Medical Board of California License Lookup: A Step-by-Step Guide for Patients

Checking a license takes a few minutes, and you can do it before a first consultation, before surgery, or anytime you want to learn more about a doctor you already see. The Medical Board of California (MBC) says its profiles are meant to help patients choose a physician or learn more about their current one. This guide walks through the lookup screen by screen, explains what each part of a profile means, and shows how to get alerts if anything changes later.

Before you start: what to have ready

• The doctor's full name, spelled exactly as it appears on the practice's paperwork or website.
• The license number, if you have it. Searching by number avoids mix-ups with doctors who share a name.
• Whether the doctor is an M.D. or a D.O. The MBC lookup is the place for M.D.s. D.O.s are handled by a different board.
• A way to save what you find, such as a screenshot, a printout or a note with the date you checked.

Step by step: how to look up a physician on the MBC website

The steps below describe what you will see on the official page. Menus can change over time, so if a label looks slightly different, look for the closest match.

1. Open the official pageGo to License Verification on mbc.ca.gov. Make sure the web address ends in ca.gov so you know you are on the state's site and not a third-party directory.
2. Choose the license typeFor a practicing doctor, choose Physician and Surgeon. A Temporary License Lookup is also listed under that heading. Choose Postgraduate Training License if the person is a resident or fellow still in training.
3. Pick how you want to searchSelect Search by Name or Search by License Number. If you have the number, use it. It is the most precise option.
4. Enter the details and run the searchFor a name search, type the last name and first name carefully. If the name is common, expect several results.
5. Match the right personCompare the results with what you know about the doctor, such as the full name and the address shown on the profile. Do not assume the first result is your doctor.
6. Open the profile and scroll to the bottomMBC's own sample profile page advises reviewing the entire profile by scrolling all the way down. Important sections such as court orders and disciplinary actions sit further down the page.
7. Save a recordTake a screenshot or note the date and the license status. If you plan to follow the doctor over time, consider the alert app described below.

Search options at a glance

You may also see the MBC lookup called the "BreEZe Online License Lookup." That is the name MBC's FAQ and enforcement pages use for the same profile system, so if a page refers you to BreEZe, you are in the right place.

How to read a physician profile

A profile can look dense the first time. MBC publishes a sample profile page that explains the main fields. Here is what the key terms mean, based on that page.

Some items stay on a profile indefinitely. Others appear only for a limited time. Read each section in order rather than skimming for red words, and open any linked documents so you understand the context before drawing conclusions.

What a profile does not show

• Complaints. MBC explains that complaints are not public because they are only allegations. If a complaint leads to discipline, that action becomes public.
• Past temporary actions. MBC's enforcement page notes that some items, such as suspensions and temporary restraining orders, are posted only while they are active.
• Everything in one search. MBC says its Enforcement Public Document Search should not be your only way to check for actions or license status. Use the profile lookup as well.

Get alerts with the MBC License Alert app

A license check shows a single moment in time. If you want to know when something changes, the Medical Board offers a License Alert Mobile App. According to MBC, it sends notifications when a doctor's name, address, practice status, license expiration or survey data changes, or when administrative actions or enforcement documents are added to the profile.

1. Download the appSearch "Medical Board of California" in the Apple App Store. The listing is titled "Medical Board of California – License Notifications and More," and the developer is the Medical Board of California.
2. Find your doctorLook up the physician inside the app, using the same name or license number you would use on the website.
3. Save to My ProvidersAdd the doctor to your saved list. The app lets you follow up to 16 providers, which is enough for a family's care team.
4. Allow background notificationsVersion 2.04 added background notifications for licenses saved to My Providers. When allowed to run in the background, the app checks for updates two to three times a day.
5. Review notices as they arriveThe app stores up to 30 days of notifications. Open each one and check the full profile for details.

Timing matters. When the app launched, Medscape reported that notices go out on the date an action is ordered, which can be up to 30 days before the action takes effect, and that new information can arrive "within minutes to within an 8-hour period."

Email alerts have also been offered. NBC Los Angeles reported that, as of January 7, 2019, patients could sign up for email alerts about disciplinary actions or accusations against their physician. Check the MBC website for the current sign-up process.

Cross-check with DCA License Search

The Medical Board is part of California's Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). DCA runs its own License Search at search.dca.ca.gov, which it describes as offering 24/7 access to 3.9 million licensees. Each record shows whether a license is current, expired, or has had disciplinary action such as suspension or revocation. It is a useful second check, and it also covers other professionals you may meet during eye care. DCA additionally publishes public licensee data files for more than 150 license types, mostly of interest to researchers and journalists.

If something on the profile concerns you

Finding an entry on a profile is a reason to read carefully, not a verdict. Open the linked documents, note the dates, and see whether the action is current. You can also ask the practice about it directly. This site cannot tell you whether a particular finding should affect your choice. That decision belongs to you, ideally with input from your primary care doctor or another physician you trust.

Filing a complaint with the Medical Board

If you have had an experience you believe the Board should review, MBC investigates complaints about medical doctors (M.D.s). It is important to know the limits. The Board says it cannot help coordinate patient care or provide financial compensation. The identity of the person who files a complaint is kept confidential.

1. Complete the Authorization for Release of Information form first. MBC recommends doing this before you start the online complaint so your session does not time out.
2. Go to DCA BreEZe Online Services and choose "File a Complaint" under Consumers.
3. Keep copies of everything you submit and note the date.

MBC's complaint page and BreEZe complaint resources have the current instructions. A secondary directory lists a mailing address for the Central Complaint Unit at 2005 Evergreen St., Suite 1200, Sacramento, CA 95815, and a fax number of 916-263-2435. Confirm both on mbc.ca.gov before sending anything, and never post health details in public forums.

Where the license check fits when choosing an eye surgeon

A clean, current license is the baseline, not the whole picture. For eye surgery, you will usually also want to look at specialty training, board certification, hospital affiliations and how a practice fits your insurance. Our guide to checking an eye surgeon's license in California covers the eye-specific credentials that sit alongside the MBC profile, and the overview on how to choose an eye surgeon in California puts all the steps in order.

If your plan requires a referral, sort that out before you schedule. Our page on referrals and insurance for eye surgery explains how that usually works.