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California medical license renewal

By the Interstate Medicine editorial team · Updated October 28, 2026 · How we check our facts

A California MD license expires at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the month it was issued, every two years, and there is no grace period. DO licenses renew through a separate board. Here are the fees and steps, from the Medical Board of California and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.

At a glance

Item	California (MD and DO)
Renews	MD: every 2 years, on the last day of the month your license was issued (licenses issued since January 1, 2024 run 26 months at first). DO: every 2 years through the Osteopathic Medical Board.
Renewal window opens	MD: BreEZe renewal opens within 180 days of expiring; email notices start at 180 days. DO: the board asks you to submit at least 30 days before expiration.
Renewal fee	MD $1,206 (includes the $25 loan repayment and $30 CURES fees). DO $455 (Osteopathic Medical Board).
Where to renew	BreEZe
CME	50 / 2 years. Full California CME rules
CME reporting	MD: certify 50 hours under penalty of perjury; the board audits a sample each year; keep records 4 years. DO: 50 hours, at least 20 of them AOA Category 1A or 1B, reported on the board's CME progress report.
Late or expired	MD: no grace period, and you may not practice on an expired license. A delinquent fee applies if you do not renew within 30 days of expiration, and a penalty fee after 90 days. After more than 5 years expired, a new application is required. DO: a $100 delinquency fee applies after expiration.

Checked against the board’s own pages on October 28, 2026. Fees and windows change; confirm on the board’s site before you pay.

How to renew, step by step

Complete 50 hours of CME for the 2-year cycle. See California CME requirements.
MD: if your license was issued on or after January 1, 2022, make sure proof of 36 months of approved postgraduate training reached the board through its DOCS portal before your expiration date. If you are still in a California-approved training program at your first renewal, the 36 months are due by your second renewal.
MD: sign in to BreEZe within 180 days of expiration and start the renewal. DO: follow the Osteopathic Medical Board's renewal instructions.
MD: complete the physician workforce survey and the financial interest statement, answer the disclosure questions, and certify your CME.
Pay the renewal fee and confirm the new expiration date on BreEZe license verification.

What renewal asks for besides CME

MD: the HCAI physician workforce survey (mandatory).
MD: a financial interest statement.
Disclosure of discipline and convictions since your last renewal.
MD licenses issued on or after January 1, 2022: proof of 36 months of approved postgraduate training by your expiration date (or by your second renewal if you are still in a California-approved program), or the license goes delinquent.
Unpaid state taxes or child support can block renewal.

Common questions

When does a California medical license expire?

An MD license expires every two years at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the month it was issued. Licenses issued since January 1, 2024 run 26 months at first, then 24. DO licenses renew every two years through the Osteopathic Medical Board.

How much does it cost to renew a California medical license?

$1,206 for an MD, which includes the $25 loan repayment and $30 CURES fees. A DO renews through the Osteopathic Medical Board for $455.

Is there a grace period for California license renewal?

Not for MDs. You may not practice on an expired license. A delinquent fee applies after 30 days and a penalty fee after 90 days.

How early can I renew in California?

MDs can renew within 180 days of the expiration date, on BreEZe.

Never miss a California renewal

The Interstate Medicine Ledger tracks your California license, DEA and other registrations, and counts every CME certificate against California’s rules and every other state you hold. $60 a year ($5 a month), 30 days free.

Start your Interstate Medicine Ledger California CME requirements

Sources

Educational information for physicians (MD and DO), not legal advice. Interstate Medicine is not affiliated with the Medical Board of California, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission or any licensing board.