New Jersey CME Requirements for Psychiatrists

New Jersey requirements for all physicians

Renewal cycle: Biennial licensure period; MD/DO licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years (next: June 30, 2027), with a 30-day late-renewal window before automatic suspension.

• 100 CME credits every 2-year biennial licensure period (N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15(b))
• At least 40 of the 100 credits must be Category I (AMA PRA Category 1 or AOA equivalent); the remaining credits may be Category II
• Within the 40 Category I credits: 2 in end-of-life care, 1 in prescription opioid drugs, and 2 in sexual misconduct prevention (biennia beginning July 1, 2025)
• One-time cultural competency training of at least 6 hours (N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.25) for licensees who did not receive it in medical school; for most physicians it is in addition to the 100 credits
• Perinatal care providers: 1 Category I credit in explicit and implicit bias per biennium (from July 1, 2025)
• Up to 25 excess credits may be carried into the next biennial period; records must be kept for 6 years (audit)
• Exempt: new licensees who completed accredited GME within 12 months before licensure (must complete a Board-approved orientation course within 24 months); inactive/retired licensees (50 credits per year out of practice required to reactivate)

Mandated topics

Topics marked in the table may be in addition to the total.

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

• New Jersey sets the pace, not ABPN. 100 credits per 2 years (50/yr) exceeds the ABPN Continuing Certification average of 30 CME/yr. Only 40 credits must be Category I, though; ABPN counts only AMA PRA Category 1, so plan for at least 60 Category 1 credits per 3-year ABPN block regardless of how you fill the NJ Category II balance.
• ABPN board certification or CC participation does not substitute for New Jersey CME. N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15 contains no diplomate/board-certification exemption.
• The 1-credit opioid and 2-credit sexual misconduct prevention courses are directly relevant to psychiatric practice (boundary violations are a leading cause of psychiatry board actions). Both count as ordinary Category 1 CME toward ABPN; sexual-misconduct or opioid-safety content can also be designed as an ABPN patient-safety activity if the provider labels it so.
• The 2-credit end-of-life care requirement applies to psychiatrists too (consider palliative psychiatry, capacity assessment, or MAID-related content under NJ's Medical Aid in Dying Act).
• Cultural competency (6 hours, once) is in addition to the 100 credits for most physicians, but it is still AMA PRA Category 1 and counts toward ABPN CME.
• New Jersey is an Interstate Medical Licensure Compact member state; the NJ Board of Medical Examiners accepts IMLCC applications, so qualifying psychiatrists can obtain an expedited full NJ license (or use an NJ license as the basis for other Compact states) for cross-state telepsychiatry.
• Your New Jersey 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 New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners; ABPN figures from the CC Booklet (June 2025) and CC FAQ (April 2026). See the full ABPN CME requirements guide.

Common questions

How many CME hours do I need in New Jersey?

100 credits every 2-year biennial period, at least 40 of them Category I (AMA PRA Category 1). The other credits may be Category II.

Does board certification count toward New Jersey CME?

No. New Jersey has no exemption for ABPN diplomates or Continuing Certification participants; the 100-credit requirement applies to every active licensee. Category 1 CME you earn for ABPN CC counts toward the NJ total, however.

Is opioid CME required in New Jersey?

Yes. 1 of the 40 Category I credits each biennium must address prescription opioid drugs (responsible prescribing, alternatives, risks of abuse and addiction), per N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15(d).

Is sexual misconduct prevention CME required in New Jersey?

Yes, starting with the biennium beginning July 1, 2025: 2 Category I credits in sexual misconduct prevention each renewal (N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15(e)).

When is the New Jersey physician license renewal deadline?

MD/DO licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years (next: June 30, 2027). Licenses run on a 2-year biennial period with a 30-day late-renewal window before automatic suspension (N.J.A.C. 13:35-3.14).

Do I need CME for my first New Jersey renewal?

If you completed an accredited residency/fellowship within 12 months before licensure, you are exempt from CME for the first renewal but must complete a Board-approved orientation course within 24 months. Also complete the one-time 6-hour cultural competency training by the end of your first complete renewal cycle.