North Carolina Dental License Renewal

Updated August 2026

Fees, deadlines, and what's required to renew a dental license in North Carolina.

The Board publishes its fee schedule at ncdentalboard.org/fees.htm. Unlike many states, North Carolina dental and dental hygiene licenses renew annually, not on a multi-year cycle.

Fee typeAmount
Dental license (by examination)$395.00
Dental licensure by credentials$2,000.00
Dental licensure by military endorsement/spouse$0.00
Dental hygiene license processing fee (by examination)$75.00
Dental hygiene licensure by credentials$750.00
Dental hygiene licensure by military endorsement/spouse$0.00
Dental provisional license$100.00
Dental hygiene provisional license$60.00
Dental intern permit$150.00
Instructor's license$140.00
Volunteer license$100.00
Dental license renewal (2026)$329.00
Dental hygiene license renewal (2026)$106.00
Instructor's license renewal$180.00
Volunteer license renewal$25.00
Anesthesia application fee (incl. evaluation)$475.00
Sedation application fee (incl. evaluation)$375.00
Anesthesia/sedation permit renewal$100.00
Anesthesia/sedation site inspection$275.00
Late renewal penalty (any license/permit)$50.00
Dental reinstatement (voided license)$554.00
Dental hygiene reinstatement$166.00
PA/PLLC registration$50.00
PA/PLLC renewal$25.00
PA/PLLC penalty$10.00
Duplicates$25.00
Certificate of licensure with raised seal$25.00

Renewal deadlines and penalties

All licensed dentists and dental hygienists must renew annually. State law requires renewal with payment by January 1 each year, but the Board does not assess a penalty until after January 31. Online renewal opens November 1 and closes March 31 each year. After January 31, a $50.00 late penalty applies and cannot be waived by the Board. Any license not renewed by March 31 becomes void, and the Board treats continuing to practice on a void license as a Class I misdemeanor, with each day of violation a separate offense. A voided license must go through reinstatement: $225.00 plus the current year's renewal fee for dentists ($554.00 total), or $60.00 plus the current year's renewal fee for hygienists ($166.00 total). Anesthesia and sedation permits follow the same annual cycle, late-fee, and reinstatement structure.

Anesthesia and sedation permit applicants pay a $100.00 application fee plus an up-front evaluation fee of $375.00 (anesthesia) or $275.00 (sedation) — shown on the fee schedule as the combined $475.00 and $375.00 application-fee line items above.

New licensing system Beginning February 1, 2025, the Board transitioned all licensing and renewal transactions to a new online Gateway system at portal.ncdentalboard.org. The system accepts credit or debit card payment only — cash and paper checks are no longer accepted — and all Board correspondence is now sent by email, so licensees must keep their email address current. Continuing education audits are now conducted randomly in real time, so the Board recommends renewing well before the deadline rather than waiting until the last day.

Helpful Resources

This page is your North Carolina renewal starting point

Fees and deadlines above cover what it takes to renew, but continuing education specifics and complaint procedures live on the board's main page. Before you renew, verify your license status is current and in good standing using the tool above.