Arizona Medical Board · MD

40 hours. Every two years. Tied to your birthday.

A source-verified guide to Arizona's CME requirements for physicians — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from AMB~6 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Arizona has a separate osteopathic board. See Arizona DO CME requirements →

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 18, 2026

Mandatory topics

Arizona has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 40-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Arizona cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalOpioid / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Biennial

Physicians authorized to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances who hold a valid DEA registration, or physicians authorized to dispense controlled substances

View sourceVerbatim from source
“A health professional who is authorized under this title to prescribe schedule II controlled substances and who has a valid United States drug enforcement administration registration number or who is authorized under chapter 18 of this title to dispense controlled substances shall complete a minimum of three hours of opioid-related, substance use disorder-related or addiction-related continuing education each license renewal cycle.”
ARS 32-3248.02See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Arizona Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
ACCME Category 1
SourceR4-16-102(B)(4)/(5)[2]
Residency/Fellowship training
1 hr per daySourceR4-16-102(B)(1)[2]
Research activity
1 hr per day at AMA/AAMC/AOA institutionSourceR4-16-102(B)(3)[2]
Teaching activity
SourceR4-16-102(B)(6)[2]
Publishing/Presenting
SourceR4-16-102(B)(7)[2]
Self-instruction
Journals, board prep, committees, videosSourceR4-16-102(B)(8)[2]
Documentation & audit

Renewal is on a two-year cycle anchored to the licensee's birthday.[7] The license automatically expires 4 months after the birthday if not renewed.

Waivers & exemptions

No formal waivers or exemptions are published for Arizona.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Arizona physicians need?
Arizona physicians licensed by the Arizona Medical Board must complete 40 credit hours of continuing medical education during the two calendar years preceding biennial registration.[2][3] Doctors of osteopathic medicine are licensed by the separate Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery, which also requires 40 hours per biennium but additionally requires at least 24 hours of AOA Category 1A and caps AMA Category 1 at 16 hours.[4]
Are there mandatory CME topics in Arizona?
Yes, but the scope is narrow. Physicians who hold a valid DEA registration must complete at least three of their 40 hours in opioid-related, substance-use-disorder-related, or addiction-related CME approved by the Board.[2][1] The rule does not specify an AMA category. These three hours count toward the overall 40-hour requirement rather than being additive. Physicians who do not prescribe controlled substances are not subject to this mandate at all. Beyond the opioid topic, Arizona does not impose other recurring topic-specific CME requirements on physicians.
Where can I check my Arizona medical license renewal date?
The Arizona Medical Board maintains a public license verification tool through its website at azmd.gov.[5] Search by name or license number to confirm your status and your renewal date. The board sends renewal reminders to the physician's address of record approximately 60 days before expiration, but it is the licensee's responsibility to track the date. Arizona does not extend the deadline for missed notices.
Can I carry extra CME hours over to the next cycle in Arizona?
No. Arizona does not allow CME hours to roll over from one renewal cycle to the next.[2] A physician who completes more than 40 hours in a biennium cannot apply the excess toward the following cycle. This makes careful tracking of both the completion date and the cycle in which each credit was earned important, and it is part of why Atlas CME emphasizes date-based filtering of credits against the active renewal cycle.
What activities count toward Arizona's 40-hour CME requirement?
Arizona's medical board rule lists qualifying activities by type rather than by AMA category.[2] ACCME-accredited Category 1 programs qualify, but the rule also accepts a broad set of academic and self-directed activity: residency, internship, or fellowship at an AMA/AAMC/AOA-approved teaching institution (one credit per day of training), full-time research at the same, instruction of medical students or house staff, publishing or presenting medical papers, and self-instruction — including video and recorded media, scientific journal and book reading, preparation for specialty board certification or recertification examinations, and participation on hospital staff, quality-of-care, or utilization-review committees. The only activity-based mandate is the three-hour opioid CME for DEA-registered prescribers.
Do Arizona MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Yes. Arizona licenses DOs through the separate Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery (AZBOE) — a distinct agency from the Arizona Medical Board.[6][4] Both require 40 hours of CME per biennial cycle, but DOs must earn at least 24 of those hours as AOA Category 1A credit, with AMA Category 1 credit capped at 16 hours.[4] MDs have no AOA category requirement. The conditional 3-hour opioid/substance-use CME for DEA-registered prescribers applies under both boards. See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/arizona/osteopathic) for the complete osteopathic requirements.

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. ARS 32-3248.02 — Health Professionals; Substance Use or Addiction CE
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “A health professional who is authorized under this title to prescribe schedule II controlled substances and who has a valid United States drug enforcement administration registration number or who is authorized under chapter 18 of this title to dispense controlled substances shall complete a minimum of three hours of opioid-related, substance use disorder-related or addiction-related continuing education each license renewal cycle.”ARS 32-3248.02
  2. Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-16 — Arizona Medical Board Rules (Continuing Medical Education)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “A physician holding an active license to practice medicine in this state shall complete 40 credit hours of the continuing medial education required by A.R.S. § 32-1434 during the two calendar years preceding biennial registration.”R4-16-102(A) · Effective 2019-03-09
  3. ARS 32-1434 — Continuing Medical Education; Audit
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “The board shall randomly audit, once every two years, at least ten per cent of physicians to verify continuing medical education compliance.”ARS 32-1434(D)
  4. A.A.C. R4-22-207 — Osteopathic Board CME Rule
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “Under A.R.S. § 32-1825(B), a licensee is required to obtain 40 hours of Board-approved CME in the two years before license renewal. … At least 24 hours are obtained by completing CME classified by the AOA as Category 1A, No more than 16 hours are obtained by completing CME classified as American Medical Association Category 1 approved by an ACCME-accredited CME provider”R4-22-207(A)
  5. Licensure — Arizona Medical Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13
  6. ARS 32-1825 — DO License Renewal; Continuing Medical Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “the licensee shall furnish to the executive director a statement of having attended before the license renewal date educational programs, approved by the board, totaling at least forty clock hours during the two preceding years”ARS 32-1825(B)
  7. ARS 32-1430 — License Renewal; Expiration
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “each person holding an active license to practice medicine in this state shall renew the license every other year on or before the licensee's birthday and shall pay the fee required by this article, accompanied by a completed renewal form. … A licensee's license automatically expires if the licensee does not renew an active license within four months after the licensee's birthday.”ARS 32-1430(A)

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Arizona Medical Board, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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