Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure · OSTEOPATHIC

100 hours biennially. 40-hour osteopathic subset. Specialty determines the Category 1 source.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from MBOL~1 min read
Licensed as an MD instead? Maine regulates MDs through a separate board. See Maine MD CME requirements →

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 18, 2026

Mandatory topics

For osteopathic physicians, 100 hours is the total CME requirement. Maine also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 100-hour total.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
3 hours of Category 1 CME every two years on opioid prescribing, per the joint Board Rule Chapter 21 shared with the MD board. Universal mandate for DOs. Counts within the 100-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“all clinicians must complete 3 hours of Category 1 credit Continuing Medical Education every two years on the prescribing of opioid medication regardless of whether or not they prescribe opioid medication.”
Me. Osteo. Bd. Rule Ch. 21 § 5 (eff. 5/27/2020)See source [1] 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.

ConditionalGeneral[2]
40 hrs
Biennial

Primary care DOs (family/general practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics)

View sourceVerbatim from source
“for primary care physicians is CME designated”
Board Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalGeneral[2]
40 hrs
Biennial

DOs in specialties other than family practice, general internal medicine, or general pediatrics

View sourceVerbatim from source
“education is considered CME designated as Category 1 by the AOA or the”
Board Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Maine 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
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
AOA Category 1 CME required for primary care DOs' 40-hour osteopathic subset. Counts toward the 100-hour total.SourceBoard Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)[2]
AMA PRA Category 1
DOs only
Accepted for the 40-hour osteopathic subset by osteopathic specialists, and for the remaining hours. AMA Category 1 (ACGME-accredited equivalents) count toward the specialist osteopathic subset.SourceBoard Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)[2]
Board-approved CME (remaining hours)
DOs onlymax 60 hrs
Remaining 60 hours (beyond the 40-hour osteopathic subset) may be other Board-approved CME (AOA/ACGME/AMA Category 1 or 2).SourceBoard Rule Ch. 14 § 1(6)[2]
Documentation & audit

Random 10% audit in odd-numbered years.[4] CME documentation is only required if the applicant is specifically prompted during renewal. DOs must retain independent CME records for documentation on request.

Title 32 § 2581 and Board Rule Chapter 14 verified 2026-04-18.[3][2] Renewal biennial per Board Rule Chapter 19, tied to birth month and birth-year parity: even birth year → renew in even-numbered years by last day of birth month; odd birth year → odd-numbered years.

Waivers & exemptions

DOs age 70+ are exempt from renewal fees but CME requirements continue.[4]

Board may waive or extend CME requirements for illness, hardship, or military service upon written petition. Active military duty (30+ days) suspends CME obligations during service plus 6 months post-release.[4]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Maine DOs need?
Maine DOs must complete 100 hours of CME per biennial license cycle.[3][2] At least 40 of those 100 hours must be 'osteopathic medical education' as defined in Chapter 14 § 1(7).[2] For primary-care DOs (family/general practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics), the 40-hour osteopathic subset must be AOA Category 1. For DOs in other specialties, the same 40-hour subset may be AOA, ACGME, or AMA Category 1. All Maine DOs also owe 3 hours of Category 1 opioid-prescribing CME each biennium under the joint Chapter 21 rule shared with the MD board.
How is the Maine DO rule different from the MD rule?
The Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure and the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine are separate agencies with different numeric frameworks. DOs owe 100 hours biennially with a 40-hour osteopathic subset.[2] MDs owe 40 hours of Category 1 CME per biennium. The two boards run distinct audit cycles — the DO board conducts a random 10% audit in odd-numbered years[4] — and separate birth-month renewal anchors under Board Rule Chapter 19. The 3-hour opioid-prescribing CME under joint Chapter 21 applies identically to both.
How does specialty affect a Maine DO's 40-hour osteopathic subset?
Board Rule Chapter 14 § 1(7) applies the 40-hour osteopathic subset conditionally rather than as a flat AOA floor.[2] Primary-care DOs — family practice, general internal medicine, general pediatrics — must complete those 40 hours as AOA Category 1 CME. DOs practicing in all other specialties may source the same 40 hours from AOA, ACGME, or AMA Category 1 content. The remaining 60 hours of the 100-hour biennial total are common to both groups and may be any combination of Board-approved CME.

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Other roles in Maine

Osteopathic Physicians (DO) 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. https://www.maine.gov/osteo/sites/maine.gov.osteo/files/inline-files/Rule%20Chapter%2021%20-%20Eff.%205%2027%202020_0.pdf
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “all clinicians must complete 3 hours of Category 1 credit Continuing Medical Education every two years on the prescribing of opioid medication regardless of whether or not they prescribe opioid medication.”Me. Osteo. Bd. Rule Ch. 21 § 5 (eff. 5/27/2020)
  2. Board Rule Chapter 14 — Continuing Medical Education (Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “for primary care physicians is CME designated”Board Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)
    “education is considered CME designated as Category 1 by the AOA or the”Board Rule Ch. 14 § 1(7)
  3. Title 32 § 2581 — Licenses; Biennial Relicensure (Maine Osteopathic Physicians)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
  4. Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure — Home Page
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18

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 Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure, 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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