How to look up your doctor
Most people assume the doctors they go to have a clean track record. But a yearlong CBS News investigation found that the system responsible for licensing and disciplining doctors — state medical boards — often fails to police doctors who repeatedly hurt their patients.
The CBS News investigative unit put together this state-by-state guide that shows how to check your doctor's license and disciplinary history along with information on how to file a complaint against a healthcare provider in your state.
Use the dropdown menu below to jump to your state's search.
Additional reporting by Christopher O'Brien.
Alabama
How to check if your doctor's Alabama license is active:
Go to Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and Medical Licensure Commission of Alabama.
Select "License Verification" and search for your doctor by name or license number.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, click the icon in the far right column labeled "Details."
If the answer to "Public File" is "Yes," then the board has taken action against their license.
For details on that action, search the board's Public Log Files.
How to file a complaint:
- Go to Alabama Medical Board Complaints and select "Filing a Complaint" for instructions.
Alaska
How to check if your doctor's Alaska license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Agreements/Actions/Accusations" for documents of any disciplinary action taken by the board.
How to file a complaint:
- Download and submit a complaint form from the Alaska Division of Health Care Services.
Arizona
How to check if your doctor's Arizona license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board Action" to see if any disciplinary action has been taken by the board.
How to file a complaint:
Go to the Arizona Medical Board's Online Complaints website.
Search for your doctor and file a complaint electronically. You can also download the form and fax or mail it in.
Arkansas
How to check if your doctor's Arkansas license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board History" to see if any disciplinary action has been taken by the board. From there, you can download any board minutes related to that doctor and send a request for any board orders that have been issued.
You can also view all license actions since 2007 here.
How to file a complaint:
- Find details on how to find a complaint here.
California
How to check if your doctor's California license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Public Record Actions" to see if any disciplinary action has been taken by the board. From there, you may have to contact the board's Central File Room at 916-263-2525 to request documents related to license actions.
How to file a complaint:
- Download a California Medical Board complaint form here.
Colorado
How to check if your doctor's Colorado license is active:
Go to Colorado Medical Board license search and select "medical" for license type.
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board/Program Actions" to see if your doctor has ever been disciplined by the board.
How to file a complaint:
- Find details on how to find a complaint here.
Connecticut
How to check if your doctor's Connecticut license is active:
Select "physician/surgeon" under license type and search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, select "detail" to see if there are any "Licensure Actions or Pending Charges" against their license.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details on how to find a complaint here.
Delaware
How to check if your doctor's Delaware license is active:
Select "Search & Verify License," then enter your doctor's name and select "medical practice" for "profession" to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, scroll to the bottom of the page to see if they have been disciplined before.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details on how to find a complaint here.
District of Colombia
How to check if your doctor's Washington, D.C. license is active:
- Go to District Of Columbia Department of Health License Search.
- Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
- Once you've found your doctor, any disciplinary action will be listed with their license details.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details on how to find a complaint here.
Florida
How to check if your doctor's Florida license is active:
Enter your doctor's name and click through to their profile to see if their license is "Clear/Active."
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile select the "Discipline/Admin Action" tab.
How to submit a complaint:
- Go to Florida Health Care Complaint Portal for details on how to file a complaint.
Georgia
How to check if your doctor's Georgia license is active:
Enter your doctor's information to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, you can see if they've been disciplined as well as any hospital privilege revocations.
How to submit a complaint:
- Go to Georgia Composite Medical Board for details on how to file a complaint.
Hawaii
How to check if your doctor's Hawaii license is active:
Go to Hawaii's Professional and Vocational Licensing Search.
Enter your doctor's information to see if their license is active and in good standing.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Go to Hawaii's Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO) and search for your doctor.
How to submit a complaint:
- Download this form and follow the instructions for filing a complaint.
Idaho
How to check if your doctor's Idaho license is active:
Search for your doctor to see if their license is current.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board Actions" for any disciplinary actions taken by the medical board.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Illinois
How to check if your doctor's Illinois license is active:
Go to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation License Search.
Under "License Type" select "Medical Board" and search for your doctor to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look at their license details page under the column "Ever Disciplined" to see if they have been disciplined by the medical board.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Indiana
How to check if your doctor's Indiana license is active:
Go to Indiana's License Verification tool.
