Registration

Medical Practitioners

Medical practitioners who wish to practice medicine & surgery in Sri Lanka must be registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council. Registration confirms that the practitioner has obtained an approved medical qualification and has fulfilled the requirements for professional practice in Sri Lanka.

Medical graduates from recognised institutions may obtain provisional registration in order to complete the required period of internship training. Upon satisfactory completion of internship and fulfilment of other regulatory requirements, practitioners may obtain registration to practise medicine & surgery.

The Council also maintains a register of Medical Specialists who possess the qualifications prescribed under the Medical Ordinance for registration as Medical Specialists.

View Services Registration Pathway

How It Works

Registration Pathway

Every medical graduate must complete three milestones before becoming a fully registered independent practitioner.

Step 1

Provisional Registration

Initial registration granted to graduates who have completed their MBBS or equivalent from a recognised institution. Allows commencement of the mandatory internship.

Eligible after passing final MBBS exams
Required to begin internship training
Supervised practice only

Step 2

Internship

A compulsory one-year clinical training programme at an approved government hospital. Interns rotate across core disciplines under the supervision of consultants.

One year at an SLMC-approved hospital
Rotations: medicine, surgery, obs/gyn & paediatrics
Assessed by supervising consultants

Step 3

Registration as Medical Practitioner

The registration enables medical practitioners qualified to practice medicine and surgery in Sri Lanka under Section 29 of the Medical Ordinance upon successful completion of the internship.

Inclusion into the SLMC Medical Practitioners’ register.
Renewal of registration required.

Step 4

Registration as a Specialist Medical Practitioner

Registration granted to medical practitioners who have successfully completed recognised postgraduate specialist training and meet the requirements for specialist registration under the Medical Ordinance.

Recognised postgraduate specialist qualification
Inclusion in the SLMC Specialist Register
Required to practise as a recognised specialist in Sri Lanka

Services

Registrations & Services

All SLMC registrations & services for medical practitioners are available online through the MySLMC portal.

Renewal & Restoration

Renewal

Renew your clinical practice licence each 5 years via the MySLMC online portal.

Renewal online
Restoration of lapsed registration
Renewal certificate download

Apply for Renewal

Permanent Registration

Section 29

Full registration enabling independent medical practice. Apply after completing your internship and meeting all SLMC requirements under Section 29 of the Medical Ordinance.

Post-internship application
Qualification verification
Medical register entry
Registration certificate

Apply for Registration

Specialist Registration

Consultant

Register your specialist or consultant credentials with SLMC. Required for all practitioners wishing to practise in a recognised specialist discipline.

Postgraduate qualification verification
Specialty credential registration
Specialist register entry
Consultant designation

Apply for Specialist Reg.

Temporary Registration

Foreign Doctors

Overseas-trained medical practitioners may apply for temporary registration under Section 67-A. Three categories (A, B, C) are available depending on nature and duration of practice.

Category A — Employed in private hospital
Category B — Non-remunerative activities
Category C — Postgraduate training
Duration-limited registration

Apply for Temporary Reg.

Certificate of Good Standing

Verification

Official certificate confirming your registration status and good standing with SLMC. Required for overseas employment, further study, or immigration purposes.

Standard certificate
Urgent / express processing
Duplicate copy request
Apostille-ready document

Request Certificate

All Other Services

General

Additional services including additional qualification registration, information updates, internship certificates, SLMC ID card requests, and general document requests.

Additional qualification registration
Information / address update
Internship completion certificate
SLMC practitioner ID card

View All Services

What You Need

Registration Requirements

The following documents and eligibility criteria apply to each stage of medical registration. Ensure all documents are certified and in the required format before applying.

Completed MBBS or equivalent from a recognised institution
Original degree certificate or provisional certificate
Certified copy of birth certificate
National Identity Card or passport copy
Two passport-sized photographs
Duly completed application form (SLMC Form A)
Prescribed registration fee payment receipt

Completed and certified internship — one full year
Internship completion certificate from hospital director
SLMC provisional registration certificate
Satisfactory assessment reports from consultants
Duly completed application form (SLMC Form B)
Prescribed registration fee payment receipt

Current full (permanent) SLMC registration
Postgraduate specialist qualification certificate
Letter of recognition from relevant specialty board
Certified copies of all academic documents
Duly completed specialist application form
Prescribed specialist registration fee

Valid medical registration in country of origin
Certificate of Good Standing from home regulator
Invitation or appointment letter from Sri Lankan institution
Passport copy (valid for duration of registration)
Completed application form with sponsor details
Prescribed fee — varies by category (A, B or C)

Important Notes

Processing Time

Standard applications are processed within 10–15 working days. Urgent requests may be accommodated — contact the Registrar's Office.

Document Language

All documents not in Sinhala, Tamil, or English must be accompanied by a certified translation.

Fee Payment

Fees are non-refundable once an application has been processed. Payment must be made through the MySLMC portal or by bank draft.