USA Edition · Professional Licenses

Licensed professions, step by step

9 licenses·Exams, experience, state rules·Checked Oct 2026

Doctors, lawyers, CPAs, engineers, nurses and pharmacists all need a license to practice — and in the U.S. every one of those licenses comes from a state board, not from a national exam alone. Here is the real route for each.

Compare all licenses What is changing
Who grants licensesState boards
Licenses covered9
Bar examNextGen UBE live since July 2026
Same rules in every state?No
At a glance

Who grants each license

National bodies write the exams; state boards set education, experience and character requirements and issue the license.

LicenseGranted byNational exam(s)Experience
State medical license (physician)State medical boardsUSMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3; COMLEX-USA Level 1, Level 2-CE, Level 3Residency of 3 to 9 years depending on specialty; optional fellowship of 1 to 3 years (BLS).
Admission to the bar (lawyer)Each jurisdiction's highest court / bar admission authorityBar exam — legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) or NextGen UBE, plus any state-specific components; MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination)None nationally; jurisdictions also run a character and fitness review.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licenseState boards of accountancyUniform CPA Examination1 or 2 years depending on the pathway; details set by each board.
Professional Engineer (PE) licenseState engineering licensing boardsFE (Fundamentals of Engineering); PE (Principles and Practice of Engineering)Typically at least 4 years of qualifying work experience before the PE exam.
Registered Nurse (RN) licenseState boards of nursingNCLEX-RN (Next Generation NCLEX since April 2023)Supervised clinical experience is part of every program.
Pharmacist licenseState boards of pharmacyNAPLEX; MPJE or Uniform MPJEPractice experience is built into Pharm.D. programs; residencies (1–2 years) are optional.
Dentist licenseState dental boardsINBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Examination); State or regional clinical examNone for general practice; specialties need a 2- to 4-year residency.
Physical therapist licenseState physical therapy licensing boardsNPTEClinical education is part of the DPT; residencies (about 1 year) are optional.
Licensed psychologistState and provincial psychology boardsEPPP (Part 1–Knowledge; some boards also require Part 2–Skills)Supervised internship and/or postdoctoral experience, set by each board.
State medical boards

State medical license (physician)

Bachelor's degree, then a 4-year medical school program leading to an M.D. or a D.O., then residency.

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree with pre-med coursework (any major)

  3. Step 3

    MCAT and medical school application

  4. Step 4

    Medical school — M.D. or D.O. (4 years)

  5. Step 5

    USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) during and after medical school

  6. Step 6

    Residency (3–9 years)

  7. Step 7

    State medical license

  8. Goal

    Optional: fellowship and board certification

USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3Three-step exam taken at different points in an M.D. student's education and training; results go to state medical boards, which grant the license. FSMB and NBME
COMLEX-USA Level 1, Level 2-CE, Level 3Three-level licensing exam for osteopathic physicians (D.O.). Levels 1 and 2-CE are required to graduate from accredited D.O. programs; NBOME says it is the only licensing exam accepted for D.O.s in all 50 states. NBOME
State differences: Each state medical board sets its own licensure rules. Passing USMLE or COMLEX-USA alone does not grant a license. Not always required: Board certification is not required to practice (BLS), though it can widen job options.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · USMLE (FSMB and NBME) · National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners · Association of American Medical Colleges. Checked 2026-10-07.

Each jurisdiction's highest court / bar admission authority

Admission to the bar (lawyer)

Bachelor's degree, then a J.D. from a law school (most jurisdictions require an ABA-accredited school).

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree (any major)

  3. Step 3

    Law school admission (LSAT or GRE at most schools)

  4. Step 4

    J.D. (typically 3 years full time)

  5. Step 5

    MPRE

  6. Step 6

    Bar exam in the chosen jurisdiction

  7. Step 7

    Character and fitness review

  8. Goal

    Admission to the bar

Bar exam — legacy Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) or NextGen UBE, plus any state-specific componentsNextGen UBE debuted in July 2026 in 10 jurisdictions; the legacy UBE is given through February 2028; most large states (including California, Texas and New York) switch in July 2028. A few jurisdictions have not announced adoption. NCBE (jurisdictions decide which exam they use)
MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination)Two-hour, 60-question ethics exam required for bar admission in all U.S. jurisdictions except Wisconsin and Puerto Rico; Connecticut and New Jersey also accept a law school professional-responsibility course instead. NCBE
State differences: Bar admission is granted state by state. Which bar exam is given, passing scores and score transfer rules all vary by jurisdiction.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · National Conference of Bar Examiners · National Conference of Bar Examiners · ABA Journal (American Bar Association). Checked 2026-10-07.