Under "Profession," select "Medical Licensing Board" and then search for your doctor.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Go to Indiana License Litigation Search, select "Medical Licensing Board" and then click "Advanced Search" to search by your doctor's name.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Iowa
How to check if your doctor's Iowa license is active:
Go to Iowa Board of Medicine
Search for your doctor to see if their license is active
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, select "Details" to see if there is any record of "Public Charges and/or Public Discipline." If it says "Yes" details will be listed under "Public Documents" on their details page.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Kansas
How to check if your doctor's Kansas license is active:
Go to the Kansas Board of Healing Arts licensee search.
Select the type of doctor you are looking for under "Profession" and search for your doctor by name.
Please note that information on MDs and DOs in Kansas is self-reported and therefore not independently verified by the Board of Healing Arts.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under the tabs "KSBHA Actions," "Health Care Facility Privilege Actions" and "Other Public License Actions" for details on discipline.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here for details on how to file a complaint.
Kentucky
How to check if your doctor's Kentucky license is active:
Search for your doctor to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look at "Board Action" to see if there has been any action taken by the board. For more details on any board action you must submit a written request.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a grievance with the Kentucky Medical Board here.
Louisiana
How to check if your doctor's Louisiana license is active:
Search for your doctor to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Go to Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners Disciplinary Actions page which lists all actions taken by the board. On the right hand side of the page you can search by name to see if your doctor is on this list.
Then select "Additional Documents" for more details on the action that was taken by the board.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Maine
How to check if your doctor's Maine license is active:
Go to Maine's Regulatory Licensing and Permitting search page.
Under the "Regulator" drop-down menu, select "Medicine" and then search for your doctor by name.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Go to Maine's Regulatory Licensing and Permitting Disciplinary Actions search.
Under the "Regulator" drop-down menu, select "Medicine" and then search for your doctor by name.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Maryland
How to check if your doctor's Maryland license is active:
Go to Maryland Board of Physicians Practitioner Profile Search.
Search for your doctor and click on their profile to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, scroll down to "Known Disciplinary Actions."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Massachusetts
How to check if your doctor's Massachusetts license is active:
Search for your doctor by name to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, click through to their physician profile and scroll to the bottom where it lists "Disciplinary and/or Massachusetts Criminal Actions."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Michigan
How to check if your doctor's Michigan license is active:
Go to Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Scroll down to "Licensee Search" and select medical for "License Type." Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
For discipline history prior to 2016, go here to review disciplinary action reports by year.
For discipline history from 2016 to present, go here to review disciplinary action reports by month.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Minnesota
How to check if your doctor's Minnesota license is active:
Search for your doctor and click through to their profile where you'll find their license status.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, disciplinary actions by Minnesota and any other states will be listed under "License Information."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Mississippi
How to check if your doctor's Mississippi license is active:
Search for your doctor and click on their profile to see the status of their license.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, any disciplinary documents will be listed under "Public Records."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Missouri
How to check if your doctor's Missouri license is active:
Go to Missouri Division of Professional Registration and select "Active Licensee Search."
Select the type of doctor you are looking for from the "Profession Name" drop-down. If your doctor doesn't turn up, search their name under the "Nonactive Licensee Search."
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, click "Detail" to see their current discipline status
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Montana
How to check if your doctor's Montana license is active:
Go to Montana Department of Labor and Industry License Search.
From the "Licensing Board/Program" dropdown menu, select "Board of Medical Examiners" and then search for your doctor by name to see if their license is active.
Check your doctor's discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor look at their license details under "Discipline."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Nebraska
How to check if your doctor's Nebraska license is active:
Go to Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services License Search.
Select "Individual Search" and enter your doctor's name or license number.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor look at their license details under "Disciplinary/Non-Disciplinary Information."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Nevada
How to check if your doctor's Nevada license is active:
To check the license of a medical doctor (MD) go to Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners.
To check the license of an osteopathic physician (DO) go to Nevada Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, scroll to "Board Actions" to see if they have a history of discipline.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
New Hampshire
How to check if your doctor's New Hampshire license is active:
Select "Medicine" from the "Profession" drop-down menu.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look at their license details under "Remarks."
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
New Jersey
How to check if your doctor's New Jersey license is active:
Select "Medical Examiners" from the "Profession" drop-down menu and then search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board Actions" for any history of discipline by the Board of Medical Examiners.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
New Mexico
How to check if your doctor's New Mexico license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Go to New Mexico Medical Board Quarterly Board Actions, where you can view disciplinary actions taken by the board since 2011.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
New York
How to check if your doctor's New York license is active:
Select "Doctor (Physician)" for "Profession" and search for your doctor.
Former discipline history:
Go to the New York State Department of Health's Office of Professional Misconduct and Physician Discipline and search for your doctor to see if they have any history of discipline or license actions.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
North Carolina
How to check if your doctor's North Carolina license is active:
Go to the North Carolina Medical Board Licensee Search.
