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Texas CME and nursing CE requirements
Continuing education and license renewal rules for physicians, advanced practice clinicians and nurses licensed in Texas, 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
- Texas Medical Board
- License lookup
- Public license verification
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
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. 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
- 48 hours every 2 years, with at least 24 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical ethics / professional responsibility | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Medical ethics and/or professional responsibility |
| Human trafficking | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone Board-approved course required | HHSC-approved course, once per cycle |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Safe opioid prescribing for those who prescribe controlled substances |
Notes. 48 hours per 2 years, at least 24 Category 1. Additional rules exist for pain-management clinic and some specialty practice.
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.
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
- 48 hours every 2 years, with at least 24 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical ethics / professional responsibility | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Medical ethics and/or professional responsibility |
| Human trafficking | 1 | Every cycle | Everyone Board-approved course required | HHSC-approved course, once per cycle |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Safe opioid prescribing for those who prescribe controlled substances |
Notes. Copied from the MD block as a planning default; the osteopathic rules were not separately confirmed. Confirm with the board.
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
- 20 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology | 5 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Additional to the 20 hours, for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Controlled-substance prescribing CE, additional to the 20, for APRNs with prescriptive authority who prescribe controlled substances |
| Pain management | 4 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe and effective pain management/opioid prescribing: 2 hours annually (4 per licensing period) for APRNs with a prescriptive authority agreement authorizing opioids |
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Nurses in direct patient care | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course before every licensing period for nurses providing direct patient care; hours not specified; counts toward the 20 |
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | For nurses whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations, each licensing period (counts toward the 20) |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics, once every third two-year licensing period |
Notes. 20 contact hours of CNE in area of practice OR Board-approved national certification within the 2-year licensing period; certification cannot satisfy the jurisprudence/ethics requirement. APRNs with prescriptive authority who prescribe controlled substances total 28 hours per page. Page also lists forensic evidence collection (ER nurses), and 1 hour annually for APRNs prescribing opioids under the Pharmacy Board rule.
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. Always confirm with the board before you rely on it.
- Total hours
- 40 hours every 2 years, with at least 20 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Everyone | HHSC-approved course required before each renewal; cannot be carried forward |
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Within formal hours, if PA has a prescriptive authority agreement authorizing opioids or PMP access |
Notes. 40 credits per 24 months, at least 20 formal Category I (AAPA-approved sponsor), rest Category II; NCCPA maintenance presumes compliance with the hours but not all topic requirements. Also 1 hour nutrition/metabolic health (licenses expiring on or after May 30, 2027) and 2 hours forensic evidence collection for ER-practicing PAs (licenses expiring Feb 28, 2027 and later); not in the key list so noted here.
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. 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
- 20 hours every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | For nurses whose practice includes older adult or geriatric populations, each licensing period (counts toward the 20) |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and nursing ethics, once every third two-year licensing period |
Notes. Texas BON rule 216 CE applies to all nurses and APRNs (20 hours or certification per 2-year licensing period). CRNA-specific provisions not separately read; Confirm with the board.
CAA 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
- Not recorded, and the renewal cycle is not recorded
- License renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
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. Secondary source; confirm with the board. The CU Anschutz AA program lists Texas among states where anesthesiologist assistants practice through physician delegation rather than a board license; no Texas Medical Board AA license or state CE hour count was found, so hours remain null (not zero). Practice follows NCCAA certification maintenance (see national.CAA).
Texas 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 Texas has implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact. A registered or practical nurse whose primary state of residence is Texas can hold a multistate license issued by Texas, 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 Texas 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
- 20 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- 22 TAC 216.3: 20 contact hours of CNE in the area of practice, or a Board-approved national certification, per two-year licensing period.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
- Board
- Texas Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and ethics: Nursing Practice Act, Board rules, ethics and professional boundaries; must be CNE (certification and CME do not count); counts toward the 20 hours |
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Older adult or geriatric care CNE, or a relevant Board-approved certification, each licensing period for nurses whose practice includes older adults |
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course for nurses who provide direct patient care; hours not stated in the rule text |
| Forensic evidence collection | 2 | Once | Some licensees, see the note | One-time forensic evidence collection CNE within two years of starting emergency-room work; counts toward the 20 hours |
Notes. 22 TAC 216.3: 20 contact hours of CNE in the area of practice, or a Board-approved national certification, per two-year licensing period. Texas calls LPNs LVNs, and the same rule applies. Check 22 TAC 216.8 for the new-licensee exemption.
