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Minnesota CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Minnesota 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 Minnesota. 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 Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 75 hours every 3 years.
Opioid / controlled substance
No opioid-specific mandate. Federal MATE Act (8 hours one-time) only.
✓ No board pre-approval needed: the federal MATE Act requirement is a single 8-hour course.
All mandated CME topics
No additional mandated topics identified beyond the total above.
Citation: Minn. R. 5605.0100
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Minnesota Board of Nursing, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: RN license requires 24 contact hours of continuing education during each 24-month registration period. For APRNs, maintaining current national certification in the licensed role/population is required and, per the Board, satisfies the 24 contact hours; there are no additional CE hours mandated specifically for the APRN license beyond the RN CE / certification maintenance.
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
No additional mandated topics identified beyond the total above.
Tracking: Self-report/attestation in the Board of Nursing online account at renewal; do not submit documents unless selected for a random audit; licensee must retain CE records. No CE Broker.
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 50 contact hours of AMA/AAPA Category 1 continuing education every 2 years as a condition of renewal. Alternatively, a PA may satisfy the requirement by holding current National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification.
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
No additional mandated topics identified beyond the total above.
Tracking: Self-report/attestation to the Board of Medical Practice at renewal; retain documentation in case of audit. No CE Broker.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Minnesota Board of Nursing, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: The RN license (which every APRN must hold) requires 24 contact hours per 24-month period. The Board accepts a current nursing specialty certificate from a national organization whose standards include periodic CE/competency requirements as meeting the CE requirement; NBCRNA is expressly listed among the seven Board-recognized certifying bodies. The APRN license must be renewed with current national certification and carries no separate CE hours.
NBCRNA recertification is accepted in place of state CE. Current NBCRNA certification both (a) is a condition of APRN licensure/renewal (Minn. Stat. 148.211 subd. 1a) and (b) satisfies the 24-hour RN CE requirement per the Board's continuing-education page. National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
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
No additional mandated topics identified beyond the total above.
Tracking: Self-attestation in the Board online account at renewal; retain records; random audit. No CE Broker.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Not authorized to practice in Minnesota. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in Minnesota: there is no CAA license, certification or physician-delegation pathway, so there are no state CE requirements to track here. Pending / recent legislation: HF 4460 (Huot et al.) / SF 4517 (Kupec, Nelson, Utke), 94th Legislature 2026 – 'Anesthesiologist assistant licensure established' (Board of Medical Practice, AA Advisory Council). HF 4460 introduced March 18, 2026, referred to House Health Finance & Policy; SF 4517 introduced March 17, 2026, referred to Senate Health & Human Services. Neither received a committee vote before adjournment (May 18, 2026); dead for 2026. Supported by MMA. 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. 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)
- No current recurring special-topic mandate. Former one-time 2-hour opioid best-practices (Minn. Stat. 214.12 subd.6) expired (was due 12/31/2022). MOC/board certificate accepted in lieu.
Common questions about Minnesota CME
How many CME hours does Minnesota require for physicians?
Minnesota requires 75 / 3 years of continuing medical education (Minn. R. 5605.0100). 75 hours every 3 years.
Does Minnesota require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Minnesota does not currently mandate a recurring opioid/controlled-substance CME topic for all physicians. No opioid-specific mandate. Federal MATE Act (8 hours one-time) only.
Does my opioid CME course need Minnesota board approval?
No board pre-approval: the federal MATE Act requirement is a single 8-hour course.
How is CME tracked in Minnesota?
Minnesota tracking: Self-report (attest at renewal). Board: Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Minnesota?
Yes. In Minnesota, 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 Minnesota?
CRNAs in Minnesota are regulated by the Minnesota Board of Nursing 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 Minnesota, 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 Minnesota
- What a Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.