Tennessee · MD and DO
Tennessee: Controlled substance prescribing, including the Tennessee Department of Health treatment guidelines
MD: 2 hours, every renewal · DO: 2 hours, every renewal.
Last verified against the sources below. Requirements change — confirm with your Board before you rely on this page. This is general information, not legal advice.
MD (medical doctor)
- Hours
- 2 hours
- How often
- Every renewal
- Who
- Every licensee
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire on the last day of your birth month, every two years.
- Board
- Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
- The rule
- Rule 0880-02-.19(1)(b) and T.C.A. 63-1-402: unless exempt, every licensee must complete at least 2 of the 40 hours on controlled substance prescribing, including the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol. The Board's FAQ: the course must be AMA Category 1 or AAFP Prescribed and Tennessee-specific, and it must say so on its face. Exempt under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c): providers at a registered pain management clinic, and physicians board certified (ABMS, AOA or ABPS) in pain management, anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology or rheumatology.
DO (osteopathic physician)
- Hours
- 2 hours
- How often
- Every renewal
- Who
- Every licensee
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire on the last day of your birth month, every two years.
- Board
- Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination
- The rule
- Rule 1050-02-.12(1)(b) and T.C.A. 63-1-402: unless exempt, every licensee must complete at least 2 of the 40 hours on controlled substance prescribing, including the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol. Exempt under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c): providers at a registered pain management clinic, and physicians board certified (ABMS, AOA or ABPS) in pain management, anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology or rheumatology. The Board's 2016 FAQ lets DOs without a DEA registration who do not prescribe take a general prescribing-practices course instead; the current rule text applies the controlled substance wording to all licensees.
What to do next
Other states that require it
Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada and 6 more. Every state that requires it
Sources
- Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners — Board page
- Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners — CME FAQs for medical doctors (updated January 2025)
- Tennessee Department of Health — General continuing education requirements for medical doctors (controlled substance prescribing, T.C.A. 63-1-402)
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 0880-02 (June 2025 revision) — rules 0880-02-.09 (renewal) and 0880-02-.19 (continuing medical education)
- Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination — Board page
- Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination — CME FAQs for osteopathic physicians (January 2016)
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 1050-02 (December 2025 revision) — rules 1050-02-.07 (renewal) and 1050-02-.12 (continuing education)
MD facts last verified October 7, 2026 · DO facts last verified October 7, 2026.