Medical Practitioners
Medical practitioners who wish to practice medicine 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 full registration to practise medicine.
The Council also maintains a register of medical specialists who have completed recognised postgraduate specialist training.
1,200+
New Registrations / Year
100+
Years of Regulation
17+
Accredited Institutions
6
Registration Services
Registration Pathway
Every medical graduate must complete three milestones before becoming a fully registered independent practitioner.
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
Internship
A compulsory one-year clinical training programme at an approved government hospital. Interns rotate across core disciplines under the supervision of senior clinicians.
- One year at an SLMC-approved hospital
- Rotations: medicine, surgery, obs/gyn & paediatrics
- Assessed by supervising consultants
Permanent Registration
Full licence enabling independent medical practice. Issued under Section 29 of the Medical Ordinance upon successful completion of internship and all SLMC requirements.
- Full independent practice authorised
- Entry into the SLMC medical register
- Annual renewal required
Registration Services
All SLMC registration services for medical practitioners are available online through the MySLMC portal.
Renewal & Restoration
AnnualRenew your clinical practice licence each year via the MySLMC online portal. Restoration of lapsed registration is also available subject to CPD compliance.
- Annual renewal online
- CPD verification
- Restoration of lapsed registration
- Renewal certificate download
Permanent Registration
Section 29Full 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
Specialist Registration
ConsultantRegister 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
Temporary Registration
Foreign DoctorsOverseas-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
Certificate of Good Standing
VerificationOfficial 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
Professional Services
GeneralAdditional 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
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.
Verification
SLMC reserves the right to verify any submitted document directly with the issuing institution.