(a) Each physician licensed to practice medicine in Texas shall register with the board, submit a current physician profile, and pay a fee. A physician may obtain a registration permit ("permit") by submitting the required form and by paying the required registration fee to the board on or before the expiration date of the permit. The fee shall accompany an application prescribed by the board which sets forth the licensee's name, mailing address, primary practice site, and address for receipt of electronic mail if available.
(b) The board shall stagger initial registrations of newly-licensed physicians proportionally.
(c) The board shall provide notice to each physician at the physician's last known mailing address according to the records of the board at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the registration permit and shall provide for a 30-day grace period for payment of the registration fee from the date of the expiration of the permit.
(d) Within 30 days of a physician's change of mailing or practice address or professional name from the addresses or professional name on file with the board, a physician shall notify the board in writing of such change and submit additional documentation if requested.
(e) All permits issued to license holders are valid for two-year periods.
(f) Emergency Contact Information.
  (1) As part of the physician's registration application, each physician shall submit to the board telephone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses, if available and as appropriate, that the board may use to contact the license holder in an emergency.
  (2) A licensed physician who receives an initial registration permit shall provide the information required under paragraph (1) of this subsection not later than the 30th day after the date the permit is issued to the extent the information has not been provided through a recent registration. Each physician who applies to renew a registration permit shall submit the information required under paragraph (1) of this subsection with the renewal application.
  (3) A physician shall report to the board any change in the information required under paragraph (1) of this subsection not later than the 45th day after the date of the change.
  (4) The information provided by a physician under this subsection is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. The board may not publish, release, or make available information provided by a license holder under this section except as provided by paragraph (5) of this subsection.
  (5) In the event of a public health emergency declared or invoked by the governor, the Department of State Health Services, or a federal agency, the board may publish, release, or make available information provided by a physician under this subsection for the sole purpose of disseminating information to:
    (A) a physician licensed by the board;
    (B) a designated city, county, state, or federal public health or emergency management official; or
    (C) the Federation of State Medical Boards.
(g) A physician may not obtain a registration permit if the physician has violated §170.002 or Chapter 171, Texas Health and Safety Code.
(h) A military service member who holds a license to practice in Texas is entitled to two years of additional time to complete any other requirement related to the renewal of the military service member's license.

Source Note: The provisions of this §166.1 adopted to be effective December 24, 1993, 18 TexReg 9189; amended to be effective January 12, 1996, 21 TexReg 106; amended to be effective September 23, 1999, 24 TexReg 7411; amended to be effective January 6, 2002, 26 TexReg 10865; amended to be effective November 30, 2003, 28 TexReg 10483; amended to be effective January 9, 2005, 29 TexReg 12187; amended to be effective June 29, 2006, 31 TexReg 5099; amended to be effective August 10, 2008, 33 TexReg 6133; amended to be effective November 29, 2009, 34 TexReg 8531; amended to be effective July 4, 2012, 37 TexReg 4927; amended to be effective January 24, 2016, 41 TexReg 620