State boards of accountancy

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license

Depends on the jurisdiction's pathway (see pathways below).

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree in accounting (or qualifying coursework)

  3. Step 3

    Optional: master's or extra credits, depending on pathway

  4. Step 4

    Uniform CPA Exam (3 Core + 1 Discipline)

  5. Step 5

    Qualifying experience

  6. Goal

    State board application and license

Uniform CPA ExaminationThree 4-hour Core sections — Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), Taxation and Regulation (REG) — plus one 4-hour Discipline of the candidate's choice: Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC) or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). AICPA (delivered with NASBA)
Routes to qualifyGraduate degree in accounting + 1 year of professional experience + CPA Exam · Bachelor's degree in accounting + 30 additional semester credits (150 hours total) + 1 year of experience + CPA Exam · Bachelor's degree in accounting (120 semester hours) + 2 years of professional experience + CPA Exam. These three routes are the NASBA/AICPA model (UAA 9th edition, 2025). A jurisdiction offers them only after its own law adopts them.
State differences: Education, experience and ethics-exam rules differ by state. Since 2025 more states let a 120-hour bachelor's plus 2 years of experience qualify, but not all. Check your state board. Not always required: Many accounting jobs do not require a CPA license; BLS says anyone who files reports with the SEC must be a licensed CPA.

Sources: NASBA · NASBA · AICPA (This Way to CPA) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Checked 2026-10-07.

State engineering licensing boards

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Usually a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited engineering program.

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma (strong math and science)

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program

  3. Step 3

    FE exam → EIT / EI

  4. Step 4

    About 4 years of qualifying experience

  5. Step 5

    PE exam

  6. Goal

    State PE license

FE (Fundamentals of Engineering)For recent graduates and students close to finishing an EAC/ABET-accredited degree. Computer-based, 110 questions, about 5 hours 20 minutes of testing; pass/fail. Passing usually leads to Engineer in Training (EIT) or Engineer Intern (EI) status. NCEES
PE (Principles and Practice of Engineering)More than 20 discipline exams for engineers with at least 4 years of post-college experience in their field. NCEES
State differences: Each state board sets its own application rules, fees and approval steps; many states require continuing education to renew. Not always required: Many engineering jobs do not require a PE. BLS: a PE is required to offer services directly to the public (e.g. civil engineers signing off public projects); entry-level civil engineers do not need one. Computer hardware and most software/industry roles rarely require a PE.

Sources: NCEES · NCEES · ABET · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Checked 2026-10-07.

State boards of nursing

Registered Nurse (RN) license

BSN, associate's degree in nursing (ADN/ASN) or an approved diploma program.

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma (biology, chemistry, math)

  2. Step 2

    Nursing program — BSN, ADN/ASN or diploma

  3. Step 3

    NCLEX-RN

  4. Step 4

    State board of nursing license

  5. Goal

    Optional: RN-to-BSN, then graduate study for advanced practice (NP, CNM, CRNA)

NCLEX-RN (Next Generation NCLEX since April 2023)National licensure exam used by U.S. boards of nursing to decide whether a new graduate is safe to practice at entry level. NCSBN
State differences: Each state board sets licensing rules, including background checks. Advanced practice (NP, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) has additional state requirements.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · NCSBN. Checked 2026-10-07.

State boards of pharmacy

Pharmacist license

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from an ACPE-accredited program.

