(a) On application, the department shall grant a provisional license to practice podiatry to an applicant who:
(1) is licensed in good standing as a podiatrist in another state that has licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements of this chapter;
(2) has passed a national or other examination recognized by the department relating to the practice of podiatry; and
(3) is sponsored by a person licensed under this chapter with whom the provisional license holder may practice under this section.
(b) The department may excuse an applicant for a provisional license from the requirement of Subsection (a)(3) if the department determines that compliance with that subdivision constitutes a hardship to the applicant.

(c) A provisional license is valid until the date the department approves or denies the provisional license holder’s application for a license. Except as provided by Subsection (e), the department shall issue a license under this chapter to the holder of a provisional license under this section if:
(1) the provisional license holder passes the examination required by Section 202.254;
(2) the department verifies that the provisional license holder has the academic and experience requirements for a license under this chapter; and
(3) the provisional license holder satisfies any other license requirements under this chapter.
(d) The department shall complete the processing of a provisional license holder’s application for a license not later than the 180th day after the date the provisional license is issued. The department may extend that deadline to allow for the receipt of pending examination results.
(e) A provisional license holder is not required to pass a part of an examination related to the testing of clinical skills that an applicant for an original license under this chapter with substantially equivalent experience is not required to pass.