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Tennessee CME requirements
Continuing medical education and license renewal rules for clinicians licensed in Tennessee, as recorded by MedLicense for planning.
Planning aid only. MedLicense 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
- Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
- License lookup
- Public license verification
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
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
- 40 hours every 2 years, with at least 40 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants Board-approved course required | Controlled-substance prescribing, including Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines, for prescribers |
Notes. 40 hours per 2 years. DOs: Board of Osteopathic Examination has separate rules.
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
- 40 hours every 2 years, with at least 40 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
- Board for this profession
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Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants Board-approved course required | Controlled-substance prescribing, including Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines, for prescribers |
Notes. A separate osteopathic board exists in this state, and its hours may differ from the MD board (some require AOA Category 1-A credit). Hours copied from the MD block. 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
- Not recorded every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Controlled substance prescribing CE incl. TN Department of Health guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol; required of APRNs holding a Certificate of Fitness (prescriptive authority) |
Notes. No fixed APRN CE hour total. Biennial renewal requires current national certification, one item from the RN proof-of-competence list (e.g. 10 CE contact hours is one option), and for Certificate of Fitness holders 2 hours of controlled substance prescribing CE. Keep evidence 4 years; subject to audit.
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
- 100 hours every 2 years, with at least 50 in Category 1 or the equivalent
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | Everyone | At least 2 of the Category I hours must address controlled substance prescribing, including the Department's guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol. |
Notes. Rule 1130-01-.12 (Committee on Physician Assistants, rules revised August 2021): 100 CME hours in the 2 years before renewal, at least 50 in Category I. Rules text read from the Secretary of State PDF; check for later amendments. Related fees in 1130-01-.06: biennial renewal $175.
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
- Not recorded every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
Required topics
| Topic | Hours | How often | Applies to | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid & controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Every cycle | DEA registrants | Controlled substance prescribing CE incl. TN Department of Health guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol; required of APRNs holding a Certificate of Fitness (prescriptive authority) |
Notes. CRNAs renew the APRN certificate biennially and show current national certification (NBCRNA named as an example) plus one RN proof-of-competence item; the 2-hour controlled substance CE applies only if they hold a Certificate of Fitness.
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
- Not recorded every 2 years
- License renewal
- Every 2 years
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. Since January 1, 2026 CAAs are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (HB 979). Licences renew every two years in the birth month. The board page lists 15 CE hours per calendar year, but that text refers to ABCP and a perfusionist licence and looks copied from another board, so hours are not recorded. Confirm with the board.
Plan this renewal
Use the free opioid CME planner to see the controlled-substance rules for Tennessee 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.
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