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Oklahoma CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. 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 Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 60 hours every 3 years (MD); 16 hours per year AOA Category 1 (DO).
Opioid / controlled substance
At least 1 hour per year: pain management or opioid use/addiction. Trigger: DEA registrants. (DO: 1 hour CS/pain must be a Board-approved seminar.)
✓ No board pre-approval needed. MD: no pre-approval (generic ACCME Category 1). DO: the 1-hour CS/pain seminar must be approved by the OK Osteopathic Board.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain management or opioid use & addiction | 1 | each year | DEA registrants |
| Provider rights & responsibilities / end-of-life medical treatment laws | About 1 | biennial | physicians at inpatient facilities |
Citation: 59 O.S. §495a.1; OAC 435:10-15-1
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: None strictly mandated for RN/APRN renewal; 24 contact hours of nursing CE per 2-year cycle is one of five acceptable 'continuing qualifications' options (OAC 485:10-7-3). APRNs holding independent prescriptive authority must complete a minimum of 40 hours of Category I CME within the 2-year period preceding renewal (59 O.S. Sec. 567.4a; OAC 485:10-16-6).
Opioid / controlled substance
2 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) | 15 contact hours | per cycle | prescribers |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 2 | Per 2-year prescriptive-authority renewal cycle (equivalent to 1 hour per year) | APRNs (CNP/CNM/CNS) with prescriptive authority who hold an active DEA registration number; waived if the APRN demonstrates no current DEA registration |
Tracking: Self-attestation at renewal through the OBN Nurse Portal; prescriptive-authority CE documented on the Board's 'Prescriptive Authority Continuing Education Tracking Form' (paCEU.pdf). Board conducts random and for-cause audits; selected licensees must submit proof of CE. Retain documentation.
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Oklahoma Medical Board), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: At least 20 hours of Category I Continuing Medical Education (CME) during the preceding calendar year (OAC 435:15-3-17). Newly licensed PAs are exempt from reporting CME until one year after initial licensure. A PA who fails to meet the requirement by December 31 must complete 40 hours of Category I CME (plus verification) before renewal.
Opioid / controlled substance
1 hour, every year, for every PA in the state. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 1 | Each calendar year (annual renewal cycle) | All licensed physician assistants (part of the required annual 20 Category I CME hours) |
Tracking: The Oklahoma Academy of Physician Associates (OAPA) logs and reports PA CME hours to the Board. PAs certify completion at renewal; the Board conducts random and for-cause audits, and audited PAs must submit proof of required CME within 30 calendar days.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: OAC 485:10-7-3 continuing qualifications (any one): 520 work hours; 24 contact hours nursing CE; current national specialty certification; Board-approved refresher; 6 academic credit hours.
NBCRNA recertification counts toward state CE (partial). Current national certification satisfies the base RN/APRN 'continuing qualification' (OAC 485:10-7-3 option 3) and is a CRNA license condition, but it does not replace the 8 pharmacology units required to renew CRNA drug-ordering authority; those units must themselves be 'recognized by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists'. 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
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia pharmacology CE (advanced pharmacology relating to administration of anesthesia) | 8 | per cycle (2 years preceding renewal) | CRNAs holding OAC 485:10-18 authority to order, select, obtain and administer drugs, which practicing Oklahoma CRNAs hold. Replaces (does not add to) the pharmacology rules for CNP/CNM/CNS prescriptive authority (485:10-16-6). |
Tracking: Self-attestation at renewal in OBN Nurse Portal; CRNA pharmacology units documented on the Board's prescriptive-authority CE tracking form; random/for-cause audit; retain documentation. No CE Broker.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Set by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: Licenses renew biennially on or before October 31 (OAC 435:65-5-1(a)). The renewal rule (435:65-5-2) requires the completed application, fees, current supervision protocol and proof of malpractice insurance/financial responsibility; it does not state an hour requirement. The Act requires passing the NCCAA exam for initial licensure (59 O.S. § 3206(B)) and the initial application requires 3 hours HIV/AIDS, 1 hour domestic violence and 2 hours medical-error CME (§ 3206(D)).
NCCAA recertification counts toward state CE (partial). NCCAA exam required for licensure; ongoing NCCAA certification maintenance is not expressly required by rule at renewal (confirm with Board – renewal form may ask for current NCCAA status). 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
No additional mandated topics identified beyond the total above.
Tracking: Self-report at biennial renewal; notarized CME statements at initial application.
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 Oklahoma'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)
- MD board only. No other special topics.
Common questions about Oklahoma CME
How many CME hours does Oklahoma require for physicians?
Oklahoma requires 60 / 3 years (Category I) of continuing medical education (59 O.S. §495a.1; OAC 435:10-15-1). 60 hours every 3 years (MD); 16 hours per year AOA Category 1 (DO).
Does Oklahoma require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. At least 1 hour per year: pain management or opioid use/addiction. Trigger: DEA registrants. (DO: 1 hour CS/pain must be a Board-approved seminar.)
Does my opioid CME course need Oklahoma board approval?
MD: no pre-approval (generic ACCME Category 1). DO: the 1-hour CS/pain seminar must be approved by the OK Osteopathic Board.
How is CME tracked in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma tracking: CE Broker for DOs; MDs self-report (attest at renewal). Board: Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Oklahoma?
Yes. In Oklahoma, 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 Oklahoma?
CRNAs in Oklahoma are regulated by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) and must also maintain NBCRNA certification (a 4-year cycle of 60 Class A and 40 Class B credits). Certified anesthesiologist assistants are regulated by the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision and maintain NCCAA certification (50 CME hours every 2 years plus the CDQ exam). Whether the state accepts national recertification in place of counted hours is stated in each section on this page.
More on Oklahoma
- What a Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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.