DEA MATE Act: the 8-hour training requirement
How physicians and other covered DEA registrants can satisfy the training requirement, document an eligible pathway and make the required attestation.
By Michael Rushton, DO · Physician founder of ClearCME
Last verified: · Verification methodology
Published: · Updated:
Start with your first applicable DEA registration
The requirement applies at the first DEA registration or renewal on or after June 27, 2023. Covered practitioners must attest to a qualifying training or education pathway. It is one-time, and practitioners who are solely veterinarians are excluded.
Your current DEA expiration date may not identify that first event. Review your registration history and retain evidence of the pathway you used.
Source: DEA MATE Act questions and answers ↗Three ways physicians may meet the requirement
- Qualifying training. Complete at least eight hours of eligible training on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders through a recognized organization. DEA permits a single course or accumulated qualifying sessions.
- Qualifying addiction certification. DEA identifies specified addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry certifications, including its listed ABMS, ABAM and AOA pathways. Match your actual credential to the DEA language.
- Qualifying recent education. DEA describes a pathway for recent graduates of accredited U.S. professional schools who completed the required curriculum. Confirm the applicable five-year graduation window and curriculum documentation using the current DEA instructions.
The detailed pathways differ for physicians and other practitioners. Read the DEA’s complete eligibility criteria before attesting.
How to satisfy and document it
- Check whether prior qualifying training or a deemed-complete pathway already applies.
- If training remains, verify the provider, subject matter and hours before enrolling.
- Save completion certificates or education/certification evidence with your federal training record.
- Complete the official attestation during the DEA registration process. Recording it in ClearCME is a separate organizational step.
Prices and activity approvals can change. Confirm the current provider page; a related course topic alone is not proof of MATE eligibility.
State requirements still apply
One activity can be relevant to several requirements, but state topic clocks and provider approvals remain separate. Review Texas, Florida, New York, California or Nevada, or browse the state hub.
Questions physicians ask next
Is the DEA MATE Act eight hours every renewal?
No. It is a one-time training/qualification attestation at your first applicable DEA registration or renewal on or after June 27, 2023. It is not a new eight-hour obligation at each later renewal.
Can previous training count?
Yes, qualifying past training can count. DEA says it does not have to be newly completed after the law’s enactment. Check the eligible training organization, required subject matter and your supporting records.
Must I take one eight-hour course?
No. DEA permits the eight hours to be accumulated across qualifying training. Keep each certificate and enough detail to establish the combined hours and content.
Who can qualify without buying another course?
DEA identifies qualifying addiction board certifications and recent graduates with qualifying education, in addition to the training pathway. Check the exact certification, graduation timing and curriculum against the DEA FAQ before relying on a deemed-complete pathway.
Does the requirement apply if I only prescribe Schedule III–V drugs?
DEA’s requirement applies to covered practitioners registering to dispense controlled substances in Schedules II–V; it is not limited to Schedule II prescribing. Practitioners who are solely veterinarians are excluded.
Does MATE training replace my state’s opioid CME?
No automatic substitution applies. A course may serve both purposes only when it independently satisfies the state’s content, approval, timing and category requirements. Read your state guide and verify the specific activity.
Does ClearCME make the DEA attestation for me?
No. ClearCME lets you keep your federal training record alongside your state CME records. You make the official attestation in the DEA registration process and remain responsible for its accuracy.
Primary source and verification
DEA Diversion Control Division · MATE Act Q&A ↗“It should be noted that this is a one-time attestation”
Reviewed September 18, 2026 against DEA’s current FAQ, including the first applicable registration deadline, qualifying pathways and how to combine eligible training. This review date does not change the training requirement or your deadline.