Wis. Stat. § 448.04 — WI Code / Chapter 448 / Section 448.04
Classes of license; certificate of licensure.
Status: in_force

(1) Classes of license.

(a) License to practice medicine and surgery. A person holding a license to practice medicine and surgery may practice as defined in s. 448.01 (9) and as provided in s. 448.035 .

(ab) Compact license. The board may grant a compact license pursuant to the interstate medical licensure compact under s. 448.980 .

(ac) Administrative physician license. The board may grant an administrative physician license to an applicant who satisfies the requirements under s. 448.05 (2c) . The board shall issue a license under this paragraph subject to the same terms as a license issued under par. (a) , except that, notwithstanding any other provision of law that permits a physician to engage in any act that constitutes the practice of medicine and surgery, the holder of a license issued under this paragraph may not engage in the practice of medicine and surgery except as otherwise authorized under s. 448.03 (2) and may not practice as provided in s. 448.035 .

(b) Temporary license to practice medicine and surgery.

1. An applicant for license to practice medicine and surgery who has passed an examination satisfactory to the board, or who is a graduate of a medical school in this state, and who more than 30 days prior to the date set by the board for the holding of its next examination has complied with all the requirements of s. 448.05 (2) and (7) may, at the discretion of the board, be granted a temporary license to practice medicine and surgery. Such temporary license shall expire 60 days after the next examination for license is given or on the date following the examination on which the board grants or denies such applicant a license, whichever occurs first; but the temporary license shall automatically expire on the first day the board begins its examination of applicants after granting such license, unless its holder submits to examination on such date. The board may require an applicant for temporary licensure under this subdivision to appear before a member of the board for an interview and oral examination. A temporary license shall be granted under this subsection only once to the same person.

3. The board may grant a temporary license to practice medicine and surgery for a period not to exceed 90 days to a nonresident physician who is serving on a full-time or temporary basis in a camp or other recreational facility, or to a physician temporarily maintaining the practice of another physician. In either case, the applicant for such temporary license must satisfy the board that the applicant is needed in the area in which the applicant wishes to serve and that the applicant holds a license granted upon written examination in another licensing jurisdiction of the United States or Canada. The board may renew such temporary license for additional periods of 90 days each but may not renew such license more than 3 consecutive times. The board may require an applicant for such temporary license to appear before a member of the board for interview.

(bg) Restricted license to practice medicine and surgery as a visiting physician.

1. The board may grant a restricted license to practice medicine and surgery as a visiting physician to an applicant who satisfies the requirements under s. 448.05 (2) (e) .

2. The holder of a license issued under this paragraph may engage in the practice of medicine and surgery only at the medical education facility, medical research facility, or medical college where the license holder is teaching, researching, or practicing, and only in accordance with the terms and restrictions established by the board.

3. Subject to subd. 4. , a license issued under this paragraph is valid for one year and may be renewed at the discretion of the board.

4. A license issued under this paragraph remains valid only while the license holder is actively engaged in teaching, researching, or practicing medicine and surgery and is lawfully entitled to work in the United States.

(bm) Resident educational license to practice medicine and surgery.

1. The board may grant a resident educational license to practice medicine and surgery to an applicant who satisfies the requirements under s. 448.05 (2) (d) .

2. Subject to subd. 3. , a license issued under this paragraph is valid for one year and may be renewed for additional one-year terms while the license holder is enrolled in the postgraduate training program under s. 448.05 (2) (d) 1.

3. A license issued under this paragraph remains valid only while the license holder is actively engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in the postgraduate training program under s. 448.05 (2) (d) 1. and is lawfully entitled to work in the United States.

4. The holder of a license issued under this paragraph may engage in the practice of medicine and surgery only in connection with his or her duties under the postgraduate training program under s. 448.05 (2) (d) 1.

(br) Provisional license to practice medicine and surgery for international physicians. The board may grant a provisional license to practice medicine and surgery for international physicians to an applicant who satisfies the requirements under s. 448.05 (2m) . The holder of a provisional license granted under this paragraph may practice medicine and surgery only under the supervision of a physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery under par. (a) . A provisional license to practice medicine and surgery under this paragraph shall be converted into a license to practice medicine and surgery under par. (a) after the provisional license holder practices medicine and surgery full-time in this state and maintains good standing for 3 consecutive years.

