Arizona Physician (MD) license renewal and CE requirements
Arizona physicians (MD) must complete 40 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Arizona Medical Board.
An active Arizona medical license renews every other year on or before the licensee's birthday. A licensee who renews more than 30 days after the birthday pays a late penalty fee, and the license automatically expires if it is not renewed within four months after the birthday. Practicing after that point violates the Medical Practice Act.
Summary
Arizona physicians (MD) must complete 40 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Arizona Medical Board. An active Arizona medical license renews every other year on or before the licensee's birthday. A licensee who renews more than 30 days after the birthday pays a late penalty fee, and the license automatically expires if it is not renewed within four months after the birthday. Practicing after that point violates the Medical Practice Act. Arizona also mandates specific subjects. Opioid related, substance use disorder related, or addiction related continuing medical education: 3 CME credits every renewal cycle (physicians authorized to prescribe schedule II controlled substances who hold a valid U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration registration number). Board prescribed training unit on the Medical Practice Act and board rules: required every renewal cycle. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
Arizona Physician (MD) renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Tied to the licensee's birth date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 CME credits |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Internship, residency, or fellowship at an AMA, AAMC, or AOA approved teaching institution (one credit hour per day of full time training, pro rata if less than full time); An advanced degree program in a medical or medically related field at an approved teaching institution (one credit hour per day of full time study); Full time research at an approved teaching institution (one credit hour per day); Serving as an instructor of medical students, house staff, other physicians, or allied health professionals in a formal training program; Publishing or presenting a paper, report, or book on current developments in allopathic medicine (one credit hour per hour of preparation, claimed after publication or presentation); Self instruction using videotapes, audiotapes, films, filmstrips, slides, radio broadcasts, or computers; Reading scientific journals and books; Preparing for specialty board certification or recertification examinations; Serving on a hospital, health care institution, or government agency staff, quality of care, or utilization review committee |
A.R.S. 32-1434 leaves the amount to board rule, and A.A.C. R4-16-102(A) sets 40 credit hours during the two calendar years preceding biennial registration. One credit hour is allowed for each clock hour of participation unless the rule assigns a different value. Excess hours may not be carried over to another two year cycle. The board does not set an AMA PRA Category 1 minimum in R4-16-102; Category 1 activity certified by an ACCME accredited organization is one of several ways to earn the 40 hours, so category_1_minimum is left null rather than assumed. If a physician misses the requirement because of illness, military service, medical or religious missionary activity, or residence in a foreign country, the board shall grant an extension of time on written application.
Required CE topics for Arizona physician (md)s
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid related, substance use disorder related, or addiction related continuing medical educationAt least three hours each renewal cycle. A.R.S. 32-3248.02 states the three hours are included as part of the health professional's overall continuing education requirement, so they count toward the 40 hours rather than adding to them. | 3 CME credits | Every renewal | Physicians authorized to prescribe schedule II controlled substances who hold a valid U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration registration number | A.A.C. R4-16-102(A)(1); A.R.S. 32-3248.02 |
| Board prescribed training unit on the Medical Practice Act and board rulesThe renewal statute requires the licensee to submit proof with the renewal form of having completed a training unit prescribed by the board relating to the requirements of A.R.S. Title 32 Chapter 13 and board rules. The statute does not state an hour value and the board's own description of the training unit was not readable, so hours is null. | Not stated | Every renewal | All licensees | A.R.S. 32-1430(C) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board mails a renewal form with a continuing medical education compliance section; the physician signs and returns it certified under penalty of perjury that the requirement is satisfied for the two calendar year period preceding biennial renewal (A.A.C. R4-16-102(D)). Certificates are not filed with an ordinary renewal. A.R.S. 32-1434(D) requires the board to randomly audit at least ten percent of physicians once every two years to verify compliance, and R4-16-102(D) also allows random audits. Acceptable activities are listed in R4-16-102(B) and include Category 1 programs certified by an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. The rules read did not state how long a physician must keep CME records. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Arizona MD need to renew?
