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Florida CME and nursing CE requirements
Continuing education and license renewal rules for physicians, advanced practice clinicians and nurses licensed in Florida, as recorded by ClinLicense for planning.
Planning aid only. ClinLicense is not legal or compliance advice. Boards change rules between cycles, so confirm every requirement with the board before you rely on it.
- Licensing board
- Florida Board of Medicine
- License lookup
- Public license verification
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
MD CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-10-31 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-10-31. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
Board-approved course required At least one topic must come from a course the board has approved, and a general CME course may not count. Check the board’s approved list before you buy.
- Total hours
- 40 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone Board-approved course required | Prevention of medical errors, every biennium |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants Board-approved course required | Controlled-substance prescribing for those with DEA registration, every biennium |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 6 years | Everyone Board-approved course required | Every third biennium (every 6 years) |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | HIV/AIDS course at the first renewal only |
Notes. 40 hours per 2 years. MD licenses expire January 31. Florida may also have a human-trafficking and a Florida-laws requirement at certain renewals; confirm. DOs are licensed by the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine (see do).
DO CME requirements
Not yet verified Not yet verified, confirm with the board. This entry has not been checked against the board’s own published rules.
- Total hours
- 40 hours every 2 years, with at least 20 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (03-31)
- Board for this profession
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Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Prevention of medical errors, every biennium |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Controlled-substance prescribing for DEA registrants, every biennium |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 6 years | Everyone | Every third biennium |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | HIV/AIDS course at the first renewal only |
Notes. Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine: 40 hours per 2 years, at least 20 AOA Category 1-A, with licenses expiring March 31 of even-numbered years. Ethics and Florida laws hours are also required; confirm.
NP CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 24 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances; not waived by specialty certification |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | One-time before first renewal |
Notes. Board CE page: 24 hours per biennium; page table shows 16 general hours plus 10 hours at Nurse Practitioner level, with required topics. Also 2 hours recognition of impairment in the workplace every other renewal (no matching topic key). Nurses certified by an NCCA/ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the 3-hour controlled substances and 2-hour human trafficking courses. Registered Autonomous APRNs need 10 additional graduate-level hours.
PA CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 100 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | PAs with prescriptive privileges must complete 10 hours of CE in their specialty at each renewal, 3 of which must be a controlled-substance prescribing course from a statewide physician association (s. 458.347(4)(e)). Unclear whether these count within the 100 hours. |
Notes. Section 458.347(4)(c), Florida Statutes: each licensed PA must biennially complete 100 hours of CME or hold a current NCCPA certificate (so NCCPA maintenance satisfies it). Statute does not set a Category 1 minimum. Renewal fee cap $500 and application fee cap $300 set by the boards; the exact current renewal amount is not confirmed. Board page lists PA application $100 and license $205 (total $305).
CRNA CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 24 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances; not waived by specialty certification |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone | One-time before first renewal |
Notes. Board CE page: 24 hours per biennium; page table shows 16 general hours plus 10 hours at Nurse Practitioner level, with required topics. Also 2 hours recognition of impairment in the workplace every other renewal (no matching topic key). Nurses certified by an NCCA/ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the 3-hour controlled substances and 2-hour human trafficking courses. Registered Autonomous APRNs need 10 additional graduate-level hours. CRNAs are licensed as APRNs by this board; same page applies.
CAA CME requirements
Reviewed 2026-11-01 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-01. That date records our own review and is not a board approval. Some details below are marked for confirmation, so treat those as unverified until the board confirms them. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 40 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on a fixed calendar date (01-31)
Required topics
No mandated topics are recorded for this profession in this state. That is not the same as the board having none, so confirm with the board.
Notes. Section 458.3475(4)(c), Florida Statutes: each licensed anesthesiologist assistant must biennially complete 40 hours of CME or hold a current NCCAA certificate. Licensed by the Board of Medicine (confirmed in statute). Renewal fee cap $1,000 set by the boards.
Florida nursing CE requirements
Nursing boards usually count continuing education in contact hours rather than CME credits, and the nursing license renews on its own schedule, which may differ from the medical board dates above. Nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists have their own sections above.
