Apr 2026
The Complete Locum Tenens Credentialing Checklist for 2026
Everything a locum physician needs before an assignment — CAQH, NPDB, DEA, state boards, and privileging packets — in one running checklist.
Locum tenens credentialing is the same set of tasks every time, just with a slightly different facility asking for them. The clinicians who move fastest between assignments are the ones who treat credentialing as a standing checklist rather than a fresh scramble.
Here is what every locum assignment will ask for in 2026.
Identity and licensure
- Government photo ID. Current passport or driver's license.
- State medical license for the assignment state. Pull the current certificate from the state board portal.
- DEA registration — both federal and, where required, a state-controlled-substance registration. The DEA certificate must not expire during the assignment.
- NPI with a printout from the NPPES registry.
Education and training
- Medical school diploma and an ECFMG certificate if applicable.
- Residency and fellowship certificates plus program director contact information for primary source verification.
- Board certification certificates from ABMS, AOA, or the relevant specialty board, including current cycle status.
Malpractice and claims history
- Certificate of insurance listing the locum assignment as additionally covered (or a letter from the agency confirming tail coverage).
- Five-year claims history from every carrier, whether claims were paid or not.
- NPDB self-query dated within the last 30 days.
Work history
- A continuous timeline from medical school graduation to present, with month-level precision and written explanations for any gap longer than 30 days.
- References from two to three physicians who can attest to current clinical competence, with email and phone.
Facility-specific items
- Immunization and health records. Hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap, annual TB screening, and a current flu shot.
- BLS, ACLS, PALS certifications as applicable to the practice setting.
- Fit testing for respirators if the facility requires it.
- Drug screen and background check authorizations.
What trips locums up
The single most common delay isn't a missing document — it's a document that exists but lives in an email thread from three years ago. If you keep everything in one place with expiration dates tracked, you can mint a complete packet for a new facility in an afternoon instead of two weeks.
Vesta was built for exactly this. Upload a document once, and it follows you to every future assignment.