The Medical Board of California is asking physicians who need to renew their medical licenses in the next few months to do so early to avoid delays associated with scheduled upgrades to the BreEZe online licensing system.

During the upgrades, the Department of Consumer Affairs will be transitioning additional boards and bureaus to BreEZe. This will require a temporary shutdown of all licensing processes for several business days, and could result in delays in processing initial license applications, license renewals, and name or address changes.

Licenses expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month during the second year of a two-year term. Renewal notices are sent out 90 days in advance of the expiration date. Individuals holding a professional license with December 2015 or January 2016 expiration dates who wish to renew their licenses are strongly encouraged to renew as early as possible, preferably before the end of November 2015.

The online renewal system is the fastest way to renew a license. If you are completing your renewal application online, the medical board recommends that you verify your license status on the medical board website (www.mbc.ca.gov) seven days after you complete the online renewal.  If it appears that your license has not been renewed, please contact the medical board’s information technology help desk at (916) 263-2205 for assistance.

If completing renewals by mail, please allow four to six weeks for the renewal to be processed, including update of the physician’s license status on the medical board website.

Questions should be directed to the medical board at (916) 263-2382 or webmaster@mbc.ca.gov.