(d) License to practice perfusion. A person holding a license to practice perfusion may practice perfusion under the orders and supervision of a physician.

(e) Temporary license to practice perfusion. The board may, by rule, provide for a temporary license to practice perfusion for a person who satisfies the requirements of s. 448.05 (3) but who has not passed an examination under s. 448.05 (6) . The board may issue a temporary license for a period not to exceed one year and may renew a temporary license annually for not more than 5 years. A person who holds a temporary license may not practice perfusion unless the person is under the supervision and direction of a licensed perfusionist at all times while the person is performing perfusion. The board may promulgate rules governing supervision by licensed perfusionists, except that those rules may not require the immediate physical presence of the supervising, licensed perfusionist.

(g) Anesthesiologist assistant license. The board shall license as an anesthesiologist assistant an individual who meets the requirements for licensure under s. 448.05 (5w) . The board may, by rule, provide for a temporary license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant. The board may issue a temporary license to a person who meets the requirements under s. 448.05 (5w) and who is eligible to take, but has not passed, the examination under s. 448.05 (6) . A temporary license expires on the date on which the board grants or denies an applicant permanent licensure or on the date of the next regularly scheduled examination required under s. 448.05 (6) if the applicant is required to take, but has failed to apply for, the examination. An applicant who continues to meet the requirements for a temporary license may request that the board renew the temporary license, but an anesthesiologist assistant may not practice under a temporary license for a period of more than 18 months.

(i) Certificate as respiratory care practitioner.

1. The board may certify as a respiratory care practitioner any individual who completes an application, meets the qualifications for certification under s. 448.05 (5r) , and passes the examination required under s. 448.05 (6) .

3. The board may issue a temporary certificate to practice respiratory care to an individual who submits to the board an application, the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1) (a) , evidence the applicant has passed the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination by the National Board for Respiratory Care, evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant meets the requirements of s. 448.05 (5r) , and evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant is certified to practice respiratory care in another state. The board may not issue a temporary certificate under this subdivision to an individual who has previously been issued a temporary certificate under this subdivision. If an applicant for a temporary certificate under this subdivision has been subjected to professional discipline as a result of the applicant’s practice of respiratory care, the applicant shall submit to the board a description of the circumstances of the discipline. A temporary certificate under this subdivision may be issued for a period not to exceed 3 months and may not be renewed.

(im) Respiratory care compact privilege. The board may grant a respiratory care compact privilege pursuant to the respiratory care interstate compact under s. 448.9889 .

(2) Certificate of licensure. Each license granted by the board shall be attested by a certificate of licensure.

(2m) Display of credential. Each individual who holds a license, certificate, or respiratory care compact privilege under this subchapter shall display his or her credential in a conspicuous place in the individual’s office or place of practice or business.

(3) Duplicate. Any person holding a license or certificate granted under this subchapter, which is lost, stolen or destroyed, may apply to the board for a duplicate thereof. Such application shall be made in such manner as the board may designate and shall be accompanied by an affidavit setting out the circumstances of loss. The board shall then issue a duplicate bearing on its face the word “duplicate”.

History: 1975 c. 383 , 421 ; 1979 c. 162 s. 38 (10) ; 1979 c. 337 ; 1981 c. 380 ; 1981 c. 391 s. 211 ; 1985 a. 290 ; 1987 a. 399 ; 1989 a. 31 , 229 ; 1991 a. 39 , 180 ; 1993 a. 105 , 107 ; 1997 a. 67 , 175 ; 1999 a. 180 ; 2001 a. 89 ; 2007 a. 54 ; 2009 a. 280 , 382 ; 2011 a. 160 ; 2013 a. 240 ; 2015 a. 116 ; 2017 a. 331 ; 2017 a. 365 . s. 111; 2019 a. 49 s. 1 ; 2019 a. 156 ; 2021 a. 23 ; 2023 a. 214 ; 2025 a. 76 .