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Kentucky CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Kentucky regulates five clinician professions through different boards, each with its own continuing-education rules: physicians (MD/DO), nurse practitioners (APRN/NP), physician assistants (PA), nurse anesthetists (CRNA) and anesthesiologist assistants (CAA), regulated by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. Below, each profession's total hours, mandated topics, opioid/controlled-substance rule, and tracking, plus the one federal rule they share. Physician rules reviewed October 13, 2026.
Physicians (MD / DO)
Set by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 60 hours every 3 years.
Opioid / controlled substance
4.5 hours every 3 years: use of KASPER, pain management, addiction disorders. Trigger: authorized to prescribe/dispense controlled substances.
⚠ Kentucky gates its opioid/controlled-substance CME: a generic national course may not satisfy it. Board pre-approval required: program must be approved in advance by the KBML; a course must appear on the KBML 'HB 1 Approved CME' list in addition to carrying AMA PRA Category 1. Hard gate.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled substances / KASPER / pain / addiction | 4.5 | per 3-year cycle | controlled-substance prescribers |
| Buprenorphine / addiction medicine | 12 | per 3-year cycle | buprenorphine (MOUD) prescribers |
| Pediatric abusive head trauma (child abuse) | 1 | one-time | peds/radiology/FM/EM/urgent care |
| Domestic violence | 3 | one-time (within 3 years of licensure) | primary care physicians and psychiatrists (licensed after 7/15/1996) |
Citation: 201 KAR 9:310
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 14 approved contact hours per earning period (Nov 1 - Oct 31) for the RN license (201 KAR 20:215). Current APRN national board certification that is in effect during the entire earning period satisfies the 14-contact-hour requirement. APRNs must also complete a separate pharmacology CE requirement each earning period (see pharmSpecific).
Opioid / controlled substance
1.5 hours, every year, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | 5 contact hours | per cycle | prescribers |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 1.5 | Each annual earning period (Nov 1 - Oct 31); part of the 5-hour APRN pharmacology requirement | APRNs with controlled-substance prescriptive authority (CAPA-CS) |
| Pediatric abusive head trauma (recognition and prevention) | 1.5 | One-time (waived for graduates of Kentucky nursing programs after December 2011) | APRNs/RNs (KY-licensed nurses) |
Tracking: Self-report/attestation at renewal via the KBN Nurse Portal; KBN conducts random post-renewal CE audits. Kentucky nursing does not mandate CE Broker for nurses.
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 100 hours of CME minimum per 2-year renewal cycle (201 KAR 9:360, Section 2(1)); providers approved by AMA, AOA, AAFP, AAPA, or another board-approved entity. Aligns with NCCPA maintenance (100 credits/2 years, including at least 50 Category 1).
Opioid / controlled substance
7.5 hours, every 2 years, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | 7.5 hours | per cycle | prescribers |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 7.5 | Each 2-year renewal cycle | PAs authorized to prescribe controlled substances |
| Buprenorphine / addiction medicine | 12 | Each 2-year cycle | PAs prescribing buprenorphine products |
| Pediatric abusive head trauma (prevention and recognition) | 1.5 | One-time, within first 2 years of initial licensure or prior to first renewal cycle expiration | All PAs |
| Alzheimer's disease and dementia (warning signs, detection, assessment, treatments) | 1 | One-time | All PAs |
| HIV/AIDS education | 2 | Initial licensure (2 hours); renewal requires HIV/AIDS CME within the previous 10 years | All PAs |
Tracking: Self-report via KBML Continuing Education Certification Form at renewal; KBML conducts audits. Kentucky does not mandate CE Broker for PAs.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: 201 KAR 20:215 §3 offers competency validation by (1) 14 approved contact hours in the earning period including the §5 requirements, or (2) 'current national certification or recertification and the continuing education required by Section 5.' The §5 items (5-hour APRN pharmacology, 3-hour pain/addiction for DEA registrants, 8-hour SUD training for DEA registrants, and the one-time topics) are therefore owed by a CRNA even when NBCRNA certification covers the 14-hour base.
