---
kind: "section"
citation: "14 U.S.C. § 508"
title: "14"
title_heading: "Coast Guard"
number: "508"
heading: "Coast Guard health-care professionals; licensure portability"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/14/508"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Establishment, Powers, Duties, and Administration"
  - "Chapter 5 — Functions and Powers"
  - "Subchapter I — General Powers"
---

# §508. Coast Guard health-care professionals; licensure portability

- (a) **In General.—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law regarding the licensure of health-care providers, a health-care professional described in [subsection (b)](#b) may practice the health profession or professions of the health-care professional at any location in any State, the District of Columbia, or a Commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, regardless of where such health-care professional or the patient is located, if the practice is within the scope of the authorized Federal duties of such health-care professional.
- (b) **Described Individuals.—** A health-care professional described in this subsection is an individual—
  - (1) who is—
    - (A) a member of the Coast Guard;
    - (B) a civilian employee of the Coast Guard;
    - (C) a member of the Public Health Service who is assigned to the Coast Guard; or
    - (D) any other health-care professional credentialed and privileged at a Federal health-care institution or location specially designated by the Secretary; and
  - (2) who—
    - (A) has a current license to practice medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or another health profession; and
    - (B) is performing authorized duties for the Coast Guard.
- (c) **Definitions.—** In this section, the terms “license” and “health-care professional” have the meanings given those terms in [section 1094(e) of title 10](/usc/10/1094.md?p=e).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–282, title III, § 305(a), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4245.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 508 was renumbered section 2711 of this title.