Section 16.15. Biennial registration; inactive status and unregistered status

(a) A person licensed, certified or registered by the Board, shall register biennially to retain the right to engage in practice unless specifically exempted within this section. Initial registration shall automatically occur when the license, certificate or registration is issued.

(b) The following licenses, certificates and registration are not subject to biennial registration:

(1) Institutional license.

(2) Graduate license.

(3) Temporary license.

(4) Interim limited license.

(5) Registration as a physician assistant supervisor of a physician assistant.

(c) Registration for a biennium expires December 31 of every even-numbered year. Application for biennial registration shall be made upon forms supplied by the Board. The forms shall be filed with the Board with the required registration fee prior to the expiration of the previous biennial registration.

(d) Biennial registration forms and other forms or literature to be distributed by the Board will be forwarded to the last mailing address given the Board by the licensee, registrant or certificate holder. If the mailing address of record is changed, the Board shall be notified, in writing, within 15 days after making the address change. Failure of the Board to send, or of the individual to receive, a biennial registration application, does not relieve the individual of the biennial registration responsibility.

(e) A failure to pay the biennial registration fee by the required time automatically causes the license, certificate or registration to be placed in an unregistered status. A person who desires to become inactive shall notify the Board, in writing, prior to doing so, and the license, certificate or registration will be placed in inactive status. The licensee, registrant or certificate holder who either fails to pay the biennial registration fee or who notifies the Board of the desire to become inactive will not be sent biennial registration forms for the following or subsequent biennial registration periods unless that individual notifies the Board, in writing, of a desire to again register the license, certificate or registration.

(f) If all other conditions have been met, registered status will be restored upon the payment of fees and penalties which have accrued.

(g) The holder of a license, certificate or registration is not permitted to engage in practice in this Commonwealth unless the current registration fee is paid. If a person engages in practice in this Commonwealth during the period in which registration was not renewed, that individual is required to pay a $5 fee for each month or part of a month after the date specified for renewal of the biennial registration, and may be subject to possible disciplinary proceedings and criminal prosecution.

(h) The holder of a license, certificate or registration applying to return to registered status is required to pay the current and back registration and penalty fees which are due, submit a notarized affidavit setting forth the period of time in which the individual did not practice in this Commonwealth, submit a resume of activities since that person was last registered and comply with § 16.16(c) (relating to reporting of disciplinary actions, criminal dispositions and other licenses, certificates or authorizations to practice), absent the 30-day grace period provided for in this subsection.

(i) The licensee, registrant or certificate holder who seeks to update his registration will not be assessed a fee or penalty for a preceding biennial registration period in which that person did not engage in practice in this Commonwealth.

(j) If the person has not been practicing in this Commonwealth for longer than 4 years, the Board may require that a personal interview be conducted by a designated Board member or representative to ascertain the physical and mental fitness of the applicant to practice in this Commonwealth.

The provisions of this § 16.15 amended August 13, 1993, effective August 14, 1993, 23 Pa.B. 3780; amended April 13, 2007, effective April 14, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 1644; amended January 8, 2010, effective January 9, 2010, 40 Pa.B. 250. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (342627) to (342628).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 16.15 amended under sections 8, 13 and 36 of the Medical Practice Act of 1985 (63 P. S. § § 422.13 and 422.36); amended under section 3 of the Acupuncture Licensure Act (63 P. S. § 1803).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 17.8 (relating to licenses, certificates and registrations issued prior to January 1, 1986); 49 Pa. Code § 18.3 (relating to biennial registration requirements); 49 Pa. Code § 18.14 (relating to biennial registration requirements); 49 Pa. Code § 18.145 (relating to biennial registration requirements; renewal of physician assistant license); 49 Pa. Code § 18.607 (relating to biennial registration of perfusionist license); and 49 Pa. Code § 18.706 (relating to biennial registration of genetic counselor license).