2026 physician guide · MD & DO

Florida CME requirements for physicians

Florida generally requires 40 hours per two-year cycle. MDs and DOs answer to different boards, with different renewal dates, category rules and medical-error course requirements.

By Michael Rushton, DO · Physician founder of ClearCME

Last verified: · Verification methodology

Published: · Updated:

At a glance

MD · Board of Medicine

40 hours

Renewal cycle
Two years; January 31 in your assigned odd- or even-year group.
Accepted credit types
General AMA Category I hours and the board’s specifically permitted alternatives.

DO · Board of Osteopathic Medicine

40 hours, including at least 20 AOA Category 1-A

Renewal cycle
Two years; March 31 in even-numbered years.
Accepted credit types
Check AOA designation and the osteopathic board’s mandatory-topic approvals.

Mandatory topics

Find your license type below. Some requirements also depend on your specialty, practice setting or prescribing authority.

MD requirements

DO requirements

Related courses are a starting point for your search. Before enrolling, confirm that the activity meets your board’s provider, content, category and completion-date requirements.

First renewal and exemptions

Florida’s first-renewal rules differ from an ordinary 40-hour renewal. The MD board lists HIV/AIDS, medical errors and controlled-substance training for covered DEA registrants. For a DO license, use the osteopathic board’s separate first-renewal rules.

Military service and other narrowly defined circumstances can qualify for board-approved exemptions. Approval of an exemption from general hours does not necessarily waive mandatory topics.

Sources: Florida Board of Medicine · MD renewal and CME · Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine · DO renewal · Florida Administrative Code 64B8-13.005 · MD topics and HIV/AIDS · Florida Administrative Code 64B15-13.001 · DO CME

Carryover and documentation

Excess CME does not carry forward into the next Florida biennium. Match each course to the correct cycle and retain the full certificate, not only a total-hour tally.

Use the official CE reporting system and check what is recorded before renewal. Keep certificates, approved-provider details and documentation supporting exemptions or prior one-time training; provide records when requested by the board.

Sources: Florida Board of Medicine · MD renewal and CME · Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine · DO renewal

What’s tricky about Florida

Forty hours can still leave a DO short of the AOA Category 1-A floor. Likewise, a course approved for the MD medical-error requirement may omit the conditions required by the DO board.

The one-time HIV/AIDS and trafficking records, six-year domestic-violence clock and recurring prescribing course should be checked independently. Federal MATE Act training does not automatically replace any Florida-specific requirement.

Sources: Florida Board of Medicine · MD renewal and CME · Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine · DO renewal · Florida Administrative Code 64B8-13.005 · MD topics and HIV/AIDS · Florida Administrative Code 64B15-13.001 · DO CME

What changed in 2026

The controlled-substance course content changed effective July 1, 2026 to include pain treatment for patients with sickle cell disease. Check that the activity satisfies the current statute and board approval, even if an older certificate has the same course title.

Reviewed September 18, 2026 against the current medical and osteopathic board renewal guidance.

Sources: Florida Statutes §456.0301 · controlled-substance course content · Florida Board of Medicine · MD renewal and CME · Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine · DO renewal

Questions physicians ask next

Do Florida MDs and DOs both need 40 hours?

Generally yes, per two-year cycle, subject to first-renewal and other exceptions. DOs also need at least 20 AOA Category 1-A hours and one hour of Florida laws/rules and ethics.

Can I use an MD medical-errors course for a DO renewal?

Only if it also meets the osteopathic board’s requirements. The boards specify different content, so check the activity’s approval for your DO license.

Is HIV/AIDS training required every renewal?

The one-hour requirement is tied to the first biennial renewal. Keep proof of that completion for future renewals. Medical-error and prescribing courses have separate recurring requirements.

Can I carry Florida CME into the next cycle?

No. Complete the applicable hours in the current biennium; excess hours do not move into the next cycle.

Does MATE Act training satisfy Florida controlled-substance CME?

Not automatically. The Florida course has its own content and approved-provider requirements, including the 2026 sickle-cell-pain update. Verify any proposed dual use against both sets of rules.

Does ClearCME report to CE Broker or renew my license?

No. Organizing your certificates in ClearCME is separate from official reporting and renewal. Review the board’s CE record and finish the required reporting before submitting renewal.

Primary sources

Board guidance and controlling law support this guide. Your board’s current rules and individual determination govern your renewal.

  1. Florida Board of Medicine · MD renewal and CME ↗
    “CME hours do not carry over across biennial licensure cycles.”
  2. Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine · DO renewal ↗
  3. Florida Administrative Code 64B8-13.005 · MD topics and HIV/AIDS ↗
  4. Florida Administrative Code 64B15-13.001 · DO CME ↗
  5. Florida Statutes §456.0301 · controlled-substance course content ↗
  6. Florida Statutes §456.0341 · human trafficking ↗

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