A PMCID is assigned to an NIHMS manuscript when the following two criteria are met:
- The Final Approval step is complete.
- The article has been matched to a PubMed record for one of the following:
- a final print publication date or
- an electronic publication date for a journal that is an electronic publication only or
- an electronic publication date for a journal where PubMed has not received the final print publication date within 6 months of the electronic publication date.