Today, we’re going to talk a little bit more about revocation in the state of North Carolina as it relates to professional licenses, whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, nurse, engineer, general contractor, and so on. This topic is relevant to all licensed professionals. The question at hand is whether having your professional license revoked in North Carolina automatically bars you from working in other states where you may hold licenses.
The answer to this question is no, not necessarily. Each state is going to have their own independent licensing boards. Let’s take Virginia and South Carolina, for instance, as these are two of our border states. Imagine you are a licensed professional in North Carolina, but your license is unfortunately revoked here, and you haven’t hit the five-year period required for applying for reinstatement of the license. In addition to your North Carolina license, you are also licensed in South Carolina. I can’t get into the specifics of South Carolina’s licensing entities since I am not licensed there, and I don’t want to run into any legal issues. However, speaking hypothetically, South Carolina, like any other state, has its own rules and governing authority. Your North Carolina license being revoked does not automatically mean you are unlicensed in South Carolina. Each state has its processes and due process rights.
You have the right to due process in each individual state, as well as at the federal level. This includes the right to a contested hearing if someone seeks to impose any encumbrance on your license, including revocation. Therefore, your license in another state is not revoked solely because it was revoked in North Carolina. However, it’s important to note that if you go through their process and a contested hearing, there is a possibility that your license could be revoked in another state as well. But you must go through that specific state’s process and exercise your right to a contested hearing. The final decision following the hearing will determine the status of your license, with potential appeals in other states based on that decision.
In North Carolina, there are appeal mechanisms available. If your license is revoked in North Carolina, you can appeal to Superior Court, and depending on the outcome, there may be further appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
*Nothing in this blog establishes an attorney-client relationship. Nothing in this blog is legal advice. If you have any questions, please check out our other blogs and our Youtube channel. You can also call us at 919-521-8810 with questions.