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
- 20 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- 22 TAC 216.3: 20 contact hours of CNE in the area of practice, or a Board-approved national certification, per two-year licensing period.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
- Board
- Texas Board of Nursing (LVN)
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and ethics: Nursing Practice Act, Board rules, ethics and professional boundaries; must be CNE (certification and CME do not count); counts toward the 20 hours |
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Older adult or geriatric care CNE, or a relevant Board-approved certification, each licensing period for nurses whose practice includes older adults |
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course for nurses who provide direct patient care; hours not stated in the rule text |
| Forensic evidence collection | 2 | Once | Some licensees, see the note | One-time forensic evidence collection CNE within two years of starting emergency-room work; counts toward the 20 hours |
Notes. 22 TAC 216.3: 20 contact hours of CNE in the area of practice, or a Board-approved national certification, per two-year licensing period. Texas calls LPNs LVNs, and the same rule applies. Check 22 TAC 216.8 for the new-licensee exemption.
Certified nurse-midwives (CNM)
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
- 20 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- 22 TAC 216.3(c): APRNs complete 20 contact hours in their role and population focus, or maintain Board-recognized national certification; the 20 hours are not additional to the general rule.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
- Board
- Texas Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology | 5 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Additional pharmacotherapeutics hours each licensing period for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
| Pain management | 4 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe pain management and opioid prescribing: 2 hours annually for APRNs with a prescriptive authority agreement authorizing opioids |
| Prescription monitoring program (PDMP) | 2 | Once | Some licensees, see the note | One-time course on controlled-substance prescribing and the prescription monitoring program for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and ethics: Nursing Practice Act, Board rules, ethics and professional boundaries; must be CNE (certification and CME do not count); counts toward the 20 hours |
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Older adult or geriatric care CNE, or a relevant Board-approved certification, each licensing period for nurses whose practice includes older adults |
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course for nurses who provide direct patient care; hours not stated in the rule text |
Notes. 22 TAC 216.3(c): APRNs complete 20 contact hours in their role and population focus, or maintain Board-recognized national certification; the 20 hours are not additional to the general rule. This applies to all APRN roles including CNMs and CNSs; the prescriptive authority items apply to those with prescriptive authority.
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS)
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
- 20 contact hours every 2 years
- Other ways to meet it
- 22 TAC 216.3(c): APRNs complete 20 contact hours in their role and population focus, or maintain Board-recognized national certification; the 20 hours are not additional to the general rule.
- Nursing license renewal
- Every 2 years, based on end of your birth month
- Board
- Texas Board of Nursing
- Source
- The board page this entry was checked against
Required topics
| Topic | Contact hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology | 5 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Additional pharmacotherapeutics hours each licensing period for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
| Pain management | 4 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Safe pain management and opioid prescribing: 2 hours annually for APRNs with a prescriptive authority agreement authorizing opioids |
| Prescription monitoring program (PDMP) | 2 | Once | Some licensees, see the note | One-time course on controlled-substance prescribing and the prescription monitoring program for APRNs with prescriptive authority |
| State laws & rules | 2 | Every 3 cycles | Everyone | Nursing jurisprudence and ethics: Nursing Practice Act, Board rules, ethics and professional boundaries; must be CNE (certification and CME do not count); counts toward the 20 hours |
| Geriatric medicine | 2 | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | Older adult or geriatric care CNE, or a relevant Board-approved certification, each licensing period for nurses whose practice includes older adults |
| Human trafficking | Not recorded | Every cycle | Some licensees, see the note | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention course for nurses who provide direct patient care; hours not stated in the rule text |
Notes. 22 TAC 216.3(c): APRNs complete 20 contact hours in their role and population focus, or maintain Board-recognized national certification; the 20 hours are not additional to the general rule. This applies to all APRN roles including CNMs and CNSs; the prescriptive authority items apply to those with prescriptive authority.
See nursing CE requirements by state to compare Texas with other states.
Plan this renewal
Use the free opioid CME planner to see the controlled-substance rules for Texas 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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