Georgia Telehealth Regulations: What Providers Need to Know in 2026

Telehealth Definition and Scope

Georgia distinguishes between telehealth and telemedicine. “Telehealth” broadly covers the use of communications technologies for clinical care, care management, education, public health, and administration. “Telemedicine” is a subset focused on delivering clinical services in real time via two‑way audio‑visual or other compliant technologies, with audio‑only permitted in limited circumstances when other real‑time options are unavailable or infeasible. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-33/chapter-24/article-1/section-33-24-56-4/))

For coverage purposes, Georgia’s Telehealth Act recognizes payment for appropriately provided telehealth services when the provider practices within scope and in accordance with state law. Key defined terms include “originating site,” “distant site,” and “health benefit policy,” which shape where patients and providers may be located and how plans recognize services for payment. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-33/chapter-24/article-1/section-33-24-56-4/))

Licensure Requirements for Providers

Georgia treats the location of the patient as the place of practice. If you provide services that affect diagnosis or treatment for a patient located in Georgia—even from another state—you are practicing medicine in Georgia and must hold either a Georgia medical license or a Georgia telemedicine license. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-43/chapter-34/article-2/section-43-34-31/?utm_source=openai))

Across professions, Georgia generally requires in‑state licensure for telehealth service delivery. Physicians, APRNs, and PAs must comply with Georgia Composite Medical Board rules; treatment and consultations by electronic means must be performed by Georgia‑licensed practitioners. Physical therapists delivering telehealth to patients in Georgia must also be Georgia‑licensed, except for limited situations recognized by O.C.G.A. § 43‑33‑11(d) (such as short‑term care for temporary sojourners or declared emergencies). ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/sites/medicalboard.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/Adopted%20Telemedicine%20Rule.pdf))

Telemedicine Licensure in Georgia

Georgia authorizes a dedicated Telemedicine License for out‑of‑state physicians. To qualify, you must hold a full, unrestricted license elsewhere; the telemedicine license is limited to telemedicine practice and cannot be used for in‑person care of Georgia‑located patients, except in emergencies. Licensees must follow Board rules and maintain records consistent with Georgia standards. ([law.cornell.edu](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/georgia/Ga-Comp-R-Regs-R-360-2-.17))

Georgia also participates in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC), offering an expedited pathway to obtain a full Georgia license when eligibility criteria are met. The compact does not replace state licensure; rather, it streamlines access so you can practice (including via telemedicine) under a full Georgia license. ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/licensure-information/interstate-medical-licensure-compact-license?utm_source=openai))

Standard of Care for Telehealth

Telehealth does not lower the bar for clinical quality. Georgia explicitly holds telemedicine practitioners to the same minimum standard of care as in‑person care. You must order appropriate tests and meet prevailing professional standards when assessing, diagnosing, treating, and prescribing for patients seen through electronic means. ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/sites/medicalboard.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/Adopted%20Telemedicine%20Rule.pdf))

Prescribing rules also apply. It is unprofessional conduct to prescribe controlled substances or dangerous drugs based solely on an electronic consultation, subject to narrow exceptions aligned with federal telemedicine provisions (21 U.S.C. 802(54), 829(e)). Ensure Standard of Care Compliance when prescribing and follow all applicable state and federal requirements. ([rules.sos.ga.gov](https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/360-3))

Patient Examination Protocols

Before treating by electronic means, Georgia requires a foundation for clinical decision‑making. A Georgia‑licensed physician, PA, or APRN must have either personally examined the patient, been asked to provide care by a Georgia‑licensed clinician who examined the patient, or be able to examine the patient remotely using technology and peripherals that are equal or superior to an in‑person examination within the provider’s standard of care. ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/sites/medicalboard.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/Adopted%20Telemedicine%20Rule.pdf))

Ongoing care via telemedicine also carries follow‑up expectations: the telemedicine clinician must make diligent efforts to have the patient seen and examined in person by a Georgia‑licensed clinician at least annually. Separately, Board rules define it as unprofessional conduct to provide treatment electronically unless a history and physical has been performed by a Georgia licensee, with limited coverage and consultation exceptions. ([regulations.justia.com](https://regulations.justia.com/states/georgia/department-360/chapter-360-3/rule-360-3-07/))