NBCRNA recertification counts toward state CE (partial). Current NBCRNA certification/recertification in effect during the entire earning period satisfies the 14-contact-hour base requirement, but not the Section 5 add-ons: the 5-hour APRN pharmacology requirement, the DEA-registrant pain-management/addiction and 8-hour SUD training, and the one-time content-specific hours must still be earned. National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
Opioid / controlled substance Confirm with the board
3 hours, every year, for CRNAs who hold controlled-substance registration. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics Confirm with the board | 5 | per cycle | All APRNs including CRNAs, regardless of whether the CRNA holds a CAPA-NS/CAPA-CS or DEA registration. 201 KAR 20:215 §5(1)(a): 'An Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) shall earn a minimum of five (5) contact hours in pharmacology, as required by KRS 314.073(9).' No CRNA carve-out. |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing Confirm with the board | 3 | Each annual earning period (nested within the 5 pharmacology hours); plus a one-time 8-hour SUD treatment/management training before the APRN's next DEA registration after June 27, 2023 (§5(2)-(3), mirrors federal MATE Act; prior DATA-waiver/SUD trainings count). | CRNA who is registered with the DEA and has a PDMP (KASPER) account (201 KAR 20:215 §5(1)(b), §5(2)). A CRNA who only administers anesthesia under KRS 314.042(12) without DEA registration owes the 5 pharmacology hours but not the 3-hour pain/addiction or 8-hour SUD items. |
| Pediatric abusive head trauma Confirm with the board | 1.5 | one-time (within 3 years of initial KY licensure; waived for KY program graduates after Dec 2011) | All nurses incl. CRNAs |
| Domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect and exploitation Confirm with the board | 3 | one-time (within 3 years of initial licensure; waived for KY program graduates after May 1988) | All nurses incl. CRNAs |
| Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia Confirm with the board | 1 | one-time (nurses licensed as of July 15, 2024: by October 31, 2027; later licensees within 3 years of licensure) | All nurses incl. CRNAs |
| Suicide prevention (1 hour general + 1 hour nurse toxic-stress/pathway-to-care content) Confirm with the board | 2 | one-time (within 3 years of initial licensure; waived for KY program graduates after Aug 2025) | All nurses incl. CRNAs |
Tracking: Self-report/attestation at annual renewal via KBN Nurse Portal; random post-renewal audit. Not CE Broker.
Some figures are marked “Confirm with the board”: the research could not pin them to a primary source. Verify with the board.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Set by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: Kentucky is unique: KRS 311.862 authorizes practice as an anesthesiology assistant only by a licensed physician assistant who (unless grandfathered before 7/15/2002) has graduated from a 4-year PA program and a 2-year accredited anesthesiology program (KRS 311.862(1)(b)). Because the credential is a PA license, PA CE rules apply: 201 KAR 9:360 §2(1) requires a minimum of 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal period from AMA/AOA/AAFP/AAPA-approved providers. No AA-specific CE regulation exists in 201 KAR ch. 9 (checked August 24, 2026).
State CE is owed in addition to NCCAA. 201 KAR 9:360 does not reference NCCAA (or NCCPA) certification as satisfying the 100-hour requirement; KRS 311.862 as posted does not mention NCCAA. National layer: NCCAA certification (50 CME hours every 2 years, 40 anesthesia + 10 general, plus the CDQ exam).
Opioid / controlled substance
No standalone state opioid/controlled-substance CE mandate identified for this profession. The federal DEA MATE Act (one-time 8-hour training) still applies if you hold a DEA registration.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pediatric abusive head trauma Confirm with the board | 1.5 | one-time (counts toward 100 hours) | All KY PAs (incl. anesthesiology assistants licensed as PAs) |
| Alzheimer's disease / dementia Confirm with the board | 1 | one-time (counts toward 100 hours) | All KY PAs |
| Controlled substance diversion / pain management / addiction / KASPER Confirm with the board | 7.5 | per 2-yr cycle | Only PAs authorized to prescribe controlled substances (anesthesiology-assistant PAs typically do not prescribe) |
Tracking: Self-attestation at biennial PA renewal; KBML may audit (201 KAR 9:360).
Some figures are marked “Confirm with the board”: the research could not pin them to a primary source. Verify with the board.
Federal: DEA MATE Act (all professions)
One rule is the same for every profession on this page. Every DEA-registered prescriber (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and any CRNA or CAA who holds a DEA registration) must complete a one-time 8-hour training on treating patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, as a condition of DEA registration/renewal (since June 27, 2023). It is federal and applies in every state, and it does not replace Kentucky's recurring opioid/controlled-substance CME. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward your state general CME/CE total. How the MATE Act differs from state rules
Authority: MATE Act §1263, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 (21 U.S.C. §823).
Notes (physician data)
- Former HIV/AIDS CME repealed about 2015. No suicide/implicit bias mandate.
Pick your profession and all your states in the free planner and get one 5-year schedule that batches your opioid/controlled-substance CME so a single course covers as many licenses as possible.
This page summarizes Kentucky board rules and statutes as of October 13, 2026 for five separately-regulated professions: physicians (MD/DO), nurse practitioners (APRNs), physician assistants (PAs), nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs). Each is governed by its own board and its hour totals and mandated topics differ. Never assume one profession's figures apply to another. Physician data is compiled from FSMB and state medical-board sources; APRN/PA data was validated against nursing- and PA/medical-board rules on July 20, 2026, with the opioid/controlled-substance timing structured on July 23, 2026; CRNA and CAA data was researched against nursing-board, medical-board and practice-act primary sources on August 24, 2026 (items the research could not pin to a primary source are marked “Confirm with the board”). This is educational information, not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with your own board before relying on them.