US, FSMB's DocInfo provides a consolidated cross-state search. The register shows whether the licence is active and whether any restrictions apply. The check is free and takes a few minutes.

Is checking a doctor's credentials free?

Yes. Public registers operated by state medical boards, provincial Colleges, DocInfo, and certification verification through ABMS, RCPSC, and CFPC are free for basic status checks. Be cautious of third-party sites charging for "background reports" on physicians — the authoritative information is public at no cost.

What is the difference between a licence and board certification?

A licence is legal permission to practise medicine in a state or province, granted by the regulator. Board certification (US) or Royal College/CFPC certification (Canada) attests to completed residency training and examinations in a specific specialty. A doctor needs a licence to practise at all; certification tells you they are recognized in the specialty they claim.

The register says "restricted" or lists conditions — should I avoid this doctor?

Not automatically, but read carefully. Some restrictions are routine (supervision during an assessment period, a narrowed scope by the physician's own choice), while others follow disciplinary findings. Check whether the restriction is relevant to the care you need, and ask the doctor or the regulator what it means. Relevant, unexplained restrictions before a major procedure are a reason to pause.

How do I check a doctor who has practised in multiple states or provinces?

In the US, DocInfo consolidates licensure across states, and each state board record carries its own detail — check each state listed. In Canada, check the College register in each province where the doctor has practised. Discipline attaches to the jurisdiction where it occurred, so the current register may not tell the whole story on its own.

Can I trust the credentials shown on a directory like MedXL?

MedXL profiles display licence and verification information sourced from regulators, and claimed profiles pass a manual verification review — so they are a genuinely useful first check across roughly 955,000 provider records. But registers update on their own schedules, and the regulator remains the authoritative source. Use the profile to screen, then confirm on the regulator's register. Check both.

What if I cannot find the doctor on the register at all?

First rule out search problems: try alternate spellings, a maiden or hyphenated name, or search by licence number obtained from the clinic. Confirm you are searching the correct state or province, and the correct profession's regulator (a nurse practitioner will not appear on the medical register). If the person still cannot be found and claims to be a practising physician there, contact the regulator directly — practising medicine without a licence is a serious matter regulators want reported.

Does a malpractice lawsuit appear on the register?

Generally not directly. US registers show board disciplinary actions, and some states publish certain malpractice payment information, but a lawsuit alone — which can occur without any fault finding — typically does not appear. Canadian College registers show College findings and, in some provinces, hospital privilege actions. Focus on what the regulator verified rather than litigation rumour.

How often should I re-check a doctor's credentials?

For an established relationship, re-checking is rarely needed — regulators act on problems independently of patients. Sensible moments to check again: before a major procedure, when a doctor moves or you move provinces or states, when something in their practice changes unexpectedly, or when you hear something concerning. The check is quick enough that "when in doubt" is a fine policy.

How do I verify a nurse practitioner or other non-physician provider?

Same method, different register. In the US, nursing licensure can be checked through state boards of nursing and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's consolidated lookup. In Canada, check the provincial nursing college. Dentists, chiropractors, psychologists, and other regulated professions each have their own regulator per jurisdiction — verify the exact credential claimed with that profession's body.

What does it mean when a MedXL profile is "claimed" or verified?

A claimed profile means the physician has taken ownership of their MedXL listing, which involves a manual verification review before the claim is approved. Profiles also display licence and verification information sourced from regulators. A claimed profile is a positive signal of accuracy, but the underlying credential facts should still be confirmed on the regulator's register for any consequential decision.

Who do I contact if I think a doctor is misrepresenting credentials?

The regulator for the jurisdiction: the state medical board in the US or the provincial College in Canada. Both take public complaints, investigate credential misrepresentation and unlicensed practice, and treat these among their most serious matters. Provide the doctor's name, practice location, and specifics of the claim you believe is false.

How to Verify a Doctor's Credentials

By MedXL Editorial Team · Updated 2026-08-03 · 15 min read

Most patients never check their doctor's credentials. It is not carelessness — it is that few people know the records exist, that they are public, and that checking them takes about five minutes. Every physician practising in the United States or Canada is licensed by a regulator that maintains a public register, and in most jurisdictions that register shows not just whether a licence is active but also its class, any restrictions, and disciplinary findings.

This guide is for patients who want that five minutes to count. You might be choosing a new family doctor, preparing for surgery with a specialist you have never met, helping a parent evaluate a physician in another province or state, or double-checking a name that appeared in an online search. In each case the method is the same: identify the regulator, look the doctor up on its register, and know how to read what you find.

The systems differ between the two countries in structure but not in substance. In the United States, physicians are licensed by state medical boards, and the Federation of State Medical Boards operates DocInfo, a public consolidated lookup. In Canada, physicians are licensed by provincial and territorial Colleges — such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario — each with its own public register. Specialty certification adds a second layer: American Board of Medical Specialties member boards in the US, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of F

In this guide

Introduction
Key takeaways
What doctor credentials actually mean
The medical licence
Specialty certification
Education, training, and affiliations
What credentials do not cover
Where credentials are recorded: the US and Canadian systems
United States: state medical boards
Canada: provincial and territorial Colleges
Where MedXL fits
Common mistakes
How to check a licence, step by step in practice
Find the right register
Match the person exactly
Read the record
Verify certification separately
Common mistakes
Understanding disciplinary history and red flags
Severity, recency, resolution
Genuine red flags
What to do with concerns
Common mistakes
Verifying other "doctors" and related professionals
Step-by-step guide
Credential verification checklist
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if a doctor is licensed?
Is checking a doctor's credentials free?
What is the difference between a licence and board certification?
The register says "restricted" or lists conditions — should I avoid this doctor?
How do I check a doctor who has practised in multiple states or provinces?
Can I trust the credentials shown on a directory like MedXL?
What if I cannot find the doctor on the register at all?
Does a malpractice lawsuit appear on the register?
How often should I re-check a doctor's credentials?
How do I verify a nurse practitioner or other non-physician provider?
What does it mean when a MedXL profile is "claimed" or verified?
Who do I contact if I think a doctor is misrepresenting credentials?
Related resources
References