What is an interstate licensure compact?
An interstate compact is a legal contract between two or more states/territories enabling health care providers to practice in each other’s jurisdiction, once providers demonstrate they meet the compact requirements. These multistate agreements allow licensed workers to provide consistent, quality care to patients while practicing seamlessly within the compact’s member states. In an emergency, interstate compacts can help by streamlining workforce mobility between compact member states.
Virginia is a member of the following licensure compacts across many fields within health care.
| Virginia Licensure Compact Membership | Participating States/Territories | |
|---|---|---|
| Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Compact (ASLP-IC) The ASLP-IC provides a pathway by which audiologists and speech-language pathologists can obtain the authorization to practice in states where they do not hold a license. To join the compact, a state must enact the compact model legislation via its legislative process. Learn more. | AK, AL, AR, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, OH, OK, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY | |
| Counseling Compact The Counseling Compact is designed to foster interstate licensure portability, increase access to services, and enhance public protection for the counseling profession and its clients. To provide counseling services through the compact, professional counselors use the professional counseling license granted by their home state (their primary state of residence) to apply for the privilege to practice in other member states. Applications are expected to open in 2025. Learn more. | AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, OH, OK, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY | |
| United States Emergency Medical Services Compact (EMS Compact) The EMS Compact facilitates the day-to-day movement of EMS personnel across state boundaries in the performance of their duties. EMS personnel, including EMTs and paramedics, licensed in at least one compact member state are granted a privilege to practice in the other compact member states. Learn more. | AL, CO, DE, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, LA, MO, MS, ND, NE, NV, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV, WY | |
| Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) The NLC increases access to care while maintaining public protection at the state level. Under the NLC, nurses can practice in other NLC states/territories, without obtaining additional licenses. Learn more. | AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MO, MS, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OK, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY | |
| Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) The OT Compact facilitates interstate practice of occupational therapy. Under the OT Compact, Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants who are licensed in good standing in a compact member state will be able to practice in other compact member states via a “compact privilege,” which is equivalent to a license. Learn more. | Al, AR, AZ, CO, DE, GA, IA, IN, KY, LA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NC, NH, OH, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY | |
| Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact) The PT Compact is an agreement between member states to improve access to physical therapy services for the public by increasing the mobility of eligible physical therapy providers to work in multiple states. Learn more. | AR, AZ, CO, DE, GA, IA, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI | |
| Physician Assistant Licensure Compact (PA Compact) The PA Compact facilitates multistate practice for physician assistants (PAs), improves health care access for patients, and enhances public protection. States joining the compact agree to recognize a valid, unencumbered license issued by another compact member state via a compact privilege. Licensed PAs utilizing the compact can obtain a privilege in each compact member state where they want to practice. Learn more. | CO, DE, ME, MN, NE, OH, OK, TN, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI | |
| Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT®) The PSYPACT® is designed to facilitate the practice of telepsychology and the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries. To practice telepsychology in PSYPACT states, psychologists licensed in PSYPACT states only can apply to the PSYPACT Commission for an Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT™). One required component of this authority granted from the PSYPACT Commission is that psychologists must obtain an E.Passport Certificate from ASPPB. Learn more. | AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NV, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY | |
| Social Work Licensure Compact The Social Work Licensure Compact allows social workers who have or are eligible for an active, unencumbered license in the compact member state where they reside to apply for a multistate license. After verifying eligibility, the social worker is granted a multistate license which authorizes practice in all other compact member states. Learn more. | AL, AZ, CO, CT, GA, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MN, MO, NE, NH, OH, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA |
Last updated 2024. This information was pulled from Center for Connected Health Policy and each compact website. Providers should check with their licensing boards for the most up-to-date and accurate information. If you have questions or a correction, please contact admin@ehealthvirginia.org.
Limited Licensure Exceptions
Limited licensure exceptions may also allow out-of-state telehealth provider practice, in addition to licensure compacts. In total, 29 states currently have limited licensure exceptions, including Virginia. Virginia also has an expedited licensure agreement with MD & DC.
In the Commonwealth, many exceptions are focused on continuity of care allowances, including:
- The “consultant exemption” intends to have a Virginia practitioner involved in the care of the patient when a practitioner in another state/country consults with the Virginia practitioner or the patient. It provides an opportunity for Virginia residents to benefit from the expertise of practitioners known for specializing in certain conditions.
- Audio-only telephone, electronic mail message, facsimile transmission, and online questionnaire do not constitute as “telemedicine” in the code of Virginia and therefore do not require licensure when used in the follow-up care of a Virginia resident with whom a bona fide practitioner-patient relationship has been previously established. Note: The establishment of a new practitioner-patient relationship requires a Virginia license.
- The rendering of medical advice or information through telecommunications from a physician licensed to practice medicine in Virginia or an adjoining state, or from a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, to emergency medical personnel acting in an emergency situation.
- A practitioner who provides behavioral health services to a patient located in the Commonwealth through use of telemedicine services pursuant to this subdivision may provide such services for a period of no more than one year from the date on which the practitioner began providing such services to such patient.
For more information about exceptions, visit https://www.cchpca.org/virginia/.