Successful completion of the NMI Challenge Program for California Midwifery Licensure provides access to California licensure for individuals who have completed a midwifery program that does not meet the requirements outlined by the State of California, and wish to apply for a California midwifery license without graduating from an approved program.

Requirements for Licensure

National Midwifery Institute’s California Midwifery License (CML) Challenge Program is not equivalent to our Certificate Program; CML Challenge Program students do not graduate from NMI. If a student decides to change programs within NMI, tuition does not transfer between the Certificate Program and the CML Challenge Program.

The cost of the CML Challenge Program is $7500.

In order to complete the CML Challenge Program, the following are required:                           

1. Fulfillment of midwifery didactic requirements:

  • Complete National Midwifery Institute gap analysis process to confirm completion of academic midwifery requirements consistent with California Midwifery Practice Act. (B&P Code 2512.5 and 2513).

  • Receive a passing score on the CML Challenge Written Examination to confirm the midwife-applicant’s comprehension of core midwifery knowledge and licensing requirements for California midwives. (B&P Code 2513).  

2. Fulfillment and verification of experience requirements:

The following clinical experiences are required by the CA Medical Board for midwife-applicants choosing the challenge route to licensure (B&P Code 2513b and Title 16 1379.15):

  • 20 initial/new antepartum visits

  • 75 return antepartum visits

  • 20 labor management experiences

  • 20 deliveries (primary attendant)

  • 20 newborn assessments

  • 40 postpartum visits, at least 10 of which must be within the first 5 days of birth

Clinical experience must also meet the currency definition of having occurred within ten years prior to the midwife- applicant’s date of application to the CML Challenge Program, AND at least 50% of the clinical experience must have occurred within five years prior to the midwife- applicant’s date of application to the CML Challenge Program.

All clinical experience must verified by a licensed physician/ surgeon, and by a licensed midwife or certified nurse-midwife. Clinical experience is verified either through direct observation, by chart audit (client codes with de-identified records), or by phone conversations with former clients or a midwife/other person who was present at the birth. (Note that clients must grant permission for their identity to be shared for phone verification purposes.)

Each verifier must provide their midwifery or medical license number and all licenses must be current and in good standing.

4. Completion of the following trainings:

  • Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP), current at the time of the CML Challenge Written Examination, and;

  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Basic Life Support (CPR/BLS), current at the time of the CML Challenge Written Examination.