Nurse Licensure Compact Florida has implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact. A registered or practical nurse whose primary state of residence is Florida can hold a multistate license issued by Florida, which carries the privilege to practice in the other compact states, and a nurse with a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Florida under that privilege. Renewal and CE for a multistate license follow the rules of the home state that issued it. The compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only, and advanced practice authority is still granted state by state. This compact list was last reviewed on November 3, 2026. Read the compact guide for RNs and LPNs.
Registered nurses (RN)
Reviewed 2026-11-03 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-03 against the source linked below. That date records our own review and is not a board approval.
- Continuing education
- 24 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- Nurses certified by an NCCA or ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the human trafficking course.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years
- Board
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Recognizing impairment in the workplace | 2 | Every 2 cycles | Everyone | Recognizing impairment in the workplace, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal; need not be board-approved |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | One-time before the first renewal |
Notes. 24 hours per biennium: 16 general hours plus the required courses, with domestic violence in addition to the 24 every third biennium. Nurses certified by an NCCA or ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the human trafficking course. First renewal after licensure by exam requires only the mandatory courses, and a license issued for under 24 months needs 1 hour per month held. Licenses renew every two years in staggered groups (for example April 30, 2027 or July 31, 2027), not a single fixed date.
Licensed practical and vocational nurses (LPN/LVN)
Reviewed 2026-11-03 This entry was last reviewed on 2026-11-03 against the source linked below. That date records our own review and is not a board approval.
- Continuing education
- 24 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- Nurses certified by an NCCA or ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the human trafficking course.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years
- Board
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Recognizing impairment in the workplace | 2 | Every 2 cycles | Everyone | Recognizing impairment in the workplace, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal; need not be board-approved |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | One-time before the first renewal |
Notes. 24 hours per biennium: 16 general hours plus the required courses, with domestic violence in addition to the 24 every third biennium. Nurses certified by an NCCA or ABSNC-accredited specialty program are exempt from CE except the human trafficking course. First renewal after licensure by exam requires only the mandatory courses, and a license issued for under 24 months needs 1 hour per month held. Licenses renew every two years in staggered groups (for example April 30, 2027 or July 31, 2027), not a single fixed date.
Certified nurse-midwives (CNM)
Not yet verified This nursing entry has not been checked against the board’s own published rules, so confirm it with the board before you rely on it.
- Continuing education
- 24 contact hours every 2 years
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years
- Board
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Recognizing impairment in the workplace | 2 | Every 2 cycles | Everyone | Recognizing impairment in the workplace, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal; need not be board-approved |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | One-time before the first renewal |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe and effective prescription of controlled substances, from a specified professional organization, every renewal; not waived by specialty certification |
Notes. APRN rule: the board's APRN page lists 24-hour style requirements by subject (16 general hours, medical errors, laws and rules, impairment every other renewal, human trafficking, 3 hours of controlled substances prescribing, domestic violence every third biennium, one-time HIV/AIDS) and mentions certified nurse midwives only for the autonomous designation, which needs current national certification. The page states no single total, so the 24 hours is carried over from the RN and general APRN rule; confirm with the board.
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS)
Not yet verified This nursing entry has not been checked against the board’s own published rules, so confirm it with the board before you rely on it.
- Continuing education
- 24 contact hours every 2 years
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years
- Board
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of medical errors | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Board-approved course every renewal |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Florida laws and rules, board-approved |
| Recognizing impairment in the workplace | 2 | Every 2 cycles | Everyone | Recognizing impairment in the workplace, board-approved |
| Human trafficking | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Every renewal; need not be board-approved |
| Domestic violence | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Every third biennium, in addition to the 24 hours |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | At first renewal | Everyone | One-time before the first renewal |
Notes. The board's APRN page does not mention clinical nurse specialists, and it is not confirmed that Florida certifies CNSs as ARNPs. The RN rule on the license applies: 24 hours with the required courses. Confirm the CNS position with the board.
See nursing CE requirements by state to compare Florida with other states.
Plan this renewal
Use the free opioid CME planner to see the controlled-substance rules for Florida next to other states, or the license cost calculator to estimate fees. Read how multi-state CME works if you hold more than one license.
Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologist assistants usually also maintain national certification, which has its own cycle. The recertification basics guide explains how that fits alongside state rules. Nurses who hold licenses in more than one state can read the Nurse Licensure Compact for RNs and LPNs.
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