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

This guide covers physicians (MDs) and osteopathic physicians and surgeons (DOs) licensed in Nebraska. Both are licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Licensure Unit on the recommendation of the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery, and both follow the same rule, 172 NAC 88.

The short version

Requirement	Hours	How often	Who
Total CME	50 Category 1	Every two-year renewal (24 months before October 1 of even years)	Every MD and DO
Prescribing opiates (within the 50), including 0.5 hour on the PDMP	3	Every renewal	Physicians who prescribe controlled substances
Carryover	up to 25 hours	To the next 24-month period	Every MD and DO

How many hours, and what kind

Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145 tells each board to set continuing competency requirements. For physicians and osteopathic physicians, 172 NAC 88-008.01 requires, on or before the expiration date, one of the following:

• 50 hours of Category 1 continuing education approved by the ACCME or the AOA, earned in the 24 months immediately preceding the expiration date. One year in an approved graduate medical education program counts as 50 hours; or
• the AMA Physician's Recognition Award or the AOA Continuing Medical Education Certification, earned in the 24 months immediately preceding the expiration date.

The DHHS page puts it simply: "To renew a license you must have earned 50 hours of Category 1 AMA approved continuing education." MDs and DOs can use either AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ or AOA Category 1 credit.

AAFP Prescribed credit is not named in the rule or on the DHHS page. The rule accepts Category 1 CE approved by the ACCME, and the AAFP is ACCME-accredited. The AMA accepts AAFP Prescribed credit as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. It should count, but confirm with the Board if most of your hours are AAFP Prescribed. The rule also 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.

Carryover: if you earn more than 50 hours in a 24-month period, you can carry up to 25 hours to the next period (172 NAC 88-008.01(A)(iii)).

When your license expires

"All physician and osteopathic physician licenses expire on October 1 of each even-numbered year" (172 NAC 88-007), whenever the license was issued. Licenses were last due October 1, 2026; the next renewal is October 1, 2028, and the 50 hours count if earned October 2, 2026 through October 1, 2028.

DHHS must send notice at least 30 days before expiration. If you do not renew by the expiration date, the license expires and you may not practice until it is reinstated (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-142).

The mandatory topic

Prescribing opiates — 3 hours, every renewal, for prescribers

Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145(6) says the continuing competency requirements for a physician "who prescribes controlled substances shall include at least three hours of continuing education biennially regarding prescribing opiates." The education may cover prescribing and administering opiates, the risks and signs of addiction, and emergency opiate situations. One-half hour of the three must cover Nebraska's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The hours count within the 50.

DHHS offers free videos that meet the requirement, including a 0.5-hour PDMP module that also satisfies the separate rule to view training before accessing the PDMP. The statute terminates on January 1, 2029, so it still applies to the October 1, 2028 renewal.

Federal requirement

The federal DEA requires a one-time 8 hours of 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 Nebraska's rules.

Your first renewal

The Department "waives continuing competency requirements for credential holders who were first credentialed within the 24-month period immediately prior to the renewal date" (172 NAC 10-004.03(B)). Because every license expires on October 1 of even years, a physician first licensed during the current cycle needs no CME for the first renewal.

Reporting and audits

To renew, you submit the renewal application and must have met the continuing competency requirement on or before the expiration date (172 NAC 10-004; Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-146). You are responsible for keeping your certificates or records. The Department or Board may select a random sample of renewals for audit every two years. If you are selected and do not comply, your license expires 30 days after notice and an opportunity for a hearing (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-146(3)). Neither the statute nor the rules set a retention period; keep records at least through the next renewal.

The Department may waive the requirement, in whole or in part, when circumstances beyond your control kept you from finishing. Credential holders on active military service are not required to meet it (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-146(2); 172 NAC 10-004.03(A)).

Checklist before you renew

1. Count 50 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 or AOA Category 1 credit earned in the 24 months before October 1, 2028 (plus any carryover, up to 25).
2. If you prescribe controlled substances, make sure 3 of those hours cover prescribing opiates, including 0.5 hour on the PDMP.
3. Keep your certificates in case you are audited.
4. Renew on or before October 1, 2028.

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