Hawaii Medical Board · MD

40 Category 1 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~7 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated 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
The operative requirement is 40 Category 1 (or AOA Category 1-A) hours per biennium: HRS §453-6 frames the renewal CME obligation as Category 1/1A hours only, and the board audits to 40 Category 1/1A hours. The compiled HAR §16-85-33(3)/§16-85-34 still describe a 100-hour scheme with a 60-hour Category 2 component; that Category 2 structure is vestigial 1997 rule text not adopted by the statute and not enforced.SourceHRS §453-6(c)[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 or 1A CME hours — half the full 40 — at their first renewal, per the board's audit practice ('20 category 1 or 1A CME hours if you initially received your license in Hawaii' in the first year of the biennium; 'Only 20 hours are required for the initial renewal').[4] Licensees initially licensed in the second year of the biennium are not required to complete any CME hours for that renewal.[3] (The compiled HAR §16-85-33(1) states this proration in its vestigial 100-hour terms — 50 hours — but the board's enforced proration is 20 Category 1/1A.)

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 Category 1 (or AOA Category 1-A) continuing medical education every two years — the requirement HRS §453-6 sets out and the board enforces at audit.[2] The reporting period is a fixed statewide biennium that ends January 31 of every even-numbered year.[3] Both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) physicians follow the same 40-hour Category 1/1A 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 — they simply must be Category 1 credit from an ACCME-accredited provider or equivalent AOA Category 1-A credit.[2]
Does Hawaii really still require 100 hours of CME?
No — not in practice. The operative requirement is 40 Category 1 or 1A hours per biennium. The current statute, HRS §453-6, frames the entire renewal CME obligation as Category 1 or 1A hours per the board's rules,[2] and the board's own audit practice applies exactly 40 Category 1/1A hours ("You will need: 40 category 1 or 1A CME hours..."), with a 20-hour prorated first renewal and an 80-hour make-up after a waiver — all multiples of 40, never 100.[4] A 100-hour figure (40 Category 1 plus 60 Category 2, or 100 Category 1) does appear in the compiled HAR §16-85-33(3)/§16-85-34(a) rule text, but that text has not been amended since 1997, its Category 2 component is not adopted by the statute, and the board does not enforce it — vestigial rule text that remains a standing source of confusion.[3]
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.[3] 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 or 1A CME hours — half the normal load — at your first renewal.[4] 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.[3] 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 requirement: 40 Category 1 (AMA PRA) or Category 1A (AOA) hours per renewal cycle.[2]

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Other roles in Hawaii

Physicians CME requirements in other states

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
    Show verbatim text
    “The board may... waive or modify the CME requirements... provided that the licensee submits a notarized affidavit setting forth the facts which include: (1) Full-time service in the armed forces of the United States; (2) An undue hardship which prevented the completion of the CME; (3) An incapacity which prevented the completion of the CME; or (4) Other good and sufficient cause as determined by the board.”HAR § 16-85-39
  2. HRS §453-6 — Fees; expenses (biennial renewal + Category 1/1A CME compliance)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-01
  3. HAR § 16-85-33 — Biennial Renewal (Physician CME)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-01
    Show verbatim text
    “(3) All other licensees, except licensees who were issued limited and temporary licenses, shall have completed forty category 1 CME hours, and sixty category 2 CME hours, or one hundred category 1 CME hours.”HAR § 16-85-33
  4. Hawaii Medical Board — 2020 License Renewal / CME Random Audit Memorandum
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-01
  5. 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 medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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