Arkansas physician (MD and DO) CME requirements for license renewal

This guide covers physicians licensed by the Arkansas State Medical Board, both MDs and DOs. Arkansas has one board for both degrees, and the CME rule, now codified as 17 CAR § 140-1101 (formerly Regulation 17), applies to every physician with an active license.

The short version

Requirement	Hours	How often	Who
Total CME	20	Every year (birth month to birth month)	Every MD and DO with an active license
Category 1, in your primary area of practice (within the 20)	10	Every year	Every MD and DO
Prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines (within the 20)	1	Every year	Every MD and DO
Prescribing education for new prescribers	3	One time, within two years of licensure	Prescribers licensed after December 31, 2015

How many hours, and what kind

17 CAR § 140-1101(a) requires each physician with an active Arkansas license to "complete twenty (20) credit hours per year of continuing medical education." Half (10 hours) must be in subjects pertaining to your primary area of practice and designated as Category 1. The rule defines Category 1 as:

• activities designated Category 1 by an organization accredited by the ACCME or a state medical society, or approved for Category 1 by the AMA or the Board (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™);
• activities approved for Category 1 by the AOA Council on Continuing Medical Education (AOA Category 1);
• activities designated as prescribed hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The other 10 hours can come from a broader list in the rule: accredited internship, residency or fellowship (one credit per full day), advanced degree study or full-time research in an approved institution, other medical education programs on current developments, teaching medical students or staff, publishing or presenting papers, self-instruction, journal reading, board exam preparation, and quality or utilization review committee work. The rule does not use the term "Category 2"; confirm with the Board how to document these hours.

The rule says AOA "Category 1" without separating 1-A and 1-B. Category 1-B is part of AOA Category 1, so it appears to count. The rule has no carryover provision.

When your license expires

Arkansas renews physician licenses every year in your birth month. The Board's FAQ says CME hours "must be from birth month of previous year through birth month of current year." Summaries elsewhere say the license expires on the last day of the birth month; we could not read that in a primary source, so confirm the exact date with the Board.

Since Act 803 of 2021 (Ark. Code § 17-95-414), you can choose a two-year license instead of annual renewal after your initial licensure. You must show CME equivalent to the period you request (40 hours for two years) and pay two years of fees. The Board's fee rule lists both one-year and two-year renewals.

The required topics

Prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines — 1 hour, every year

17 CAR § 140-1101(c): "Each year, each physician and physician assistant shall obtain at least one (1) hour of CME credit specifically regarding the prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines." The hour counts within the 20.

Prescribing education for new prescribers — 3 hours, one time

17 CAR § 140-202 says that "for prescribers licensed after December 31, 2015, within the first two (2) years of being granted a license in the state, a prescriber shall obtain a minimum of three (3) hours of prescribing education approved by the board." The education covers Arkansas prescribing rules and laws, prescribing controlled substances, record keeping, and maintaining safe and professional boundaries. An online copy of the underlying statute, Ark. Code § 20-7-704, shows 2 hours; the Board's rule says 3. Plan on 3 hours, and confirm with the Board which courses it approves.

Federal requirement

The federal DEA requires a one-time 8-hour training on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders (the MATE Act) when you first register or renew a DEA registration. It is a federal requirement, separate from Arkansas's rules.

Your first renewal

The rule has no exemption or proration for the first renewal, and the Board's FAQ does not mention one. Plan on the full 20 hours, including the opioid and benzodiazepine hour, and confirm with the Board if your first renewal comes less than a year after you were licensed. The 3-hour prescribing education is due within your first two years.

Reporting and audits

At renewal you certify by signature, under penalty of perjury, that you met the CME requirement (17 CAR § 140-1101). The Board's FAQ says random audits are performed monthly; if you are selected, you must send certificates of completion. Keep all CME records for at least three years. Not meeting the requirement can lead to suspension or revocation of the license.

Checklist before you renew

1. Count 20 hours earned since your last birth-month renewal (40 if you chose a two-year license).
2. Check that at least 10 of them are Category 1 (AMA, AOA or AAFP Prescribed) in your primary area of practice.
3. Check that 1 hour was on prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines.
4. If you were licensed in the last two years and prescribe, make sure you completed the 3 hours of Board-approved prescribing education.
5. Keep certificates for at least three years, and renew in your birth month.

Requirements change. This guide was checked against the sources below in October 2026; confirm with the Board before you rely on it.