Telehealth Prescribing Rules by State

Name: Telehealth Prescribing Rules by State
Creator: Federal & State Law
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Federal & State Law Editorial TeamLast reviewed: April 2026

Summarizes each state's rules on whether a prescriber may issue a prescription through a telehealth encounter, including whether an initial in-person visit is required before prescribing. Special attention is given to controlled substances, which carry an additional federal overlay under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (21 U.S.C. § 829(e)).

50 States4 data columnsLast updated: 2026-05-23

Click any column header to sort ascending or descending. Click again to reverse, and a third time to reset.

State	Telehealth Prescribing Allowed	In-Person Visit Required First	Controlled Substances via Telehealth	Citation / Board Rule
—	Yes	No	Allowed only for Schedule III-V; Schedule II restricted; complies with Ryan Haight Act	Alabama Medical Licensure Commission telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Alaska State Medical Board telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	A.R.S. § 36-3601 et seq.; Arizona Medical Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Arkansas State Medical Board telehealth rule; Ark. Code Ann. § 17-80-117; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; CURES registration required	Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 2290.5; Medical Board of California telehealth guidelines; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	C.R.S. § 12-240-107; Colorado Medical Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-906; Connecticut Medical Examining Board telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Restricted; Schedule II controlled substances require an in-person evaluation; Schedule III-V allowed via telehealth	Fla. Stat. § 456.47; Florida Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Georgia Composite Medical Board telehealth rule; O.C.G.A. § 43-1-19; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 453-1.3; Hawaii Medical Board telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Idaho State Board of Medicine telehealth rule; Idaho Code § 54-5601 et seq.; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; ILPMP registration required	225 ILCS 60/49.5; Illinois Medical Practice Act telehealth provisions; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Ind. Code § 25-1-9.5; Indiana Medical Licensing Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Iowa Code § 135.192; Iowa Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	K.S.A. § 40-2,212; Kansas State Board of Healing Arts telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed only for Schedule III-V; Schedule II requires in-person evaluation	KRS § 311.5975; Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	La. R.S. § 40:1223.1 et seq.; Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	22 M.R.S. § 3173-G; Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; PDMP enrollment required	Md. Health-General Code § 15-141.2; Maryland Board of Physicians telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed only for Schedule III-V; Schedule II requires in-person evaluation except in specific circumstances	243 CMR 2.01; Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine telehealth guidance; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	MCL § 333.16285; Michigan Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Minn. Stat. § 62A.671; Minnesota Board of Medical Practice telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	Yes, for first visit	Restricted; controlled substances generally require an initial in-person examination	Miss. Code Ann. § 83-9-351; Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 191.1145; Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Mont. Code Ann. § 37-3-341; Montana Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-8503; Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	NRS § 629.515; Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	RSA § 329:1-d; New Hampshire Board of Medicine telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; NJ PDMP check required	N.J.S.A. § 45:1-61 et seq.; New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	NMSA § 24-25-1 et seq.; New Mexico Medical Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; I-STOP PDMP check required	NY Pub. Health Law § 2999-cc; New York State Board for Medicine telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-18.2; North Carolina Medical Board telehealth position statement; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	N.D. Cent. Code § 43-17-43; North Dakota Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; OARRS PDMP check required	ORC § 4731.296; State Medical Board of Ohio telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	63 O.S. § 1-135.1; Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	ORS § 442.015; Oregon Medical Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; PDMP query required for controlled substances	63 P.S. § 422.41a; Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-81-1 et seq.; Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	S.C. Code § 40-47-37; South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	SDCL § 36-4-42; South Dakota State Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	Yes, for controlled substances only	Restricted; Schedule II-IV controlled substances require a prior in-person exam; Schedule V may be allowed	Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-6-234; Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; Texas PMP check required	Tex. Occ. Code § 111.001 et seq.; Texas Medical Board telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Utah Code § 26B-4-401 et seq.; Utah Division of Professional Licensing telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	18 V.S.A. § 9361; Vermont Board of Medical Practice telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules; Virginia PDMP check required	Va. Code § 54.1-3303.1; Virginia Board of Medicine telehealth guidelines; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	RCW § 70.41.020; Washington Medical Commission telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	W. Va. Code § 16-2J-1 et seq.; West Virginia Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Wis. Stat. § 448.9999; Wisconsin Medical Examining Board telehealth policy; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + state rules	Wyo. Stat. § 33-26-102; Wyoming Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)
—	Yes	No	Allowed; complies with Ryan Haight Act + DC Health regulations	D.C. Code § 31-3861 et seq.; DC Board of Medicine telehealth rule; 21 U.S.C. § 829(e)

Telehealth prescribing rules are determined by each state's medical board and pharmacy board; rules change frequently, especially after the post-COVID flexibility period ended. The federal Ryan Haight Act adds an additional layer for controlled substances. Always verify the current state board rule and federal DEA requirements before prescribing or accepting a telehealth prescription. This is legal information, not legal advice or medical advice.

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.