Record-Keeping Compliance

Patient Record Documentation must match or exceed in‑person standards. Providers must maintain documentation of each telemedicine service as thoroughly as for an in‑person visit and make records available as required by law. Georgia’s Telehealth Act codifies this expectation, and Board rules require documenting the evaluation, treatment, and identity of all practitioners involved, with copies furnished to any referring provider. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-33/chapter-24/article-1/section-33-24-56-4/))

Retention rules still apply. Physicians must maintain complete treatment records—such as histories, notes, imaging, and labs—for defined periods (commonly at least 10 years from the last office visit). These general record standards apply equally to telehealth encounters. ([rules.sos.ga.gov](https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/360-3))

Reimbursement Policies and Coverage

Georgia requires insurers issuing a health benefit policy to cover telehealth or telemedicine services that are appropriately provided and covered under the policy. An insurer may not exclude a covered service solely because it is delivered via telemedicine, nor require an in‑person visit before a patient may receive telemedicine, except where law or setup of in‑home devices requires it. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-33/chapter-24/article-1/section-33-24-56-4/))

Payment parity applies: for the same covered service, plans must reimburse telemedicine “on the same basis and at least at the rate” as in‑person care, with an exception that insurers are not required to pay for audio‑only calls except for mental or behavioral health services. Plans also may not restrict coverage to a particular vendor or platform if the technology complies with privacy laws. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-33/chapter-24/article-1/section-33-24-56-4/))

Emergency Telemedicine Practice rules can temporarily adjust prescribing and care delivery during a declared emergency. For example, during Georgia’s COVID‑19 state of emergency, the Board allowed certain telemedicine‑based prescribing of controlled substances via real‑time audio‑visual communication when other conditions were met; such allowances were limited to the emergency’s duration. ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/document/document/update-rule-360-0-10-8/download))

FAQs.

What are the licensure requirements for telehealth providers in Georgia?

For patients located in Georgia, you must be licensed to practice in Georgia—or, if you are a physician, hold a Georgia Telemedicine License limited to telemedicine practice. Physicians, APRNs, and PAs must comply with Board rules requiring Georgia‑licensed practitioners for treatment or consultation by electronic means. Physical therapists must hold Georgia licensure for telehealth, subject to narrow exceptions recognized in O.C.G.A. § 43‑33‑11(d). ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-43/chapter-34/article-2/section-43-34-31/?utm_source=openai))

When is an in-person examination required for telehealth services?

Telemedicine clinicians must make diligent efforts to ensure the patient is seen in person by a Georgia‑licensed clinician at least annually. Initial and ongoing care must rest on either a prior in‑person exam, a referral from a Georgia‑licensed clinician who examined the patient, or a remote exam using technology and peripherals equal or superior to an in‑person exam. Providing treatment electronically without a history and physical by a Georgia licensee is deemed unprofessional conduct, with limited exceptions. ([regulations.justia.com](https://regulations.justia.com/states/georgia/department-360/chapter-360-3/rule-360-3-07/))

How does Georgia regulate telemedicine licenses for out-of-state physicians?

Georgia’s Telemedicine License (O.C.G.A. § 43‑34‑31.1) lets out‑of‑state physicians practice telemedicine for Georgia patients if they meet eligibility and record‑keeping requirements; the license cannot be used for in‑person care of Georgia‑located patients, except in emergencies. Rule 360‑2‑.17 details prerequisites and obligations, and the Board retains discretion over issuance. Physicians may also pursue a full Georgia license via the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact for broader practice privileges. ([law.justia.com](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-43/chapter-34/article-2/section-43-34-31-1/?utm_source=openai))

What documentation must providers maintain for telehealth encounters?

Document evaluations, clinical decisions, orders, prescriptions, and follow‑up plans as thoroughly as for in‑person care, and note all involved practitioners. If a referring provider is involved, furnish a copy of the telemedicine record. Georgia’s Telehealth Act explicitly requires documentation for each telemedicine service and general retention rules apply to keep complete records for the legally required period. ([medicalboard.georgia.gov](https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/sites/medicalboard.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/Adopted%20Telemedicine%20Rule.pdf))