If you hold an Alabama medical license, the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners requires 25 hours of approved continuing medical education every calendar year - an annual rather than biennial cycle. Most hours can be in any AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA Category 1-A) subject relevant to your practice. Physicians who hold an Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate carry an added prescribing requirement, and a one-time professional boundaries course also applies. Below is the full breakdown of what you need, what counts, and when it is due.
25 hours / year
Twenty-five AMA PRA Category 1 credits each calendar year - Alabama is annual, not biennial.
Controlled substances
ACSC holders need 2 credits every 2 years on controlled-substance prescribing.
Professional boundaries
A one-time 2-hour Board-designated boundaries course.
First-year exemption
No CME is required for the calendar year your initial license is issued.
How many CME hours Alabama physicians need
Alabama requires 25 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA Category 1-A) CME every calendar year. Unlike most states, Alabama uses an annual cycle running January 1 through December 31, so credits do not roll over between years.
Mandated subject requirements
- Controlled-substance prescribing: ACSC holders must complete 2 credits every 2 years on prescribing, abuse recognition, and chronic pain management.
- Professional boundaries: a one-time 2-hour Board-designated course (new licensees within 12 months of issuance).
Renewal cycle and deadlines
Alabama CME is tracked on a calendar-year basis. Complete and document your 25 hours by December 31 each year. Excess hours cannot be carried over to the following year, and physicians are exempt for the calendar year in which their initial license is issued.
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View pricingAlabama Physicians (MD/DO) CME at a glance
- Controlled Substance Prescribing2 hrs
Holders of an Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (ACSC) must complete at least 2 credits every 2 years covering controlled-substance prescribing, recognition of abuse, and chronic pain management.
- Navigating Professional Boundaries2 hrs · one time
A one-time 2-hour Board-designated course, Navigating Professional Boundaries in Medicine, is required of licensees; new licensees must complete it within 12 months of issuance.
Always confirm with your licensing board
Alabama physicians (MD and DO) must complete 25 credits of approved CME each calendar year (January 1 - December 31). AOA Category 1-A credits are accepted for osteopathic physicians.
CME requirements change. Confirm current rules with the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners before relying on these figures.
Source: Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. Board website · Researched as of 2026-06-01 · CME rules change; this is administrative guidance, not legal or CME-accreditation advice.
Licensed in more than one state?
Interstate Medical Licensure Compact: active. Active and issuing. Physicians can obtain expedited licensure across member states; each state license is separate (and each renews on its own CME cycle).
Each state license carries its own CME requirement and renewal date — if you hold more than one, you need a plan for each.
Also licensing in Alabama or beyond?
Our sister teams handle the licensing side with the same concierge service.
Alabama Physician CME Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
How many CME hours do Alabama physicians need?
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25 AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA Category 1-A) credits every calendar year.
Is Alabama CME annual or biennial?
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Annual. CME is tracked on a calendar-year basis from January 1 to December 31, and credits do not carry over.
Do I need controlled-substance CME in Alabama?
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If you hold an Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate, yes - 2 credits every 2 years on controlled-substance prescribing, abuse recognition, and chronic pain management.
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