CaliforniaDirect-Entry Midwife License Requirements

Additional Notes

California is the only state where midwives are regulated by the physician-run Medical Board rather than their own profession.

Approximately 35 states license or regulate direct-entry midwives in some form. About 10-12 states prohibit or have no legal pathway for non-nurse midwifery practice. Several states occupy a legal gray area where practice is not explicitly illegal but is also not authorized or regulated. The legal landscape is actively evolving with ongoing legislative efforts in many states. This is distinct from Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), who are licensed in all 50 states.

Direct-entry midwives enter the profession through non-nursing pathways. MEAC (Midwifery Education Accreditation Council) accredits midwifery education programs. Some states also accept apprenticeship routes or the NARM Portfolio Evaluation Process (PEP). Clinical training typically requires attending a minimum of 40 births (20 as primary midwife) including prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. This credential is distinct from the Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), which requires a nursing degree.

Three main credentials exist for direct-entry midwives: CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) issued by NARM through the CPE examination, CM (Certified Midwife) issued by AMCB requiring a master's-level midwifery program, and LM (Licensed Midwife) which is a state-level designation. Most states require the CPM credential. A few states (notably New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island) also accept the CM credential. All licensed midwives must maintain current NRP and CPR certifications.

The NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) CPE (Certified Professional Examination) is the primary qualifying exam for the CPM credential. It consists of a written examination covering midwifery knowledge, skills, and clinical judgment. Most states that license direct-entry midwives require passage of the NARM CPE. Some states additionally require a state-specific jurisprudence examination covering local laws, regulations, and practice standards. NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) and CPR certifications are universally required.

Direct-entry midwives primarily attend births in home and birth center settings for low-risk pregnancies. Scope varies enormously by state: some allow VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), some restrict it. Some states require written physician collaboration agreements, while others grant significant autonomy. Very few states grant any prescriptive authority (limited to emergency medications). Midwives are responsible for prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care within their defined scope.

Regulatory Board

Direct-entry midwife licenses must be renewed on schedule with the state licensing authority. Most states require 20-50 continuing education contact hours per renewal cycle (typically 2-3 years). CE topics must include midwifery clinical skills, pharmacology, neonatal resuscitation, risk assessment, cultural competency, and professional ethics. NRP and CPR recertification is required at every renewal.

Reciprocity Requirements

• •Current CPM or equivalent credential
• •Application to Medical Board of California, Licensed Midwives

Most states that license direct-entry midwives offer reciprocity or endorsement for midwives licensed in other states. Requirements typically include verification of current CPM certification through NARM, active license in good standing in another state, current NRP and CPR certifications, and completion of any state-specific requirements such as a jurisprudence exam or physician collaboration agreement.