Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline · MD

40 hours. Every two years. Statewide March 31 cycle.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from DBMLD~7 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Delaware has a separate osteopathic board. See Delaware DO CME requirements →

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

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 40 hours is the total CME requirement. Delaware also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 40-hour total.

Abuse Reporting[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Required of all Board-licensed professionals. Effective January 1, 2025, you can satisfy this with either a 1-hour 'Mandatory Reporting for Medical Professionals' course (required in your first licensure period) or a 30-minute refresher plus a 30-minute advanced supplemental course (topics include Abusive Head Trauma, Pediatric Drug Exposures, Medical Neglect, or Sentinel Injuries). Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit by the Medical Society of Delaware.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Recognition of child sexual/physical abuse, exploitation, and domestic violence; Reporting obligations under the Medical Practice Act and Delaware Code §903”
DPR Mandatory TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Alzheimer’s & dementia[2]
2 hrs
One-time
Applies to professionals renewing their license in 2027 or later. Once you've completed this training in any prior reporting period, you're permanently exempt upon sworn attestation — making this effectively a one-time lifetime requirement. Prior training completed for another state licensure, professional certification, or health care institutional agreement also counts.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“For professionals renewing their license after 2027, the Board must require that the professional have completed at least 2 hours of the total required during that reporting period of continuing education dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, or care of patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.”
24 Del. C. § 1713(d)(3)See source [2] in Primary Sources
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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[3]
2 hrs
Biennial

Practitioners holding a Delaware Controlled Substance Registration under Title 16 Ch. 47

View sourceVerbatim from source
“All practitioners must attest to completion of two hours of continuing education biennially in the areas of controlled substance prescribing practices, treatment of chronic pain, or other topics related to the prescribing of controlled substances.”
DE CSAC Regs § 3.1.3See source [3] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Delaware 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
AMA PRA Category 1
Source24 Del. Admin. Code § 1700-12.1[4]
AOA Category 1-A
AOA-approved equivalent courses are accepted. Delaware has a single unified board for MDs and DOs; both degree types satisfy the same 40-hour requirement.Source24 Del. Admin. Code § 1700-12.1[4]
Board-approved credit
Medical Society of Delaware-certified programs accepted per the Board's mandatory training framework.Source24 Del. Admin. Code § 1700-12.1[4]
Documentation & audit

DPR CE page: the Board conducts random audits. Documentation must show name, course title, provider, dates, and hours attended.[4] Upload certificates only when selected for audit. Documentation should be retained for the full two-year period.

Waivers & exemptions

First-renewal reduced requirement: a physician who is renewing for the first time and has been licensed to practice medicine in Delaware for more than 1 year must complete 20 hours of continuing medical education in Category I courses approved by the AMA or equivalent AOA courses.[5] This is half the normal 40-hour total, not a full exemption.

First-renewal zero-hours exemption: a physician who is renewing for the first time and has been licensed to practice medicine in Delaware for less than 1 year is not required to meet any continuing medical education requirements until the time of the next subsequent renewal of his or her registration.[5]

Residency and fellowship training: individuals enrolled in approved medical or osteopathic resident or fellowship training programs may be requested to submit proof of satisfactory participation in lieu of approved continuing medical education credits.[5]

Good-cause waiver: the Board may, upon application from the physician, waive the CME requirements for good cause shown — lack of compliance due to causes beyond the physician's control.[5]

Practitioners who do not provide health care services to or have direct patient interactions with adults age 26 or older are exempt from the Alzheimer's/dementia CE requirement.[2] Requires sworn attestation on a DPR-approved form.

Practitioners who do not provide health care services to anyone within the State of Delaware are exempt from the Alzheimer's/dementia CE requirement.[2] Requires sworn attestation on a DPR-approved form.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Delaware physicians need?
Delaware physicians licensed by the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline must complete 40 hours of approved continuing medical education every two years.[5] The reporting period is a fixed statewide biennium running from April 1 of an odd-numbered year through March 31 of the next odd year.[6] Both MDs and DOs follow the same 40-hour standard because Delaware uses a single unified board for both degree types.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Delaware?
Yes, but they come from three separate Delaware authorities rather than the Board's main CME rule. First, all Delaware physicians must complete at least 1 hour of child abuse recognition and reporting training per renewal cycle under the Division of Professional Regulation's Mandatory Training requirement.[1] Second, beginning with the 2027 renewal cycle, physicians must complete 2 hours of Alzheimer's/dementia CE.[2] The Alzheimer's requirement is effectively a one-time lifetime obligation: prior completion in any earlier reporting period exempts the physician by sworn attestation.[2] Physicians with no adult patient contact (age 26+) or no Delaware practice may also attest out.[2][2] Third, physicians holding a Delaware Controlled Substance Registration must complete 2 hours biennially in controlled-substance prescribing, chronic pain, or related topics — a prescribing-conditional requirement that applies only to CSR holders.[3] The main CME rule still imposes only the 40-hour Category I total with no topic carve-outs of its own.[5]
Does Delaware have a new-licensee CME exemption?
Yes. A physician renewing for the first time who has been licensed in Delaware for more than 1 year must complete 20 hours (half the normal 40) in AMA Category I or equivalent AOA courses.[5] A physician renewing for the first time who has been licensed in Delaware for less than 1 year is not required to meet any continuing medical education requirements until the next subsequent renewal.[5] The full 40-hour biennial requirement applies at the second renewal and beyond.
Where can I check my Delaware medical license renewal date?
The Delaware Division of Professional Regulation operates the DELPROS license lookup at delpros.delaware.gov/OH_VerifyLicense. Search by name or license number to confirm your status, expiration date, and any outstanding items. Because Delaware uses a fixed statewide biennium, your renewal date will fall on March 31 of an odd-numbered year regardless of when you were initially licensed.[6]
Do MDs and DOs follow different CME rules in Delaware?
No. Delaware has a single Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline that regulates both allopathic and osteopathic physicians, and both must complete 40 hours of CME every two years.[5] DOs may satisfy the requirement with AOA Category 1 Credit, AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, or a combination; the board does not require a specific ratio between the two credit types.
Do Delaware MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Delaware does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline and subject to the same CME requirements (40 hours per renewal cycle).[5]

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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. Mandatory Training Requirements — Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “Recognition of child sexual/physical abuse, exploitation, and domestic violence; Reporting obligations under the Medical Practice Act and Delaware Code §903”DPR Mandatory Training
  2. 24 Del. C. § 1713(d)(3) — Alzheimer's/Dementia CE (as amended by SB 319, 84 Del. Laws ch. 468)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “For professionals renewing their license after 2027, the Board must require that the professional have completed at least 2 hours of the total required during that reporting period of continuing education dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, or care of patients with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.”24 Del. C. § 1713(d)(3) · Effective 2024-09-30
  3. Delaware Controlled Substance Advisory Committee Regulations § 3.1.3
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “All practitioners must attest to completion of two hours of continuing education biennially in the areas of controlled substance prescribing practices, treatment of chronic pain, or other topics related to the prescribing of controlled substances.”DE CSAC Regs § 3.1.3
  4. Continuing Education and Audit Information — Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13
  5. 24 Del. Admin. Code § 1700-12.1 — Continuing Medical Education (Physician, 40 hours biennial)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13
    Show verbatim text
    “Prior to renewal of registrations to practice medicine in this State a physician must be prepared to supply the Board with proof that he has completed 40 hours per registration period of continuing medical education in Category I courses approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) or equivalent courses approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) since the time of the physician's last renewal of his registration.”24 Del. Admin. Code § 1700-12.1
  6. License Renewal — Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13

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 Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline, 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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