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West Virginia CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
West Virginia 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 West Virginia. 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 West Virginia Board of Medicine. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 50 hours every 2 years (at least 30 in specialty and 2 in nutrition).
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours once, within 1 year of initial licensure: a Board-approved course on “Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances.” The recurring per-renewal 3 hours was removed when both boards re-promulgated: effective July 1, 2026 (Board of Medicine, 11 CSR 6) and July 2, 2026 (Board of Osteopathic Medicine, 24 CSR 1). Trigger: any MD/DO/PA who prescribes controlled substances.
⚠ West Virginia gates its opioid/controlled-substance CME: a generic national course may not satisfy it. Board pre-approval required: the 3-hour Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances course must be Board-approved (WV Board of Medicine list; separately the WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine's list for DOs). Generic ACCME Category 1 alone is not sufficient.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment and responsible prescribing of controlled substances (drug diversion, best-practice prescribing, opioid antagonist) | 3 | Once: within 1 year of initial licensure (recurring requirement removed 7/2026) | controlled-substance prescribers |
| Nutrition | 2 (within the 50) | every 2-year reporting period (HB 4951, effective 6/12/2026; Board of Medicine emergency rule, 11 CSR 6 §4.1.1.b) | all |
Citation: W. Va. Code §30-3-12; 11 CSR 6; HB 4951 (2026)
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses (WV RN Board), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 12 contact hours in the clinical management of patients from a Board-approved CE provider
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours, one time, within 1 year of your initial license, if you prescribe, administer or dispense controlled substances (waiver by attestation if you do not). Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | 12 contact hours | per cycle | prescribers |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Once, within 1 year of receiving your initial APRN license (W. Va. Code 30-1-7a(b)); not repeated at each renewal | APRN who prescribes, administers, or dispenses a controlled substance; waiver available for those who did not do so |
Tracking: Reported to the WV RN Board at biennial renewal; the Board directs licensees to a CE Broker account for CE documentation/waiver submission
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the WV Board of Medicine (allopathic-supervised PAs) and WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine (osteopathic-supervised PAs), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: Minimum 50 hours Category I and maximum 50 hours Category II (AMA/AAPA/AAFP designated), per WV Board of Medicine Classic CME pathway; osteopathic board mirrors a 100-hour biennial requirement. Alternative: current NCCPA certification (passing recertification exam) satisfies the 100-hour CME requirement.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours, one time, within 1 year of your initial license, if you prescribe, administer or dispense controlled substances (waiver by attestation if you do not). Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Once, within 1 year of the initial PA license (W. Va. Code 30-1-7a(b); 11 CSR 1B §14.3, effective July 1, 2026; 24 CSR 2 §14.3, effective July 2, 2026). Both boards deleted the recurring requirement; the Board of Medicine's PA CME page still describes it as recurring, so confirm with your board. | PA who prescribes, administers, or dispenses a controlled substance; attestation/waiver available if none prescribed |
Tracking: Attestation at biennial license renewal to the respective board (WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine); the 3-hour controlled-substance training is attested for the two-year reporting period
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board / Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: §19-7-6.1.b: 'Evidence of completion of a minimum of 24 contact hours obtained within the most recent licensure renewal cycle; 12 hours in pharmacotherapeutics… and 12 hours in the clinical management of patients from an approved continuing education provider recognized by the Board. 12 hours may count toward the continuing education requirement for the registered nurse license.' Cycle July 1 odd year – June 30 next odd year.
State CE is owed in addition to NBCRNA. Current national (NBCRNA) certification/recertification must be evidenced at every renewal (§19-7-6.1.c) but the 24 hours are a separate documented requirement; AANA is a Board-recognized provider so CPC credits can count toward the 24. National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours, one time, within 1 year of the initial license, for every CRNA who administers controlled substances (waiver by attestation if none). Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics | 12 | per cycle | All APRNs incl. CRNAs, irrespective of prescriptive authority (rule ties the 12 hours to APRN license renewal; 8 of them may double-count for prescriptive-authority renewal under 19 CSR 8 / §30-7-15c(c)). |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 3 | Once, within 1 year of the initial APRN license (W. Va. Code 30-1-7a(b)); not repeated at each renewal | Any APRN incl. CRNA who 'prescribes, administers, or dispenses a controlled substance' (§30-1-7a(b)): CRNAs administer CS in anesthesia, so it reaches essentially all practicing CRNAs; waiver by signed attestation via CE Broker if none prescribed/administered/dispensed. Federal (not state): DEA MATE Act one-time 8-hour SUD training applies only to CRNAs who personally hold a DEA registration. |
| Clinical management of patients | 12 | per cycle | all APRNs incl. CRNAs |
Tracking: CE Broker (official tracking partner; Board verifies electronically at renewal); waivers uploaded to CE Broker; periodic audit. Keep certificates uploaded.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Not authorized to practice in West Virginia. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in West Virginia: 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 West Virginia'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)
- ⚠ rule changed July 1, 2026 (MD) / July 2, 2026 (DO): West Virginia's recurring 3-hour controlled-substance CME was deleted when both boards re-promulgated their rules (11 CSR 6 §3; 24 CSR 1 §4.10). Only the one-time 3 hours within a year of initial licensure remains. Both boards' own websites still displayed the superseded biennial language when this was verified on August 10, 2026: confirm with your board before relying on it.
- New for 2026: at least 2 of the 50 hours must be in nutrition each reporting period (HB 4951, effective 6/12/2026; Board of Medicine emergency rule 11 CSR 6 §4.1.1.b).
Common questions about West Virginia CME
How many CME hours does West Virginia require for physicians?
West Virginia requires 50 / 2 years (Category I; 30 in specialty) of continuing medical education (W. Va. Code §30-3-12; 11 CSR 6; HB 4951 (2026)). 50 hours every 2 years (at least 30 in specialty and 2 in nutrition).
Does West Virginia require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. 3 hours once, within 1 year of initial licensure: a Board-approved course on “Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances.” The recurring per-renewal 3 hours was removed when both boards re-promulgated: effective 2026-07-01 (Board of Medicine, 11 CSR 6) and 2026-07-02 (Board of Osteopathic Medicine, 24 CSR 1). Trigger: any MD/DO/PA who prescribes controlled substances.
Does my opioid CME course need West Virginia board approval?
Board pre-approval required: the 3-hour Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances course must be Board-approved (WV Board of Medicine list; separately the WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine's list for DOs). Generic ACCME Category 1 alone is not sufficient.
How is CME tracked in West Virginia?
West Virginia tracking: Self-report (attest at renewal). Board: West Virginia Board of Medicine.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in West Virginia?
Yes. In West Virginia, 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 West Virginia?
CRNAs in West Virginia are regulated by the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board / Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses) 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 West Virginia, 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 West Virginia
- What a West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.