Texas CME requirements for physicians
Texas uses one physician rulebook for MDs and DOs: 48 hours per registration period, at least 24 formal hours, and mandatory topics that run on different schedules. Official CE reporting now runs through CE Broker.
By Michael Rushton, DO · Physician founder of ClearCME
Last verified: · Verification methodology
Published: · Updated:
At a glance
MD and DO · Texas Medical Board
48 hours, at least 24 formal
- Renewal cycle
- 24-month registration period, rather than the calendar year. Check the expiration on your registration.
- Accepted credit types
- Accepted formal pathways include AMA PRA Category 1, AAFP, AOA Category 1-A and TMA-approved activities.
Mandatory topics
Medical ethics and professional responsibility
At least two formal hours each renewal period. The activity must have the appropriate ethics or professional-responsibility approval.
Explore related courses →Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices
Pain management and opioid prescribing
Direct-patient-care physicians need two formal hours within one year of initial licensure, again as part of the second renewal, and then two hours every eight years. Check your initial licensure history before treating this as an eight-year-only requirement.
Explore related courses →Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas Occupations Code §156.055
Human trafficking prevention
Direct-patient-care physicians need at least one hour in the first renewal period and every third renewal thereafter. Use an HHSC-approved course. An ethics designation alone is not HHSC approval.
Explore related courses →Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas Occupations Code §156.060
Life of the Mother Act · SB 31
One hour, once, before initial licensure or the first renewal after January 1, 2026 for the applicable specialties. TMB includes obstetric specialties, emergency medicine and family medicine. Only its free MyTMB course satisfies this specific requirement.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas SB 31 · enrolled legislation
Forensic evidence collection · check the current rollout notice
HB 47 establishes two hours for covered physicians treating patients in emergency settings. Although the statute refers to renewals on or after September 1, 2026, TMB’s current notice says implementation begins with licenses expiring February 28, 2027 because approved coursework is not yet available. Read the live notice and approved-course list before enrolling.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas HB 47 · enrolled legislation
A related-topic link helps you find courses. It does not establish that a particular activity satisfies this state’s requirement. Verify the accepted provider, category, content and dates before enrolling.
Exceptions and specialty requirements
TMB describes an exemption for newly licensed physicians at first registration; that does not erase separately timed requirements such as initial opioid training. Retired/voluntary-charity status, residency and board-approved hardship exemptions have their own conditions.
EMS medical directors and pain-management-clinic personnel can have additional requirements. The board’s specialty sections and current hours chart should be checked when either role applies.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices
Carryover and documentation
Texas permits up to 48 excess hours to carry forward, subject to the board’s two-year limit and category rules. Medical ethics/professional-responsibility and pain-management/opioid hours may not be carried forward.
Complete official reporting and provide certificates through CE Broker before renewal. Keep the certificate, accreditation/category, topic designation and date for every course, including evidence supporting any carryover. ClearCME storage does not submit official CE Broker reports.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas Medical Board · continuing education tracking
What’s tricky about Texas
A single renewal date does not mean a single topic clock. Ethics is recurring each cycle; human trafficking follows a three-renewal cadence; opioid training starts early and later follows an eight-year cadence. SB 31 is a separate one-time course.
The MyTMB SB 31 course is not AMA Category 1. TMB allows it toward its ethics requirement; the course completion is recorded in MyTMB. If using it for ethics hours, follow TMB’s CE Broker reporting instructions.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices
What changed in 2026
Mandatory CE tracking through CE Broker began September 1, 2026. A free basic account is available; a paid subscription is not required for official reporting.
SB 31’s first-renewal-after-January-1 deadline applies to the specified specialties. HB 47’s statutory start and the later board rollout notice are both relevant; the current TMB notice controls the operational instructions shown here. Nutrition/metabolic-health training is a separate forthcoming implementation: confirm the final TMB rule before choosing a course or assuming an hour count.
Sources: Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices · Texas Medical Board · continuing education tracking · Texas SB 31 · enrolled legislation
Questions physicians ask next
Do I need CE Broker to renew my Texas physician license?
TMB requires official CE tracking through CE Broker beginning September 1, 2026. Report your courses and resolve discrepancies there before renewal. ClearCME does not replace this official reporting step.
Is CE Broker free for Texas physicians?
The basic account supports required reporting without a paid subscription. Paid upgrades are optional. Use the account link on TMB’s official tracking page.
How often is opioid CME required?
For direct patient care, two hours are due within one year of initial licensure and again as part of the second renewal. After the initial requirements, the cadence is two hours every eight years.
Can my existing CME hours count or carry forward?
Check dates, accepted category and the applicable registration period. Texas permits limited carryover of up to 48 excess hours, but excludes ethics/professional-responsibility and pain/opioid hours from carryover.
Which human-trafficking course satisfies Texas?
Choose a course on the current HHSC-approved list. Our topic library can help with discovery, but the provider’s approved status must match the Texas requirement.
Can one course satisfy more than one Texas requirement?
Sometimes. TMB permits appropriately designated opioid or human-trafficking training to count toward ethics. Verify every relevant designation; do not multiply the course’s earned hours in your overall total.
Can I take any pregnancy-emergency course for SB 31?
No. Only the TMB course through MyTMB satisfies this specific requirement. An outside course may count as ordinary CME without meeting SB 31.
Primary sources
Board guidance and controlling law support this guide. Your board’s current rules and individual determination govern your renewal.
- Texas Medical Board · physician CME and current implementation notices ↗
“Mandatory CE Tracking for ALL TMB licensees begins September 1, 2026.”
- Texas Medical Board · continuing education tracking ↗
- Texas Occupations Code §156.055 ↗
- Texas Occupations Code §156.060 ↗
- Texas SB 31 · enrolled legislation ↗
- Texas HB 47 · enrolled legislation ↗