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Louisiana CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Louisiana regulates four clinician professions through different boards, each with its own continuing-education rules: physicians (MD/DO), nurse practitioners (APRN/NP), physician assistants (PA) and nurse anesthetists (CRNA). Anesthesiologist assistants (CAA) cannot practice in Louisiana. 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 Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 20 hours per year.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours one-time (before first renewal): best-practice CDS prescribing, drug diversion, addiction treatment, chronic pain (single curriculum, all four topics). Trigger: CDS-license holders.
⚠ Louisiana gates its opioid/controlled-substance CME: a generic national course may not satisfy it. Board pre-approval required: LSBME designates the approved course; generic AMA Category 1 is not sufficient on its own. Hard gate (Act 76 / §4005).
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled substances / drug diversion / addiction / pain | 3 | one-time (before 1st renewal on/after 1/1/2019) | CDS/controlled-substance license holders |
| Board orientation | 2 | one-time (initial renewal) | all new licensees |
| Nutrition & metabolic health | 1 | every 4 years (effective 1/1/2026) | most clinical specialties |
| Sickle cell disease | 1 + 1 refresher | initial, then a refresher at least every 3 years (Act 744 of 2024; in force since 8/1/2024) | emergency medicine physicians |
Citation: La. Administrative Code tit. 46 §XLV.435
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: RN-level relicensure (which APRNs must also satisfy): a minimum of 30 board-approved contact hours of CE or 900 practice hours (employer-verified) per 2-year cycle. APRNs who hold active national board certification satisfy the RN renewal CE requirement by maintaining that certification. Cite LAC 46:XLVII.3333/3335.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours, one time, 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) | 12 | per cycle | prescribers |
| Controlled dangerous substance (CDS) prescribing: 3 credit hours (drug diversion, best-practice prescribing, addiction treatment, chronic pain) | 3 | One-time; prerequisite to renewal for CDS-license holders. Exemption via attestation if no CDS prescribing during reporting period. | All practitioners with prescriptive authority holding a CDS license, profession-agnostic; includes APRNs with prescriptive authority (veterinarians excluded) |
| Nutrition & metabolic health | 1 | At least 1 hour every 4 years, from January 1, 2026 | APRNs practicing family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics or gynecology (La. R.S. 37:920(G), Act 463 of 2025) |
Tracking: LSBN credentialing portal / self-report with audit. LSBN does not use CE Broker (that is the LSBME/physician-side system).
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 100 hours CME per 2-year accrual cycle; maintain active NCCPA certification (100 hours per 2 years including 50 Category 1). LSBME license renewal is annual (birth month); first renewal requires a PA Laws & Rules course.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours, one time, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. A board-approved / state-specific course is required. Generic accredited credit may not count. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | None | per cycle | prescribers |
| Controlled dangerous substance (CDS) prescribing: 3 hours Board pre-approved (best practices, drug diversion, addiction treatment, chronic pain) | 3 | One-time; before first renewal after obtaining CDS license (effective 1/1/2025). Exemption via attestation if no CDS prescribing prior year. | All LSBME licensees with a CDS license: includes PAs with prescriptive authority |
| Nutrition & metabolic health | 1 | Every 4 years (effective 1/1/2026) | PAs in 18 specified clinical specialties |
| Sickle cell disease | 1 + 1 refresher | Initial then at least every 3 years (effective 1/1/2026) | Emergency medicine PAs |
Tracking: CE Broker (mandatory for all LSBME licensees including PAs). License cannot renew unless CE Broker shows required credits.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: LAC 46:XLVII.4515.A: 'APRNs maintain advanced practice recertification in accordance with the nationally recognized certifying body's criteria as approved by the board; or' (if certification unavailable/grandfathered) meet renewal requirements in §4507.E.2. Board may perform on-site review. RN-level renewal: 30 hours, 900 practice hours, or national certification.
NBCRNA recertification is accepted in place of state CE. Maintaining NBCRNA CPC recertification is the APRN continued-competence requirement itself (§4515.A.1) and, per the LSBN CE FAQ, active national certification also satisfies the RN CE requirement. Only a CRNA who separately holds LSBN prescriptive authority owes additional hours (see pharmacology). 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, one time, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled dangerous substances (drug diversion, best-practice prescribing, addiction treatment) | 3 | one-time (prerequisite to first renewal after obtaining CDS privileges) | Only if you hold prescriptive authority and a CDS license - not the typical CRNA; waivable by attestation of no CS prescribing/administering/dispensing |
Tracking: LSBN online portal self-report/attestation; national certification verified; random audit. LSBN does not use CE Broker (CE Broker is LSBME/physician side).
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)
Not authorized to practice in Louisiana. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in Louisiana: there is no CAA license, certification or physician-delegation pathway, so there are no state CE requirements to track here. No pending licensure bill was found as of August 2026. NCCAA certification requirements (50 CME hours every 2 years + the CDQ exam) still apply nationally.
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 Louisiana's own one-time opioid/controlled-substance course. 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)
- Per Act 463 (2025) / R.S. 37:1270: nutrition and metabolic health is 1 hour every 4 years, effective 1/1/2026 (not every 2 years from mid-2025, as some summaries say). The statute makes it mandatory ('shall require'); LSBME course-content rules may follow but do not delay the mandate.
Common questions about Louisiana CME
How many CME hours does Louisiana require for physicians?
Louisiana requires 20 / year (Category 1) of continuing medical education (La. Administrative Code tit. 46 §XLV.435). 20 hours per year.
Does Louisiana require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. 3 hours one-time (before first renewal): best-practice CDS prescribing, drug diversion, addiction treatment, chronic pain (single curriculum, all four topics). Trigger: CDS-license holders.
Does my opioid CME course need Louisiana board approval?
Board pre-approval required: LSBME designates the approved course; generic AMA Category 1 is not sufficient on its own. Hard gate (Act 76 / §4005).
How is CME tracked in Louisiana?
Louisiana tracking: CE Broker. Board: Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Louisiana?
Yes. In Louisiana, nurse practitioners (APRNs) are licensed by the board of nursing and physician assistants (PAs) by the PA/medical board, each setting its own CE hours and mandated topics. These differ from the physician (MD/DO) figures. The federal DEA MATE Act and most state opioid/controlled-substance prescribing CME still apply to APRNs and PAs who hold a DEA registration. See the profession-specific sections on this page.
What are the CME requirements for CRNAs and anesthesiologist assistants in Louisiana?
CRNAs in Louisiana are regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) and must also maintain NBCRNA certification (a 4-year cycle of 60 Class A and 40 Class B credits). Certified anesthesiologist assistants are not authorized to practice in Louisiana, so there are no state CAA CE requirements; NCCAA certification (50 CME hours every 2 years plus the CDQ exam) still applies nationally. See the CRNA and CAA sections on this page.
More on Louisiana
- What a Louisiana license costs, and how long the board says it takes
- What else can hold up a renewal: PDMP accounts, fingerprints, lawful presence
- Licensed in more than one state? How one course can count in several
- Adding a state through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
- Track Louisiana CME next to your other licenses
Every license, certificate and renewal date on one list, checked against each board’s own rules, with a reminder before anything is due. 30 days free with a card on file. Licensed in more than one state? The free planner times your opioid and controlled-substance hours so one course counts in as many states as it can.
This page summarizes Louisiana 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.