Nebraska Osteopathic Physician (DO) license renewal and CE requirements
Nebraska osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery, Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health Licensure Unit.
Physician and osteopathic physician licenses expire October 1 of every even numbered year, regardless of when the license was issued. A paper renewal must be postmarked on or before October 1, or the license expires and must be reinstated.
Summary
Nebraska osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery, Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health Licensure Unit. Physician and osteopathic physician licenses expire October 1 of every even numbered year, regardless of when the license was issued. A paper renewal must be postmarked on or before October 1, or the license expires and must be reinstated. Nebraska also mandates specific subjects. Continuing education on prescribing opiates, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: 3 CME credits every renewal cycle (physicians and osteopathic physicians who prescribe controlled substances). Up to 25 excess CME credits carry over to the next cycle and the first renewal is exempt.
Nebraska Osteopathic Physician (DO) 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 | Same date for every licensee, 10/01 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 50 CME credits |
| Category 1 minimum | 50 CME credits |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 25 CME credits |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | One year of participation in an approved graduate medical education program counts as the full 50 hours of Category 1 continuing education; The American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award earned in the 24 months before expiration; The American Osteopathic Association Continuing Medical Education Certification earned in the 24 months before expiration; Active-Military renewal status carries no continuing education requirement; Inactive status carries no continuing education requirement |
50 hours of Category 1 continuing education approved by the ACCME or the AOA, earned within the 24 months immediately preceding the expiration date. A licensee who earns more than 50 hours in a cycle may carry up to 25 hours into the next 24 month renewal period. The whole requirement is Category 1, so the Category 1 minimum equals the total. Holders of temporary educational permits and visiting faculty permits instead earn 25 hours within the preceding 12 months. The renewal form lets a licensee first licensed in Nebraska during the current cycle attest that continuing education is not required.
Required CE topics for Nebraska osteopathic physician (do)s
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuing education on prescribing opiates, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring ProgramThree hours biennially on prescribing opiates as defined in section 28-401, of which one half hour must cover the prescription drug monitoring program. The hours count within the 50 hour total. The requirement began with renewal periods on or after October 1, 2018 and the statute terminates January 1, 2029. The department publishes free videos that satisfy the PDMP half hour and part of the opioid hours. | 3 CME credits | Every renewal | Physicians and osteopathic physicians who prescribe controlled substances | Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145(6) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Category 1 continuing education approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The renewal notice is an attestation: the licensee checks that the requirement is complete or will be complete by the expiration date. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Nebraska DO need to renew?
- Nebraska osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery, Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health Licensure Unit. 50 hours of Category 1 continuing education approved by the ACCME or the AOA, earned within the 24 months immediately preceding the expiration date. A licensee who earns more than 50 hours in a cycle may carry up to 25 hours into the next 24 month renewal period. The whole requirement is Category 1, so the Category 1 minimum equals the total. Holders of temporary educational permits and visiting faculty permits instead earn 25 hours within the preceding 12 months. The renewal form lets a licensee first licensed in Nebraska during the current cycle attest that continuing education is not required.
- How often does a Nebraska DO license need to be renewed?
- Osteopathic Physician (DO) licenses in Nebraska renew every two years. Physician and osteopathic physician licenses expire October 1 of every even numbered year, regardless of when the license was issued. A paper renewal must be postmarked on or before October 1, or the license expires and must be reinstated.
- What specific CE topics are required for Nebraska osteopathic physicians (DO)?
- Continuing education on prescribing opiates, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: 3 CME credits every renewal cycle (physicians and osteopathic physicians who prescribe controlled substances). Citations: continuing education on prescribing opiates, including the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145(6)).
- Do Nebraska osteopathic physicians (DO) have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates. Category 1 continuing education approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The renewal notice is an attestation: the licensee checks that the requirement is complete or will be complete by the expiration date.
- Is the first Nebraska DO renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Nebraska does not require continuing education for a DO's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Medicine and Surgery, Nebraska DHHS Licensure UnitState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- 172 NAC 88, Licensure of Medicine and Surgery and Osteopathic Medicine and SurgeryStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Controlled Substances Continuing Competency Requirement, Nebraska DHHSState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145, Continuing competency requirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal Notice, Physician / Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon, Nebraska DHHS Licensure UnitState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Nebraska regulates MDs and DOs through one credential family under the Board of Medicine and Surgery, and 172 NAC 88 covers both medicine and surgery and osteopathic medicine and surgery in the same chapter, so the MD and DO records cite the same sources and carry identical values. Hours, the 25 hour carryover, the 24 month window, and the October 1 even year expiration were read in 172 NAC 88 sections 007 and 008. The only subject mandate is the opioid and PDMP requirement in Neb. Rev. Stat. 38-145(6), which applies to prescribers of controlled substances rather than to every licensee. The regulation does not state a record retention period, an audit process, a cap on self study or online CME, or a live or interactive minimum, so those fields are null. One oddity worth flagging: the renewal notice PDF posted on the DHHS site is still the 2024 cycle form and it carries a paragraph saying Governor Ricketts extended Executive Order 21-18, which suspended continuing competency requirements as a condition of renewal for medicine and surgery and osteopathic medicine and surgery. That paragraph is a leftover from the COVID era emergency orders. The department's current Medicine and Surgery page states the 50 hour requirement without any suspension language, and 172 NAC 88 is unchanged, so the requirement is recorded as in force. A licensee renewing in 2026 should confirm with the Licensure Unit.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Nebraska Board of Medicine and Surgery, Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health Licensure Unit before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.