MD - Doctor of Medicine
MD License Renewal & CME Requirements by State
Complete reference guide for medical license renewal cycles and continuing medical education (CME) credit requirements across all U.S. states and territories.
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The information provided on this page may have changed since publication. Healthcare providers should always verify current requirements with their respective state medical licensing boards. If you find any errors or outdated information, please submit feedback to help us keep this resource accurate.
| State/Jurisdiction | License Renewal Cycle | License Deadline | CME Cycle | CME Deadline | Total CME | Special CME Requirements | One-time Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 year | Dec 31 annually | 1 year | Dec 31 annually | 25 | 2 hrs for AL Controlled Substance Certificate holders; 12 hrs for QACSC issuance; 4 hrs for QACSC renewal | None |
| Alaska | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 50 | 2 hrs pain management/opioid use and addiction if possess DEA | None |
| Arizona | 2 years | Birthday | 2 years | Birthday | 40 | 3 hrs opioid/substance use disorder/addiction | None |
| Arkansas | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 20 | 1 hr opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing annually | 3 hrs prescribing education at first renewal |
| California | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 50 | None | 12 hrs Pain Management and Treatment of Terminally Ill Patients |
| Colorado | 2 years | Based on renewal date | N/A | N/A | No CME requirement | 2 hrs opioid prescribing/substance use prevention | None |
| Connecticut | 1 year | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 50 | None | None |
| Delaware | 2 years | Renewal date (odd years) | 2 years | Renewal date (odd years) | 40 | 2 hrs controlled substance prescribing/chronic pain | None |
| District of Columbia | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 50 | None | None |
| Florida | 2 years | Jan 31 (biennial) | 2 years | Jan 31 (biennial) | 40 | 2 hrs controlled substance prescribing if possess DEA; 2 hrs Prevention of Medical Errors (every renewal); 2 hrs Domestic Violence every 3rd renewal | None |
| Georgia | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 40 | None | 3 hrs controlled substance prescribing if possess DEA (one-time) |
| Hawaii | 2 years | Jan 31 (even years) | 2 years | Jan 31 (even years) | 40 | None | None |
| Idaho | 2 years | Birthday | 2 years | Birthday | 40 | None | None |
| Illinois | 3 years | July 31 (triennial) | 3 years | July 31 (triennial) | 150 | 1 hr Sexual Harassment Prevention; 1 hr Implicit Bias Awareness; 1 hr Recognizing Dementia; 1 hr Safe Opioid Prescribing if hold IL Controlled Substance License; 0.5 hrs Cultural Competency; 0.5 hr Mandated Reporter (Child Abuse) | None |
| Indiana | 2 years | Oct 31 (odd years) | N/A | N/A | No CME requirement | 2 hrs opioid abuse and prescribing for controlled substance registration | None |
| Iowa | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 40 | 2 hrs chronic pain management and 2 hrs end-of-life care every 5 years if provide primary care | None |
| Kansas | 1 year | July 31 annually | 1 year | July 31 annually | 50 | 1 hr education in acute or chronic pain management; the appropriate prescribing of opioids; or the use of prescription-drug monitoring programs | None |
| Kentucky | 1 year | Mar 1 annually | 3 years | Dec 31 (triennial) | 60 | 4.5 hrs KASPER/pain management/addiction disorders if prescribe or dispense controlled substances | None |
| Louisiana | 1 year | Based on renewal date | 1 year | Based on renewal date | 20 | None | 3 hrs best practices for prescribing CDS/drug diversion/addiction treatment/chronic pain if possess CDS license (one-time) |
| Maine | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 2 years | Last day of birth month | 100 | 3 hrs opioid prescribing if prescribe controlled substances | None |
| Maryland | 2 years | Sept 30 (biennial) | 2 years | Sept 30 (biennial) | 50 | 1 hr opioid prescribing and implicit bias training | 2 hrs controlled substance prescribing for CDS registration (one-time) |
| Massachusetts | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 100 | 10 hrs Risk Management; 3 hrs Pain Management if prescribing controlled substances; 2 hrs reviewing each chapter of Board regulations (243 CMR) | 2 hrs End-of-Life Issues; 2 hrs Implicit Bias; 3 hrs EHR Proficiency; 1 hr Domestic and Sexual Violence; 1 hr Child Abuse and Neglect; 1 hr Alzheimer's Disease; 2 hrs Proper Use of Marijuana (for physicians certifying medical marijuana use) |
| Michigan | 3 years | Jan 31 (triennial) | 3 years | Jan 31 (triennial) | 150 | 3 hrs pain and symptom management; 1 hr medical ethics; 3 hrs Implicit Bias | 8 hrs managing patients with opioid or substance use disorders for physicians with DEA (one-time); Human Trafficking Training |
