Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine · MD

40 hours. Every two years. Tied to your birth month.

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

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

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

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

Opioid / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
Universal mandate — applies to all Maine licensed physicians with prescriptive authority. Reinforced by Board Rule Chapter 21. Counts within the 40-hour total, not in addition to it.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Additionally, physicians must complete 3 hours of Category 1 credit CME every two years on the prescribing of opioid medication.”
02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11See source [1] in Primary Sources
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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
AMA PRA Category 1
Accredited programs from AMA, ACCME, or the Maine Medical Association's CME committee count as Category 1 at one credit per hour of participation.Source02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11(1)[1]
ABMS Maintenance of Certification
max 40 hrs
current ABMS Certification that includes maintenance of certification is deemed equivalent to the full 40 Category 1 credit hours per licensing period. Lifetime certifications do NOT qualify. The 3-hour opioid CME requirement remains mandatory and is not satisfied by MOC — physicians using the MOC pathway must still document 3 hours of opioid-specific training each renewal cycle.Source02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11 (amended 2/3/2026)[2]
Board-approved credit
10 credits per peer-reviewed journal article (limit 1/year); 5 credits per poster (limit 1/year); 2 credits per hour of teaching original Category 1 material (limit 10/year); 25 credits per medically related degree; 50 credits per year of postgraduate training; 25 credits for qualifying professional membership (e.g., AAFP).Source02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11(2)-(8)[1]
Documentation & audit

The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine conducts monthly random audits of approximately 10% of renewals. CME documentation is submitted only upon audit request, but should be retained for the full reporting period.[5]

Renewal is birth-month anchored with even/odd year parity: physicians born in an even-numbered year renew by the last day of their birth month in every even-numbered year, and physicians born in an odd-numbered year renew in odd years.[5]

Waivers & exemptions

Initial licensure. Applicants for initial MD licensure do not need to submit proof of CME, and the first cycle's CME requirement is prorated based on when the license was issued relative to the biennial renewal date.

Active duty military. The requirement is stayed for physicians called to active duty for 30 or more days, with a six-month grace period after release from active service. The board may grant full or partial waivers for returning veterans or their spouses.

Hardship deferral. The board may defer the CME requirement up to six months for prolonged illness, undue hardship, or other extenuating circumstances.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Maine physicians need?
Maine MDs licensed by the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine must complete 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit every two years.[1] Maine DOs licensed by the separate Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure must complete 100 hours every two years, with at least 40 of those hours meeting the board's 'osteopathic medical education' standard — AOA Category 1 for primary care DOs, or Category 1 from AOA, ACGME, or AMA for osteopathic specialists.[3][4] The two boards are independent, and the CME requirement depends on which board holds your license.
Does Maine require opioid or pain management CME?
Yes. Maine MDs with prescriptive authority must complete three hours of Category 1 CME every two years on opioid prescribing and the treatment of pain.[1] The requirement is codified in Board Rule Chapter 21 and the continuing education rule, and the three hours count within the 40-hour total rather than stacking on top of it. The federal DEA MATE Act imposes a separate one-time eight-hour substance use disorder training on DEA registrants. This federal obligation does not replace Maine's recurring three-hour state requirement.
When does my Maine medical license renew?
Maine uses a birth-month anchored biennial cycle with even/odd year parity.[5] Physicians born in an even-numbered year renew by the last day of their birth month in every even-numbered year; physicians born in an odd year follow the odd-year cycle. The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine license verification tool shows your exact expiration date, and renewal notices are sent to the physician's address of record in advance of the deadline.
Do MDs and DOs follow different CME rules in Maine?
Yes. Maine is one of only a handful of US states that maintains two separate licensing boards for physicians. The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine regulates MDs (40 hours biennially, 3-hour opioid CME requirement).[1] The Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure regulates DOs (100 hours biennially, with at least 40 of those hours meeting the board's 'osteopathic medical education' standard — AOA Category 1 for primary care DOs, or Category 1 from AOA, ACGME, or AMA for osteopathic specialists, plus a parallel 3-hour opioid CME requirement).[3][4] An osteopathic physician relocating to Maine should confirm with the osteopathic board rather than assume MD rules apply.
Are new Maine physicians exempt from CME for their first cycle?
Not entirely, but the first-cycle requirement is prorated.[1] The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine does not require proof of CME at initial licensure, and the first biennial reporting period is reduced based on how much of the cycle the physician was actually licensed. Full 40-hour compliance applies from the second renewal forward.
Do Maine MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Yes, substantially. Maine maintains two entirely separate boards. The Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine regulates MDs and requires 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit per biennial cycle, including a 3-hour opioid prescribing mandate.[1] The Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure regulates DOs and requires 100 hours per biennial cycle — more than double the MD total — with at least 40 of those hours meeting the board's 'osteopathic medical education' standard (AOA Category 1 for primary care DOs; Category 1 from AOA, ACGME, or AMA for osteopathic specialists).[3][4] DOs are also subject to the same 3-hour opioid CME requirement. See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/maine/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. Code of Maine Rules 02-373 Ch. 1 § 11 — Continuing Medical Education Requirements
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Each physician licensed by this Board with an active status license shall complete during each biennial licensing period, a minimum of forty (40) credit hours of Category 1 continuing medical education. Additionally, physicians must complete 3 hours of Category 1 credit CME every two years on the prescribing of opioid medication.”02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11
    “Additionally, physicians must complete 3 hours of Category 1 credit CME every two years on the prescribing of opioid medication.”02-373 C.M.R. ch. 1, § 11
  2. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine — Spring 2026 Newsletter (Rule Ch. 1 amendment)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “Current ABMS Certification, which includes maintenance of certification, is deemed equivalent to the required forty (40) Category 1 Credit hours each licensing period.”MBLM Newsletter Spring 2026 · Effective 2026-02-03
  3. Board Rule Chapter 14 — Continuing Medical Education (Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
  4. Title 32 § 2581 — Licenses; Biennial Relicensure (Maine DO Statute)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
  5. License FAQ — Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Physicians must complete 40 hours of Category 1 CME, including 3 hours of CME regarding opioid prescribing, during each renewal cycle. … Documentation is required Only if the applicant is prompted to provide it pursuant to a random audit. The Board conducts monthly audits of 10% of renewal applicants.”MBLM License FAQ
  6. Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure (separate board for DOs)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21

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 Licensure in Medicine, 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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