- Arizona physicians (MD) must complete 40 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Arizona Medical Board. A.R.S. 32-1434 leaves the amount to board rule, and A.A.C. R4-16-102(A) sets 40 credit hours during the two calendar years preceding biennial registration. One credit hour is allowed for each clock hour of participation unless the rule assigns a different value. Excess hours may not be carried over to another two year cycle. The board does not set an AMA PRA Category 1 minimum in R4-16-102; Category 1 activity certified by an ACCME accredited organization is one of several ways to earn the 40 hours, so category_1_minimum is left null rather than assumed. If a physician misses the requirement because of illness, military service, medical or religious missionary activity, or residence in a foreign country, the board shall grant an extension of time on written application.
- How often does a Arizona MD license need to be renewed?
- Physician (MD) licenses in Arizona renew every two years. An active Arizona medical license renews every other year on or before the licensee's birthday. A licensee who renews more than 30 days after the birthday pays a late penalty fee, and the license automatically expires if it is not renewed within four months after the birthday. Practicing after that point violates the Medical Practice Act.
- What specific CE topics are required for Arizona physicians (MD)?
- Opioid related, substance use disorder related, or addiction related continuing medical education: 3 CME credits every renewal cycle (physicians authorized to prescribe schedule II controlled substances who hold a valid U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration registration number). Board prescribed training unit on the Medical Practice Act and board rules: required every renewal cycle. Citations: opioid related, substance use disorder related, or addiction related continuing medical education (A.A.C. R4-16-102(A)(1); A.R.S. 32-3248.02) and board prescribed training unit on the Medical Practice Act and board rules (A.R.S. 32-1430(C)).
- Do Arizona physicians (MD) have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. The board mails a renewal form with a continuing medical education compliance section; the physician signs and returns it certified under penalty of perjury that the requirement is satisfied for the two calendar year period preceding biennial renewal (A.A.C. R4-16-102(D)). Certificates are not filed with an ordinary renewal. A.R.S. 32-1434(D) requires the board to randomly audit at least ten percent of physicians once every two years to verify compliance, and R4-16-102(D) also allows random audits. Acceptable activities are listed in R4-16-102(B) and include Category 1 programs certified by an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. The rules read did not state how long a physician must keep CME records.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- A.R.S. 32-1430, License renewal; expirationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- A.R.S. 32-1434, Continuing medical education; auditStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- A.R.S. 32-3248.02, Health professionals; substance use or addiction continuing educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Ariz. Admin. Code R4-16-102, Continuing Medical Education (Cornell LII mirror of the Arizona Administrative Code)Third-party summary, accessed September 7, 2026
- MD Renewal Application, Arizona Medical BoardState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Arizona regulates MDs and DOs through two separate boards. This record covers only the Arizona Medical Board (allopathic, A.R.S. Title 32 Chapter 13, A.A.C. Title 4 Chapter 16); the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery is a different board with different hours and a different renewal date, and it is recorded separately in az-physician_do. Hours, the two calendar year window, the no carryover rule, the acceptable activity list, the attestation and the audit come from A.A.C. R4-16-102 read on the Cornell LII mirror; the Arizona Administrative Code is published by the Secretary of State only as a PDF, which was not downloaded. The biennial birthday renewal, the four month expiration, the required training unit and the ten percent audit come from A.R.S. 32-1430 and 32-1434 on azleg.gov. The Arizona Medical Board's own pages at azmd.gov sit behind a Cloudflare wall that returns 403 to curl and to automated fetchers; the MD Renewal Application page was read in a real browser and states the online renewal process and the controlled substance monitoring registration requirement but does not restate the CME numbers, which is why the rule and statute carry the values. The board's CME frequently asked questions document and the renewal checklist are PDFs and were not opened, so record retention, any first renewal proration and any cap on self study hours are left null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Arizona Medical Board before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.