---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 4089"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "4089"
heading: "Portability of professional licenses"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/4089"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter IX — Travel, Leave, and Other Benefits"
---

# §4089. Portability of professional licenses

- (a) **In general—** In any case in which a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or the spouse of a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service has a covered [United States](/usc/22/1395.md?p=a-1) license and such member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse relocates his or her residency because of an assignment or detail to a location that is not in the jurisdiction of the licensing authority that issued the [covered license](#c), such [covered license](#c) shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the jurisdiction of such new residency for the duration of such an assignment or detail if such member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse—
  - (1) provides a copy of the member’s notification of assignment to the licensing authority in the jurisdiction in which the new residency is located;
  - (2) remains in good standing with—
    - (A) the licensing authority that issued the [covered license](#c); and
    - (B) every other licensing authority that has issued to the member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse a license valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied in the jurisdiction of such licensing authority; and
  - (3) submits to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.
- (b) **Interstate licensure compacts—** If a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse of a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service is licensed and able to operate in multiple jurisdictions through an interstate licensure [compact](/usc/22/7702.md?p=5), with respect to services provided in the jurisdiction of the interstate licensure [compact](/usc/22/7702.md?p=5) by a licensee covered by such [compact](/usc/22/7702.md?p=5), the member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse of a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service shall be subject to the requirements of the [compact](/usc/22/7702.md?p=5) or the applicable provisions of law of the applicable State and not this section.
- (c) **Covered license defined—** In this section, the term “covered license” means a professional license or certificate—
  - (1) that is in good standing with the licensing authority that issued such professional license or certificate;
  - (2) that the member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service or spouse of a member of the [Foreign](/usc/22/3146.md?p=1) Service has actively used during the two years immediately preceding the relocation described in [subsection (a)](#a); and
  - (3) that is not a license to practice law.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 909, as added Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXI, § 7104(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2523.)