Florida CME Requirements for Psychiatrists (2026): 40 hours every 2 years + ABPN

Florida requirements for all physicians

Renewal cycle: Biennially; MD licenses expire at midnight Eastern Time on January 31 in either even-numbered years (Group 1) or odd-numbered years (Group 2), depending on the group assigned at initial licensure.

40 hours of Board-approved CME in the 24 months preceding each biennial renewal (Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B8-13.005); the Board describes these as AMA PRA Category 1 hours, 38 general plus the 2-hour medical errors course
2 hours on the prevention of medical errors (root cause analysis, error reduction, patient safety, and the five most misdiagnosed conditions) every renewal
2 hours on prescribing controlled substances every renewal, for physicians registered with the DEA (Fla. Stat. 456.0301); from July 1, 2026 the course must also cover pain management in sickle cell disease
2 hours on domestic violence every third renewal (every 6 years) (Fla. Stat. 456.031); counts toward the 40
1 hour on HIV/AIDS (Category 1) before the first renewal only
First renewal: only the HIV/AIDS, medical errors, and (if DEA-registered) controlled substances courses are required; the 40-hour total does not apply
A one-time 1-hour human trafficking course is required of all Florida health professionals (Fla. Stat. 456.0341); the statutory deadline was January 1, 2021, and the hour counts toward the total; the statute and Board rule do not address physicians licensed after that date, so confirm with the Board if you were licensed later
CME is tracked and audited through CE Broker; keep documentation for at least 4 years

Mandated topics

Topic	Hours	How often	Applies to	Rule
Prevention of medical errors	2	every renewal	All licensees	Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B8-13.005; Fla. Stat. 456.013(7)
Prescribing controlled substances (opioids, alternatives, naloxone; sickle-cell pain management from July 1, 2026)	2	every renewal	physicians registered with the DEA	Fla. Stat. 456.0301; Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B8-13.005
Domestic violence	2	every third renewal (every 6 years)	All licensees	Fla. Stat. 456.031; Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B8-13.005
HIV/AIDS (Category 1)	1	first renewal only	All licensees	Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B8-13.005
Human trafficking	1	once (statutory deadline January 1, 2021)	all Florida licensees (Fla. Stat. 456.0341(1)); post-2021 licensees not addressed by statute or Board rule	Fla. Stat. 456.0341

All mandated topic hours count toward the total above.

What this means if you are a board-certified psychiatrist in Florida

ABPN sets the pace, not Florida. Florida asks for 40 hours per 2 years (20/yr); ABPN Continuing Certification asks for an average of 30 CME per year plus 16 self-assessment (SA-CME) credits per 3-year block. Meet ABPN and you will clear Florida with room to spare, as long as the mandated courses are in the mix.
The 2-hour medical errors prevention course is about patient safety, root cause analysis, and misdiagnosis; it is ordinary CME for ABPN purposes, and a psychiatry-specific version (e.g., diagnostic error in mood disorders, medication errors) can also support your ABPN Patient Safety activity if the provider designates it as such. The Florida course does not automatically satisfy ABPN's one-time patient safety requirement.
The 2-hour controlled substances course applies to every DEA-registered psychiatrist every renewal, and covers opioid prescribing, naloxone, and non-pharmacological alternatives. It also counts toward the federal DEA MATE Act 8-hour one-time training if the course is from an eligible provider. Benzodiazepine and stimulant prescribing fall under the same Florida prescribing standards (Fla. Stat. 456.44).
Florida does not accept ABPN certification or Continuing Certification participation in lieu of CME. Rule 64B8-13.005 offers alternative credit only for activities such as serving as an expert witness, Board service, supervising physicians, and pro bono care; board certification is not listed.
Florida joined the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in 2024, which speeds up licensure for telepsychiatry into or out of Florida; each IMLC-issued license still carries that state's own CME rules. Out-of-state telehealth providers can alternatively register under Fla. Stat. 456.47 without a Florida license.
Florida has a separate Board of Osteopathic Medicine (Chapter 459) with its own CME rule (64B15-13.001); DO psychiatrists should follow that rule, which includes an AOA Category 1-A component.
Your Florida license and your ABPN certificate run on separate clocks: the state rules above are checked at license renewal; ABPN checks 90 CME and 16 SA-CME at the end of each 3-year block. One activity can count for both.
Any AMA PRA Category 1 activity satisfies both. Only activities on the ABPN Approved CC Activities List earn Self-Assessment credit; topic-specific state hours (ethics, opioids, etc.) satisfy the state but are ordinary CME for ABPN.
A state-mandated patient-safety or risk-management course can also satisfy the ABPN patient safety requirement; a hospital QI project may satisfy your PIP.

Last reviewed August 23, 2026. State figures come from Florida Board of Medicine; ABPN figures from the CC Booklet (June 2025) and CC FAQ (April 2026). See the full ABPN CME requirements guide.

ABPN requirements (apply in every state)

Board certification and state licensure are tracked separately. Whatever your state requires below, ABPN Continuing Certification also requires, per 3-year block:

90 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits per 3-year block (average 30 per year) (full CME rules)
16 Self-Assessment (SA) CME credits per block, counted within the 90, from the ABPN Approved CC Activities List (what counts as SA)
One Performance in Practice (PIP) activity per block — a Clinical or Feedback module (how PIP works)
One Patient Safety activity, one-time, if your first block began in 2017 or later (who it applies to)
Either the 10-year CC exam or 20 ABCC articles per block (compare the two)
An unrestricted license and the annual fee ($175 for one certificate) (fees and statuses)

CME from any ACCME-accredited provider counts toward the 90; SA credit only counts from activities on the ABPN list. Read the complete ABPN CME requirements →

Common questions

How many CME hours does a psychiatrist need in Florida?

40 hours of Board-approved CME every 2 years, completed in the 24 months before your January 31 expiration date. The Board counts these as AMA PRA Category 1 hours, and they must include a 2-hour medical errors course, a 2-hour controlled substances course if you hold a DEA registration, and a 2-hour domestic violence course every third renewal.

Does ABPN board certification count toward Florida CME?

No. Florida does not accept board certification or ABPN Continuing Certification participation as a substitute for its 40-hour requirement. In practice, though, the CME you earn for ABPN (30 credits per year) more than covers Florida's 20 per year; you just need to make sure the mandated Florida courses are included.

Is opioid or controlled substance CME required in Florida?

Yes. Under Fla. Stat. 456.0301, every physician registered with the DEA must complete a Board-approved 2-hour course on prescribing controlled substances at each biennial renewal. It counts toward the 40-hour total.

When is the Florida medical license renewal deadline?

MD licenses expire at midnight Eastern Time on January 31. Florida splits physicians into two groups: Group 1 licenses expire in even-numbered years and Group 2 in odd-numbered years. Your group is assigned at initial licensure and is shown on your license.

Do I need the full 40 hours for my first Florida renewal?

No. For the first renewal, the Board requires only the 1-hour HIV/AIDS course, the 2-hour medical errors course, and, if you are DEA-registered, the 2-hour controlled substances course. The 40-hour requirement starts with your second renewal.

Is domestic violence CME required in Florida?

Yes, but only every third renewal (once every 6 years). The 2-hour course is required by Fla. Stat. 456.031 and counts toward the 40-hour total. If you hold more than one Florida health license, one course satisfies all of them.

Florida CME Requirements for Psychiatrists