Written by: Alice Kilborn Riethman, Esq.
In March 2026, the Justice Department made national headlines when it announced a $3 million-dollar statewide settlement with Georgia resolving alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) tied to how more than 40 state licensing boards handled military families’ moves (U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, 2026). The agreement requires Georgia licensing authorities to reform their processes and compensate affected servicemembers and spouses. For providers who support military families, the takeaway is simple: since 2023, the SCRA has included federal “license portability” protections for servicemembers and their spouses, and states must honor them.
In January 2023, Congress added license portability to the SCRA to make permanent-change-of-station (PCS) moves less disruptive to the careers of military members and their families (U.S. Congress, 2024). The rule is straightforward: when a servicemember or spouse moves to a new state because of military orders, a professional license that is in good standing in the old state should be treated as valid in the new state for the same profession and scope of practice for the duration of the military orders (U.S. Congress, 2024).
Here are the details under 50 U.S.C. § 4025a (U.S. Congress, 2024):
- Who is covered. Servicemembers on active orders and their spouses. Coverage applies when the family relocates because of military orders.
- What counts as a “covered license”. A professional license, certificate, or other evidence of qualification that an individual is required to obtain before the individual may engage in or represent themselves to be a member of a particular profession by any U.S. jurisdiction that is in good standing. The covered license may not have been revoked, voluntarily surrendered while under investigation, or currently pending an investigation for unprofessional conduct. Law licenses were originally excluded from coverage, but, effective December 23, 2024, the exclusion was lifted and law license portability is now covered under the SCRA (U.S. Department of Justice, 2025).
- What the new state must do. Following receipt of an application for portability of a license covered under the SCRA, the new state has 30 days to validate the license. If the state is unable to do so within the 30-day timeframe, a temporary license must be provided (U.S. Congress, 2024).
- Reasonable conditions. The new state can require applicants to complete an application and submit to a background check. The application may include proof of military orders, a copy of the marriage license (for spouses), and a notarized affidavit affirming that the applicant is in good standing in all states in which the applicant holds or has held a license.
- How long it lasts. Portability applies while the servicemember is stationed in the new state under the current orders. When orders end or the family moves again, portability in that state ends.
- Interstate compacts. If the profession is already governed by an interstate compact (e.g., nursing or teaching in some states), the compact’s rules apply alongside SCRA (U.S. Congress, 2024).
- Limits and exclusions. Portability does not force a state to waive universally required, non‑duplicative safeguards (such as fingerprinting) and does not override separate federal credentialing rules. Certain fields with unique public‑safety regimes may have additional checks, but the federal baseline still requires recognition of a good‑standing license (U.S. Congress, 2024).
How to Help Military Spouses Prepare:
- Before the move. Encourage spouses to gather: (1) a copy of his or her current license/certificate, (2) proof it is in good standing, (3) a copy of the servicemember’s orders showing the PCS to the new state, and (4) any compact credentials, if applicable. These documents will satisfy most verification requirements under the statute.
- At the new state board. Advise spouses to ask for SCRA license portability processing. Many boards have a dedicated workflow or form. If staff are unfamiliar, cite “50 U.S.C. § 4025a” and note that the statute requires recognition of a covered license for spouses accompanying orders within 30 days (U.S. Congress, 2024).
- If the spouse is in a compact profession. Encourage them to use the compact pathway if it is faster, but SCRA remains a backstop if the compact route is unavailable or delayed (U.S. Congress, 2024).
Where to Report Possible Violations:
If a state board refuses to timely recognize a covered license, imposes full re-licensure, or denies practice despite good standing and reasonable safety checks, spouses have several reporting options.
- The state licensing authority. File a written complaint or request supervisory review, citing “50 U.S.C. § 4025a (portability of professional licenses for servicemembers and spouses).” Most boards have complaint forms on their websites.
- Installation legal assistance (JAG). Base legal offices can assist with demand letters, board escalation, and referrals to DOJ where appropriate.
- Department of Justice (DOJ) – Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative. Use DOJ’s online portal to submit SCRA complaints or ask questions. Include the board name, profession, dates, and copies of orders and license documents. The portal can be found at: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/
The SCRA spouse licensure portability rules give spouses a better chance to keep working after a PCS, without starting from scratch. Georgia’s recent settlement underscores the importance of service member and spouse awareness of the opportunities afforded under federal law (U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, 2026). Service providers are key in bringing this awareness. Check in with the military spouses you are working with to ensure they have this information today!
References:
U.S. Congress. (2024). 50 U.S.C. § 4025a: Portability of professional licenses of servicemembers and spouses. In Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
U.S. Department of Justice. (2025, December 19). Professional license portability. https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers/professional-license-portability
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs. (2026, March 31). Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices reach $3 million settlement with Georgia professional licensing boards for alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-us-attorneys-offices-reach-3-million-settlement-georgia-professional
Photo Credit: Vitalii Vodolazskyi | Adobe Stock 130204549
