Education & Employment

Professional Licences and Unemployment for Military Spouses in the District

The District has no military spouse licensing statute of its own. Federal law makes a service member’s or spouse’s licence valid in the District on application after a move on military orders, the District has joined several licensing compacts, and a spouse who quits to follow a partner is not disqualified from unemployment.

Also called: 50 U.S.C. 4025a, license portability, military spouse, Counseling Compact, D.C. Code 3-1281.06, D.C. Code 51-110, unemployment, trailing spouse, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

For: Veteran or service member, spouse.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

District of ColumbiaState

Most states in this catalog have their own statute for military spouse licences. The District has none, and relies on federal law. Federal portability. 50 U.S.C. 4025a, part of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act since January 2023 and widened in December 2024, provides that when a service member or spouse with a covered licence relocates because of military orders, the licence "shall be considered valid" in the new state for the same scope of practice once they apply to that state's licensing authority with the orders, the marriage certificate for a spouse, and a notarized affidavit of good standing. If the licensing authority cannot act within 30 days it may issue a temporary licence. The Act's definition of State includes the District of Columbia, so every District board, including those at DC Health and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, is bound. A licence obtained through an interstate compact follows the compact instead. The compacts. The District has adopted the Counseling Compact, the Interstate Physical Therapy Compact and the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, among others. D.C. Code 3-1281.06, in the Counseling Compact, lets an active duty member or spouse keep a designated home state for as long as the member serves. Unemployment. D.C. Code 51-110 says benefits "shall not be denied to any otherwise eligible individual who leaves his or her most recent work to accompany his or her spouse or domestic partner to a place from which it is impractical to commute". It is not limited to military families, and it reaches a military spouse leaving a District job for a new duty station. Where to report a refusal. The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division enforces 50 U.S.C. 4025a.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Professional Licences and Unemployment for Military Spouses in the District
Gate	Rule
Relocating on the service member’s military orders	50 U.S.C. 4025a(a).

Sources

Legislation

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Public Law 118-159, division A, section 587 Rewrote the federal portability rule for the professional licences of service members and spouses who move on military orders

Catalog reconciledEnactedScope changed

Signed 2024-12-23

Introduced Done, 2023-07-27, step 1 of 6
In committee Done, 2023-07-27, step 2 of 6
Passed one chamber Done, 2024-02-05, step 3 of 6
Passed both chambers Done, 2024-12-18, step 4 of 6
Signed by the President Done, 2024-12-23, step 5 of 6
In effect Done, 2024-12-23, step 6 of 6

Expands benefits Requires a state to treat a service member or spouse on military orders as licensed there on the strength of a licence held elsewhere.

Amended 50 U.S.C. 4025a generally, effective December 23, 2024. A service member or spouse who relocates on military orders and holds a licence in good standing elsewhere has it treated as valid for its scope of practice in the new state on application with the orders, a marriage certificate for a spouse and a notarized affidavit; a board that cannot act within 30 days may issue a temporary licence with the same rights. Licences held under an interstate compact follow the compact. State military spouse licensing entries that describe only the state procedure understate what a family on orders is owed. Veterans are outside the section.

Sponsor

Touches 50 U.S.C. § 4025a

Also touches

Official record

Updated

Last updated 2026-09-30.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.