The Telehealth Working Group was created by Act 21 of 2021 to compile and evaluate methods for facilitating the practice of health care professionals throughout the United States using telehealth modalities. The Working Group’s report is due to the General Assembly by December 15, 2021.
SOURCE: Vermont Secretary of State Office of Professional Regulation, Telehealth Taskforce, (Accessed Jul. 2023).
Interim Telehealth Registration
An Interim Telehealth Registration authorizes a healthcare professional, who is licensed in good standing in another state, to provide licensed services via telehealth to patients or clients located in Vermont after registering with the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation.
A healthcare professional who does not hold an active, conventional Vermont license and who is providing healthcare in Vermont via telehealth must register for an Interim Telehealth Registration. This includes mental health professionals providing telehealth services to patients or clients located in Vermont. Healthcare providers holding only an Interim Telehealth Registration may not provide in-person services to patients or clients located in Vermont.
Please note that healthcare professionals who hold an active, conventional Vermont license do not need to obtain an Interim Telehealth Registration to practice telehealth in Vermont.
Per Act 4 (2023), the Interim Telehealth Registration will remain available until the permanent Telehealth Registration and Licensure Rules are in effect and operational. All Interim Telehealth Registration holders will receive notice to the email on file when this occurs and will have at least 90 days after the effective date of the Telehealth Licensure and Registration Rules to transition.
Telehealth Registration and Telehealth License (Not in effect until rules are in place)
A healthcare professional, who is licensed in good standing in another state and wishes to provide healthcare in Vermont via telehealth will be required to obtain a Telehealth Registration or Telehealth License.
The Telehealth Registration and Telehealth Licensure options will be effective upon the adoption of the Rules. Please check back for updates.
Telehealth Registration
A health care professional who is not otherwise licensed, certified, or registered to practice in Vermont may obtain a Telehealth Registration to provide health care services in Vermont via telehealth to a total of not more than 10 unique (0-10) patients or clients for a period of not more than 120 consecutive days from the date the Telehealth Registration was issued.
A health care professional may only reactivate a Telehealth Registration once every three years. The Telehealth Registration cannot be renewed or reactivated upon expiration. A health care professional who exceeds the 120-day or 10-patient or client limit must either apply for a Telehealth License or a full license to practice in Vermont. Health care professionals who hold a Telehealth Registration may not provide in-person care in Vermont.
Telehealth License
A health care professional who is not otherwise licensed, certified, or registered to practice in Vermont may obtain a Telehealth License to provide healthcare services in Vermont via telehealth to a total of not more than 20 (0-20) unique patients or clients located in Vermont during the two-year license term.
A health care professional who wishes to provide telehealth services for more than a total of 20 unique patients or clients must apply for a full license to practice in Vermont. A health care professional may renew a Telehealth License every two years. Health care professionals who hold a Telehealth License may not provide in-person care in Vermont.
SOURCE: Agency of Human Services, Department of Vermont Health Access, Telehealth Registrations and Licenses (Accessed Jul. 2023).
Temporary Registration for out-of-state health care professionals
Notwithstanding any provision of Vermont’s professional licensure statutes or rules to the contrary, beginning on April 1, 2022 the Office of Professional Regulation and Board of Medical Practice shall register a health care professional who is not licensed or registered to practice in Vermont but who seeks to provide health care services to patients or clients located in Vermont using telehealth, provided:
- the health care professional completes an application in the manner specified by the Director of the Office of Professional Regulation or the Board of Medical Practice, as applicable; and
- the health care professional
- holds an active, unencumbered license, certificate, or registration in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction to practice the health care profession for which the health care professional seeks to provide telehealth services in Vermont;
- the health care professional’s license, certificate, or registration is in good standing in all other U.S. jurisdictions in which the health care professional is licensed, certified, or registered to practice; and
- the health care professional provides verification of licensure, certification, or registration to the Office or the Board, as applicable.
The temporary telehealth registration option available pursuant to this section shall continue to be available to out-of-state health care professionals until the telehealth licensure and registration system established in 26 V.S.A. chapter 56 by 2022 Acts and Resolves No. 107 is operational. The Office of Professional Regulation and Board of Medical Practice shall provide appropriate notice to health care professionals registered under this section of the expiration date of the temporary telehealth registration option and shall allow temporary telehealth registrants 90 days following the effective date of the applicable telehealth licensure and registration rules to transition from temporary registration to a telehealth license or registration.
SOURCE: House Bill 411 (2023 Session), (Accessed Jul. 2023).
Telehealth Licensure or Telehealth Registration
A health care professional who is not otherwise licensed, certified, or registered to practice in Vermont but is licensed, certified, or registered in good standing in all other U.S. jurisdictions in which the health care professional is or has been licensed, certified, or registered and who wishes to provide health care services to a patient or client located in Vermont using telehealth shall obtain a telehealth license or telehealth registration from the Office or the Board in accordance with this chapter.
A telehealth license or telehealth registration issued pursuant to this chapter shall authorize a health care professional to provide services to a patient or client located in Vermont using telehealth only. Telehealth licensure or telehealth registration does not authorize the health care professional to open an office in Vermont or to provide in-person health care services to patients or clients located in Vermont.
A health care professional who is not otherwise licensed, certified, or registered to practice in Vermont and provides health care services in Vermont using telehealth without a telehealth registration or telehealth license, or provides services beyond the limitations of the telehealth registration or telehealth license, is engaged in unauthorized practice as defined in 3 V.S.A. § 127 and section 1314 of this title and is subject to the penalties set forth in those sections.
health care professional who is not otherwise licensed, certified, or registered to practice in Vermont may obtain a telehealth license to provide health care services using telehealth to a total of not more than 20 unique patients or clients located in Vermont during the two-year license term.
See bill for additional information regarding scope, health care professions, eligibility and telehealth registration.
Exemptions from registrations and Licensure Requirements
A health care professional is not required to obtain a telehealth registration or licensure solely to provide consultation services to another health care professional regarding care for a patient or client located in Vermont, provided the consulting health care professional holds a license, certificate, or registration to practice the profession in one or more U.S. jurisdictions and the consultation is based on a review of records without in-person or remote contact between the consulting health care professional and the patient or client.
SOURCE: VT Statutes Annotated, Title 26, Ch. 56, Sec. 3053; 3054; and 3059 (Accessed Jul. 2023).
Health Care Provider Compacts: Direction to VT Representatives
The General Assembly finds that a state’s prohibition of or limitation on the provision of gender-affirming health care services or reproductive health care services, or both, as defined by 1 V.S.A. § 150, prohibits health care providers from following health care best practices and is a failure on the part of the state to provide health care services that are medically necessary and clinically appropriate for its residents. Therefore, it is the General Assembly’s intent to protect the ability of professionals licensed, certified, or registered in Vermont, and professionals from other member states seeking to practice a profession in Vermont pursuant to an interstate compact or agreement, to have the benefit of compacts and agreements while at the same time engaging in, providing, or otherwise facilitating, personally or professionally, gender-affirming health care and reproductive health care services.
Vermont’s representative or delegate for an interstate compact or agreement related to health care shall seek an amendment or exception to the language, rules, directives, or bylaws of the compact or agreement, as necessary, so that if a licensee is disciplined by another state solely for providing or assisting in the provision of gender-affirming health care services or reproductive health care services that would be legal and meet professional standards of care if provided in Vermont, the compact or agreement does not require that Vermont take professional disciplinary action against the licensee.
SOURCE: VT Statute Annotated Title 26, Ch. 56, Sec. 3071 as added by Senate Bill 37 (2023 Session), (Accessed Jul. 2023).
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