| Minnesota | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 3 years | Based on renewal date | 75 | None | None |
| Mississippi | 1 year | June 30 annually | 2 years | June 30 (even years) | 40 | 5 hrs prescribing controlled substances if possess DEA | None |
| Missouri | 1 year | Jan 31 annually | 2 years | Dec 31 (odd years) | 50 | None | None |
| Montana | 1 year | Based on renewal date | N/A | N/A | No CME requirement | None | None |
| Nebraska | 2 years | Oct 1 (even years) | 2 years | Oct 1 (even years) | 50 | 3 hrs controlled substance prescribing if prescribe controlled substances | None |
| Nevada | 2 years | June 30 (odd years) | 2 years | June 30 (odd years) | 40 | 2 hrs pain management/opioids/end-of-life care | None |
| New Hampshire | 2 years | June 30 (biennial) | 2 years | June 30 (biennial) | 100 | 3 hrs pain management and addiction disorder if possess DEA | None |
| New Jersey | 2 years | June 30 (odd years) | 2 years | June 30 (odd years) | 100 | 1 hr controlled substance prescribing; 2 hrs End-of-Life Care | 6 hrs Cultural Competency |
| New Mexico | 3 years | June 30 (triennial) | 3 years | June 30 (triennial) | 75 | 5 hrs pain management and controlled substance prescribing if possess DEA | None |
| New York | 2 years | Based on renewal date | N/A | N/A | No CME requirement | 2 hrs Mandatory Infection Control (NYSDOH/NYSED-approved) every 4 years | Child Abuse Identification |
| North Carolina | 1 year | Birthday | 3 years | Birthday | 60 | 3 hrs controlled substance prescribing if prescribe controlled substances | None |
| North Dakota | 1 year | Dec 31 annually | 3 years | Dec 31 (triennial) | 60 | None | None |
| Ohio | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 50 | 1 hr on duty to report misconduct; 20 hrs pain medicine if owner/operator of pain management clinic | None |
| Oklahoma | 1 year | Based on renewal date | 3 years | Based on renewal date | 60 | 1 hr annually pain management/opioid use/addiction if possess DEA | None |
| Oregon | 2 years | Dec 31 (odd years) | 2 years | Dec 31 (odd years) | 60 | 6 hrs pain management/opioid prescribing/substance use disorders | None |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | Dec 31 (even years) | 2 years | Dec 31 (even years) | 100 | 2 hrs pain management/addiction/opioid prescribing; 12 hrs Patient Safety/Risk Management; 2 hrs Child Abuse Recognition (approved) | None |
| Rhode Island | 2 years | June 30 (even years) | 2 years | June 30 (even years) | 40 | None | None |
| South Carolina | 2 years | June 30 | 2 years | Dec 31 (even years) | 40 | 2 hrs prescribing and monitoring controlled substances | None |
| South Dakota | 1 year | Based on renewal date | N/A | N/A | No CME requirement | None | None |
| Tennessee | 2 years | Last day of birth month (biennial) | 2 years | Last day of birth month (biennial) | 40 | 2 hrs controlled substance prescribing (TN chronic pain guidelines) for all licensees | None |
| Texas | 2 years | Feb 28, May 31, Aug 31, Nov 30 (quarterly) | 2 years | Feb 28, May 31, Aug 31, Nov 30 | 48 | 10 hrs each year if practicing in pain management clinics; 2 hrs if direct patient care (first two renewals then every 8 years); 1.5 hrs Human Trafficking Prevention (HHSC approved) course | None |
| Utah | 2 years | Jan 31 (even years) for MDs | 2 years | Jan 31 (even years) | 40 | 3.5 hrs controlled substance prescribing if prescribe controlled substances | None |
| Vermont | 2 years | Nov 30 (biennial) | 2 years | Nov 30 (biennial) | 30 | 2 hrs controlled substance prescribing and pain management if possess DEA | None |
| Virginia | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 60 | 2 hrs pain management/controlled substance prescribing/addiction management | None |
| Washington | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 4 years | Based on renewal date | 200 | 2 hrs Health Equity (every 4 years) | 1 hr if prescribe controlled substances (one-time); 6 hrs Suicide Prevention (Board-approved) |
| West Virginia | 2 years | June 30 (A-L even years; M-Z odd years) | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 50 | 3 hrs risk assessment and responsible prescribing of controlled substances if prescribe/administer/dispense | None |
| Wisconsin | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 30 | 2 hrs opioid and controlled substance prescribing if authorized to prescribe | None |
| Wyoming | 2 years | Based on renewal date | 3 years | Based on renewal date | 60 | None | None |
| Guam | N/A | N/A | 2 years | N/A | 100 | None | None |
| N Mariana Is. | N/A | N/A | 1 year | N/A | 25 | None | None |
| Puerto Rico | N/A | N/A | 3 years | N/A | 60 | None | None |
| Virgin Islands | N/A | N/A | 1 year | N/A | 40 | None | None |
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