Hawaii Medical Board · MD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from HMB~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 19, 2026

Mandatory topics

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

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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Hawaii 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
Source§16-85-34(a)(1)[1]
AOA Category 1-A
AOA Category 1-A is accepted equivalently to AMA PRA Category 1. No minimum split between the two credit types is required.Source§16-85-34(b)(1)[1]
Documentation & audit

Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

Prorated first-biennium rule. Licensees initially licensed in the first year of the biennium must complete 20 category 1 CME hours (not the full 40).[1] Licensees initially licensed in the second year of the biennium are not required to complete any CME hours for that renewal.[1]

Hardship/waiver. The Hawaii Medical Board may waive or modify CME requirements where the licensee submits a notarized affidavit documenting: (1) full-time armed forces service; (2) undue hardship; (3) incapacity; or (4) other good and sufficient cause.[1] The affidavit must be submitted with the renewal application along with supporting documentation.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Hawaii physicians need?
Hawaii physicians licensed by the Hawaii Medical Board must complete 40 hours of approved continuing medical education every two years.[1] The reporting period is a fixed statewide biennium that ends January 31 of every even-numbered year.[1] Both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians follow the same 40-hour standard because Hawaii uses a single unified Medical Board under the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii is one of the lightest mandatory-topic states in the country. The Hawaii Medical Board does not require coursework on opioids, pain management, human trafficking, cultural competency, suicide prevention, child abuse, or ethics at the state level. All 40 hours can be allocated to the clinical topics most relevant to your practice, provided they come from an ACCME-accredited provider or an equivalent AOA Category 1-A source.[1]
Does Hawaii really still require 100 hours of CME?
No. Older third-party sources still cite a legacy 100-hour biennial rule with a 40/60 Category 1 / Category 2 split, but that framework is no longer in effect. The current rule, confirmed by the Hawaii Medical Board's own audit notices and the DCCA physician CME requirements page, is 40 hours of Category 1 or AOA Category 1-A credit per biennium.[1] The DCCA page is authoritative; aggregator sites have been slow to update.
Where can I check my Hawaii medical license renewal date?
Hawaii uses a fixed statewide biennium, so every physician's license expires on January 31 of every even-numbered year regardless of initial licensure date.[1] You can verify your status through the MyPVL public license search at mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov/public-license-search. Your licensee dashboard on the MyPVL portal also shows the exact expiration date and any outstanding requirements.
Do new Hawaii physicians have to complete CME for their first renewal?
It depends on when you were licensed. The rule is prorated rather than a blanket exemption. If you were initially licensed in the first year of the biennium (e.g., 2025), you owe 20 category 1 CME hours — half the normal load — at your first renewal.[1] If you were initially licensed in the second year of the biennium (e.g., 2026, immediately before the January 31 deadline), you owe zero CME hours for that first renewal.[1] Full 40-hour compliance is required from your second renewal forward.
Do Hawaii MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Hawaii does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Hawaii Medical Board and subject to the same CME requirements (40 hours per renewal cycle).[1]

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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. Physician, Podiatrist and EMT Continuing Education Requirements — Hawaii DCCA
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13
  2. Hawaii Medical Board — Homepage
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17

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 Hawaii 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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