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma (chemistry, biology, math)

  2. Step 2

    Prerequisite college coursework (usually at least 2 years) or a 6-year program that admits high school graduates

  3. Step 3

    Pharm.D. (usually 4 years)

  4. Step 4

    NAPLEX + MPJE / Uniform MPJE

  5. Goal

    State pharmacist license

NAPLEXGeneral pharmacy practice knowledge, taken shortly after graduation. NABP
MPJE or Uniform MPJEPharmacy law exam for the state where the candidate seeks a license; states adopting the Uniform MPJE (from 2026) need only one law exam. NABP
State differences: Each state board of pharmacy sets licensure and transfer rules; most states also require certification to give vaccinations (BLS).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · National Association of Boards of Pharmacy · American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Checked 2026-10-07.

State dental boards

Dentist license

D.D.S. or D.M.D. from an accredited dental school (admission usually after a bachelor's degree).

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree with science coursework

  3. Step 3

    DAT and dental school application

  4. Step 4

    D.D.S. or D.M.D.

  5. Step 5

    INBDE + clinical exam

  6. Step 6

    State dental license

  7. Goal

    Optional: specialty residency

INBDE (Integrated National Board Dental Examination)Two-day licensure exam accepted in all U.S. licensing jurisdictions. JCNDE
State or regional clinical examMost states also require a state or regional clinical examination (BLS). Varies by state
State differences: All states license dentists, and requirements vary by state (BLS).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations · American Dental Association. Checked 2026-10-07.

State physical therapy licensing boards

Physical therapist license

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from a CAPTE-accredited program (typically 3 years after a bachelor's degree).

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree with anatomy, chemistry and physics prerequisites

  3. Step 3

    DPT (about 3 years)

  4. Step 4

    NPTE

  5. Goal

    State license

NPTEEntry-level competence exam; all jurisdictions use the same passing standard, and some add other requirements. FSBPT
State differences: All 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands require a license; each sets its own eligibility rules.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Checked 2026-10-07.

State and provincial psychology boards

Licensed psychologist

Usually a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) for independent clinical practice; school psychologists may hold a master's or Ed.S. (BLS).

  1. Step 1

    High school diploma

  2. Step 2

    Bachelor's degree (psychology or related)

  3. Step 3

    Doctoral program (Ph.D./Psy.D.) with internship

  4. Step 4

    Supervised experience

  5. Step 5

    EPPP

  6. Goal

    State license

EPPP (Part 1–Knowledge; some boards also require Part 2–Skills)All 66 ASPPB member jurisdictions require EPPP Part 1. An integrated EPPP replaces the two-part format for first-time candidates from Q4 2027. ASPPB
State differences: Most states require a license to provide psychology services or use the title 'psychologist'; supervised-hour and exam rules vary. Not always required: Industrial-organizational psychologists and many research roles may not need a clinical license (BLS: I-O roles usually need a master's).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · ASPPB. Checked 2026-10-07.

2026–2028

Licensing changes to watch

Rules that are changing now. Check the licensing body before you plan around them.

  • State medical license (physician): NBOME is changing how D.O. students show clinical skills for COMLEX Level 3 starting with the Class of 2029.
  • Admission to the bar (lawyer): Bar exam transition: legacy UBE ends February 2028; check your jurisdiction's NextGen UBE start date.
  • Admission to the bar (lawyer): Law school admission tests: ABA Standard 503 still requires a valid and reliable test, but the ABA grants variances; 21 of 198 ABA-accredited schools held one as of August 2026.
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license: State adoption of the 120-hour pathway is ongoing in 2026 (NASBA tracks enacted laws).
  • Pharmacist license: The PCAT admission test was retired in January 2024; pharmacy schools no longer require it.
  • Pharmacist license: Uniform MPJE rollout began in 2026 in adopting states.
  • Licensed psychologist: Integrated EPPP takes effect in Q4 2027.
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

State and territorial boards, not the federal government. National organizations write most licensing exams, but each state board decides who is licensed in that state.
No. A physician also needs an M.D. or D.O., residency training and a license from a state medical board. D.O. students usually take COMLEX-USA.
Not automatically. Some professions have compacts or transferable scores, but you usually need to apply to the new state's board.
No. Many engineering and accounting jobs do not require a PE or CPA license; it is needed for specific roles such as offering engineering services to the public or signing certain financial reports.
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Sources

Where these facts come from

Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.