A source-verified guide to North Carolina's CME requirements for physicians — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.
Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 21, 2026
North Carolina has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 60-hour total.
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.
Physicians who prescribe controlled substances
“Any physician or physician assistant who prescribes controlled substances of any kind must complete continuing medical education in opioid prescribing and related topics during each CME cycle.”
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, North Carolina 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 system | Notes |
|---|---|
AMA PRA Category 1 min 60 hrs | All 60 required hours must be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit (or AOA Category 1-A for DOs — the NCMB licenses MDs and DOs jointly and Category I is the governing standard). North Carolina does not accept Category 2 hours toward the 60-hour requirement.Source21 NCAC 32R .0101[2] |
AOA Category 1-A DOs only | AOA Category 1-A is treated as Category I equivalent for DO licensees, who are licensed jointly with MDs through NCMB.Source21 NCAC 32R .0101[2] |
AAFP Prescribed | 'the AAFP Prescribed credit is equivalent to AMA Physician's Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 credit, which is acceptable category 1 for the NC Medical Board.'SourceNCMB CME FAQ[2] |
Documentation does not need to be submitted to the board at renewal. Physicians attest to compliance, and the board may audit. Records must be retained for 6 years.[2]
The three-year cycle begins on the physician's birthday following the issuance of the license.[2] Each physician has their own renewal date, not a shared calendar deadline.
Physicians actively engaged in a program of recertification or Maintenance of Certification (MOC) through an ABMS, AOA, or RCPSC specialty board are exempt from reporting CME hours for any year in which they participate in MOC.[2]
Physicians who obtain initial certification from an ABMS, AOA, or RCPSC specialty board are deemed to have satisfied the CME requirement for the three-year cycle in which initial certification was obtained.[2]
Physicians in good standing with the Board who are serving in the armed forces in a combat zone or in support of a military contingency operation as defined by 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(13) are exempt from reporting CME.[2]
Physicians currently serving as members of the North Carolina General Assembly's House or Senate Health committees are exempt from reporting CME hours.[2]
Physicians currently enrolled in an ACGME- or AOA-accredited graduate medical education program and holding a residency training license are exempt from reporting CME.[2]
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your your birth month renewal.
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.
“Any physician or physician assistant who prescribes controlled substances of any kind must complete continuing medical education in opioid prescribing and related topics during each CME cycle.”NCMB CS-CME page
“The CME requirement for physicians is at least 60 hours of Category I CME completed over a three-year cycle. There is no minimum CME that needs to be taken per year. Note: A 2015-2016 state budget provision requires that if you write prescriptions for controlled substances, you must have three of the required 60 hours specifically focused on CS CME.”NCMB CME FAQ