In short
Act 117 of 2026 amended Article 5 of Act No. 81 of 14 March 1912, the Department of Health Act, to give the Secretary of Health the power to instruct the health-professional boards attached to the Department to issue provisional licences for the duration of a public health emergency. The emergency must be declared by the President of the United States, the Governor of Puerto Rico, or the Secretary of Health. Whoever receives a provisional licence is temporarily exempt from sitting the exam for their specialty. Only two groups qualify: those who can show an active licence issued by any United States jurisdiction or territory, and those who passed the exams for their profession without the licence having been issued when the emergency was declared. Licences stay in force until the end of the emergency is announced, and the boards may revoke them at any time if the professional breaches the rules governing their profession.
What is it?
It is a temporary licence to practise a health profession in Puerto Rico, which the examining boards attached to the Department of Health issue on the Secretary's instruction only while a declared public health emergency is in force, and which temporarily waives the specialty exam.
Who can do it?
Health professionals and physicians in one of two situations: (1) able to show they hold an active licence issued by any United States jurisdiction or territory; or (2) having passed the exams for their profession without the licence having been issued when the emergency was declared. In both cases you must also meet the other requirements the Secretary of Health sets by regulation, and it only applies while an emergency declared by the US President, the Governor or the Secretary of Health is in force.
Requirements
- A public health emergency declared by the US President, the Governor of Puerto Rico or the Secretary of Health must exist. With no declaration in force, this route is not available.Verified against the official source
- Show an active licence issued by any US jurisdiction or territory, or having passed your profession's exams without the licence having been issued when the emergency was declared.Verified against the official source
- Meet the other requirements the Secretary of Health sets by regulation. The law gave them 180 days from its effective date to adopt it.Verified against the official source
Documents you need
Cost
Step by step
Step 1: Confirm a declared emergency is in force
This route exists only inside a public health emergency declared by the US President, the Governor of Puerto Rico or the Secretary of Health. Outside that context, the provisional licence under this article does not apply and you must follow your examining board's ordinary route.
Step 2: Check which of the two eligibility routes is yours
The law opens exactly two doors. The first is for someone who already holds an active licence issued by any US jurisdiction or territory. The second is for someone who passed the exams for their profession but had not yet been issued the licence when the emergency was declared. If you are in neither, this article does not cover you.
Step 3: Go to your profession's examining board
The provisional licence is not issued by the Secretary directly: it is issued by the health-professional boards attached to the Department of Health, on the Secretary's instruction. The concrete process — form, evidence, whether anything is charged, how long it takes — comes from the regulation the law ordered the Secretary to adopt within 180 days of its effective date. The law was certified on 24 June 2026; we did not verify whether that regulation has been adopted, so confirm the process with your board.
Step 4: Expect the licence to lapse when the emergency ends
Licences granted during the state of emergency remain in force until the end of that emergency is announced. The boards also keep the power to revoke them at any time if they determine the professional breached the legal and regulatory rules governing their profession. When it ends, and no later than ninety days afterwards, the Secretary must report to the Legislative Assembly the number and type of licences issued, the professions, and any revocation or disciplinary action.
Where to do it
With your health profession's examining board, attached to the Department of Health, which issues the provisional licence when the Secretary so instructs.
How long it takes
What to do if something goes wrong
This guide describes Article 5 of Act No. 81 of 1912 as Act 117-2026 left it, which is what we read. We did not read the rest of Act No. 81 nor Act 102-2025 on universal licence recognition, which the law cites as kindred policy and which this site covers separately. The law publishes no cost or processing time and leaves the remaining requirements to a Secretary of Health regulation due within 180 days of its effective date; we did not verify whether it exists, so we do not describe its content. The exam waiver is temporary, not a permanent licence. PRFácil does not process licences or give legal advice.
Common mistakes
- Believing the provisional licence is permanent: it lapses when the end of the emergency is announced.
- Thinking it waives every requirement: what it temporarily waives is the specialty exam, not whatever else the Secretary's regulation demands.
- Assuming it applies at any time: it requires a public health emergency declared by the US President, the Governor or the Secretary of Health.
- Taking for granted that a licence from another country works: the law speaks of an active licence from a United States jurisdiction or its territories.
- Forgetting the boards can revoke it at any time if the profession's rules are breached.
Frequently asked questions
Does it waive the board exam permanently?
No. The law says professionals are temporarily exempt from the requirement to sit the exam for their specialty, and the provisional licence stays in force only until the end of the emergency is announced.
I passed the board exam but was never issued the licence. Do I qualify?
That is exactly the second route the law opens: someone who passed the exams for their profession without the licence having been issued when the emergency was declared. You must also meet the other requirements the Secretary sets by regulation.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
The law does not publish it. It leaves the remaining requirements to the regulation the Secretary of Health was to adopt within 180 days of the law taking effect. That is why cost and time show as unverified in this guide.
Official sources
These are the government pages this guide is based on.
- Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico
Salud
bvirtualogp.pr.gov
Last verified
August 27, 2026
MiPRFácil is an independent informational website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Government of Puerto Rico or any government agency.
MiPRFácil does not submit applications on your behalf.
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