Alabama physicians renewing December 31, 2026 — a checklist
Every Alabama MD and DO license expires December 31. What to finish before then — 25 CME credits for 2026, the ACSC hours, the $300 renewal — and how the January grace period works.
Last reviewed October 2026. Requirements change; confirm with the Board before you rely on this guide. This is general information, not legal advice.
On this page 11 sections
In Alabama, every physician renews on the same day. In the Board's words, "All licenses expire annually on Dec. 31." The CME year ends on the same date: the 25 credits you report for this renewal must be earned between January 1 and December 31, 2026. If you hold an Alabama MD or DO license, this checklist is for you.
The dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Renewal opens in the Licensee Gateway; reminders start in October |
| October 2, 2026 | Renewal opens on the Compact site for licenses obtained through the IMLC |
| December 31, 2026 | Licenses and Alabama Controlled Substances Certificates (ACSC) expire; last day to earn 2026 CME |
| January 1–31, 2027 | Grace period for full MD/DO licenses only; renewing then costs a late fee |
| Midnight, January 31, 2027 | A license that was not renewed is no longer active |
1. Count 25 credits earned in 2026
Rule 540-X-14-.02(1) requires every physician who lives or practices in Alabama to earn at least 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or the equivalent in each calendar year, on or before December 31. AOA Category 1-A and AAFP Prescribed credit count as equivalent (rule 540-X-14-.02(3)). Credits earned in 2025 do not count for 2026, and the rules have no carryover provision, so extra hours this year do not help next year.
You are exempt for the calendar year in which you received your first Alabama license. Physicians who neither live in Alabama nor practice there more than ten days a year are also exempt. Our Alabama CME requirements guide lists every accepted credit type and exemption with its rule number.
2. If you hold an ACSC: check your controlled substance hours
Every ACSC holder needs 2 AMA PRA Category 1 credits on controlled substance prescribing every two years, inside the yearly 25 (rule 540-X-4-.09). The two-year period runs from the calendar year you received your ACSC through December 31 of the second year, and you attest to these hours when you renew the ACSC; the Board's current page says only "every two years," so confirm your period with the Board. If your two-year period ends this December, make sure two of your 2026 hours qualify.
3. Confirm the professional boundaries course is done
Since January 1, 2025, Alabama physicians must complete the Board-designated two-hour course "Navigating Professional Boundaries in Medicine" (rule 540-X-14-.02(1)(a)–(b)). Physicians licensed before 2025 had until December 31, 2025; new licensees have 12 months from their license date. The only exemption is for limited licensees enrolled in a residency or clinical fellowship. Only the Board-designated course counts. If you have not done it, confirm with the Board how to come into compliance before you attest.
4. Renew in the Licensee Gateway
Renewal is online in the Licensee Gateway. The Board says you must complete the application yourself and attest that it is accurate. You certify that you have met, or will meet, the 25 credits by December 31 (rule 540-X-14-.09). You keep the certificates yourself; the Board asks for them only if you are audited (rule 540-X-14-.10).
- Full MD/DO license renewal fee: $300.
- ACSC: $150. Renew the medical license first, then return to the Gateway to renew the ACSC. You need a current registration with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program databank and a current DEA registration.
- Licenses obtained through the Compact: renew on the Compact's site, not in the Gateway. If you also hold an ACSC, renew the Compact license first, then the ACSC in the Gateway.
Keep your mailing and email addresses current in the Gateway; the Board sends important alerts to your email address.
5. Not renewing? Tell the Board
If you will not practice in Alabama in 2027, the renewal page offers a way to request non-renewal status by email. Keep in mind that you will need to reinstate the license before practicing in Alabama again.
6. If you miss December 31
Full MD/DO licenses (and only those) have a grace period from January 1 to January 31, with a late fee. The Board's page does not state the amount, so confirm it with the Board. A license that is not renewed by midnight on January 31 is no longer active. An expired ACSC is handled by the Board's ACSC department.
7. Keep your certificates
The Board audits a random sample of physicians every year and asks for proof only from those selected. Keep certificates for three years after the year you earned the credit (rule 540-X-14-.10): certificates for 2026 credits stay on file through 2029. The Board encourages uploading them to the CME repository in the Licensee Gateway. Discipline for CME noncompliance is public and reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank.
What to do this month and next
- October: add up your 2026 credits; book anything still missing, especially controlled substance hours if your ACSC period ends this year.
- November: renew the license, then the ACSC, in the Gateway.
- December: finish any remaining credits by December 31 and file the certificates.
The Alabama deadline page and the renewal planner keep the date and your remaining hours in one place.
Requirements change. This checklist was checked against the sources below in October 2026; confirm with the Board before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Plan my Alabama DO renewalAnswer a few questions and see the hours and required topics you still need.
- Plan my Alabama MD renewalAnswer a few questions and see the hours and required topics you still need.
- Track your license with a free accountWe keep your Alabama expiration date and remind you before it.
Sources
Show the 6 sources this guide is based on
- Alabama Board of Medical Examiners — MD/DO license renewals
- Alabama Board of Medical Examiners — Licensure and registration CME requirements
- Alabama Board of Medical Examiners — Prescribing and Pharmacology of Controlled Drugs (ACSC 2-hour requirement)
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 540-X-14 — Continuing Medical Education
- Alabama Administrative Code r. 540-X-4-.09 — Risk and abuse mitigation strategies (Cornell LII)
- Interstate Medical Licensure Compact — Renew a license obtained through the Compact
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