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Actions - Adverse and Administrative."
You can also see if there has been any malpractice reported against the doctor.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
North Dakota
How to check if your doctor's North Dakota license is active:
Go to the North Dakota Board of Medicine .
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Discipline History" on their profile.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Ohio
How to check if your doctor's Ohio license is active:
Go to Ohio E-License Lookup.
Select "Medical Board" and search for your doctor.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, see if there is any discipline listed under "board action" on their profile. If so, go to Ohio Medical Board.
Once there, search by year and month.
How to submit a complaint:
- Go to Ohio Medical Board for details on how to file a complaint.
Oklahoma
How to check if your doctor's Oklahoma license is active:
For medical doctors (MD) go to Oklahoma Medical Board.
For osteopathic physicians (DO) go to the Oklahoma Osteopathic Board.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Disciplinary History" on their profile.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Oregon
How to check if license is active:
Go to Oregon Medical Board.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Board Orders" for any history of discipline.
If your doctor does have discipline listed, you may be able to find more details about it by looking at the list of Oregon Medical Board Actions. Actions are organized by year and month.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Pennsylvania
How to check if your doctor's Pennsylvania license is active:
Select "Person" at the top of the search bar.
Former discipline history:
Select "Disciplinary" at the top of the search bar.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Rhode Island
How to check if your doctor's Rhode Island license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Go to Rhode Island Department of Health's Disciplinary Actions and Orders.
You can search for disciplinary actions by name or facility.
How to submit a complaint:
You can submit a complaint about a particular doctor via their license details page.
South Carolina
How to check if your doctor's South Carolina license is active:
Search for your doctor and look at their "credential status."
Former discipline history:
Search for your doctor by name to see if any disciplinary actions have been taken by the board.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
South Dakota
How to check if your doctor's South Dakota license is active:
Go to South Dakota Licensee Lookup.
Search their name and click "view profile" to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Go to South Dakota Board Action Search, which lists disciplinary actions by year (some years are missing).
How to submit a complaint:
- Contact the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners at SDBMOE@state.sd.us or 605-367-7781.
Tennessee
How to check if your doctor's Tennessee license is active:
Search for your doctor by name to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Go to Tennessee Department of Health, which lists disciplinary actions taken by the board going back to 2004.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Texas
How to check if your doctor's Texas license is active:
Search a doctor's name to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, you can see any actions taken by the Texas Medical Board as well as medical malpractice investigations.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Utah
How to check if your doctor's Utah license is active:
Go to Utah Licensee Lookup.
Narrow the search by profession and search for your doctor.
Former discipline history:
Go to Utah Agency & Disciplinary Action, where you can search by a doctor's name or license number.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Vermont
How to check if license is active:
Go to Vermont License Lookup.
Narrow your search by type of doctor and then click on "details" to see the license of their status.
Former discipline history:
For board actions since 2010 go to Vermont Department of Health and click on "board actions."
For board actions before 2010, contact the board at AHS.VDHMedicalBoard@vermont.gov or 802-657-4220.
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Virginia
How to check if your doctor's Virginia license is active:
Go to Virginia License Lookup.
Search a doctor and click on their details to see the license of their status.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor's profile, look under "additional public information." If it says "yes," click through to see details.
How to submit a complaint:
- You can complete the online complaint form, or submit it via email, fax or in person.
Washington
How to check if your doctor's Washington state license is active:
Go to Washington State Department of Health Provider Credential search.
Search for your doctor and click on their details to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Enforcement Action."
For details about any action taken against their license, contact the Washington State Department of Health at hsqa.csc@doh.wa.gov. A license number or a first and last name are required to look up a doctor.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
West Virginia
How to check if your doctor's West Virginia license is active:
For medical doctors (MDs) go to West Virginia Medical Board license search.
For osteopathic physicians (DOs) go to West Virginia Osteopathic Physician license search.
Search for your doctor and click on their details to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under "Discipline/Board Action History."
How to submit a complaint:
Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Wisconsin
How to check if your doctor's Wisconsin license is active:
Search for your doctor and click on their details to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor, look under the tab labeled "Orders" for any disciplinary action taken by the board.
How to submit a complaint:
- Find details about how to file a complaint here.
Wyoming
How to check if your doctor's Wyoming license is active:
Search for your doctor to see the status of their license.
Former discipline history:
Once you've found your doctor any disciplinary action will be listed along with their license details
How to submit a complaint:
Find details on how to file a complaint here.