Pennsylvania Osteopathic Physician (DO) license renewal and CE requirements
Pennsylvania osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
Osteopathic physician licenses renew biennially in advance of October 31 of every even-numbered year. The board mails renewal notices two to three months before expiration to the most recent address on file, and the Postal Service does not forward them. A licensee who keeps practicing without renewing on time owes a penalty fee and may face criminal, civil, or administrative penalties.
Summary
Pennsylvania osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. Osteopathic physician licenses renew biennially in advance of October 31 of every even-numbered year. The board mails renewal notices two to three months before expiration to the most recent address on file, and the Postal Service does not forward them. A licensee who keeps practicing without renewing on time owes a penalty fee and may face criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. Pennsylvania also mandates specific subjects. Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 CME credits every renewal cycle. Patient safety and risk management: 12 CME credits every renewal cycle. Pain management, identification of addiction, or prescribing and dispensing opioids: 2 CME credits every renewal cycle (licensees who hold a current DEA registration or who use the DEA registration number of another person or entity to prescribe controlled substances. A physician who does neither is exempt from this requirement.). Organ and tissue donation and recovery process: a one-time requirement of 2 CME credits. The first renewal is exempt.
Pennsylvania 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, 10/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 100 CME credits |
| Category 1 minimum | 20 CME credits |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
100 credit hours in the preceding biennial period (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)). The board states the CME period runs from November 1 of the even year through October 31 of the next even year. At least 20 hours must be AOA Category 1-A approved activities. At least 12 must be Category 1 or Category 2 in patient safety and risk management. At least 2 must be approved child abuse recognition and reporting training. At least 2 must be in pain management, the identification of addiction, or the practices of prescribing or dispensing opioids, in AOA Category 1 or Category 2. The remaining hours may be any Category 1 or Category 2 approved activity. No credit is granted for courses in office management or practice building. A first-time Pennsylvania licensee is exempt from CME for the biennial renewal period following initial licensure; holders of a temporary training license, retired physicians treating only immediate family, and physicians on inactive status are also exempt, though reinstating an inactive or lapsed license requires proof of compliance for the preceding biennium. A physician suspended for disciplinary reasons is not exempt. The board may grant a hardship waiver of all or part of the requirement for serious illness, military service, or other good cause, on written request with documentation.
Required CE topics for Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child abuse recognition and reportingA condition of biennial renewal and part of the 100-hour total. The course must be approved by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs in consultation with the Department of Human Services, and the board will not renew until the Bureau receives an electronic report from the approved provider showing attendance in the applicable renewal period. Initial licensure requires 3 hours instead of 2. A written exemption is possible in narrow cases and applies to one renewal period at a time. | 2 CME credits | Every renewal | All licensees | 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c); 49 Pa. Code 25.417(b); 23 Pa.C.S. 6383(b)(2) |
| Patient safety and risk managementCategory 1 or Category 2. The rule lists qualifying topics: improving medical records and recordkeeping, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, improving communications, preventative medicine, and healthcare quality improvement. Counts toward the 100-hour total. In effect since the licensure renewal period that began November 1, 2006. | 12 CME credits | Every renewal | All licensees | 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(1) |
| Pain management, identification of addiction, or prescribing and dispensing opioidsAOA Category 1 or Category 2 activities. Counts toward the 100-hour total. The board publishes a Verification of Opioid Education form for it. | 2 CME credits | Every renewal | Licensees who hold a current DEA registration or who use the DEA registration number of another person or entity to prescribe controlled substances. A physician who does neither is exempt from this requirement. | 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c); 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(3)(v) |
| Organ and tissue donation and recovery processEffective May 1, 2026, a one-time 2 credit hour requirement using the board-approved curriculum posted on the board's website, covering the donation and transplantation system, tissue donation, organ donation, determining death and family communication, caring for families, and organ donor management. A physician licensed before May 1, 2026 verifies completion within 5 years of a licensure renewal; a physician licensed on or after that date verifies within 5 years of initial licensure; a physician reactivating on or after that date verifies within 5 years of reactivation. Documentation of attendance must come from an organ procurement organization as defined in 20 Pa.C.S. 8601. The 2 hours count toward the biennial 100-hour total. | 2 CME credits | One time | All licensees | 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(6) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 2 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Hours must be AOA Category 1 or Category 2 approved activities, with at least 20 in AOA Category 1-A. Physicians verify completion on the biennial renewal application and retain official documentation for 2 years after renewal, producing it on board demand under random audits of reported credit hours; electronic submission is acceptable. Organ and tissue donation training must be documented by an organ procurement organization. Child abuse training is reported electronically to the Bureau by the approved provider, and the license will not renew without that report. Noncompliance may lead to disciplinary proceedings under section 15(a)(6) of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Pennsylvania DO need to renew?
- Pennsylvania osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. 100 credit hours in the preceding biennial period (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)). The board states the CME period runs from November 1 of the even year through October 31 of the next even year. At least 20 hours must be AOA Category 1-A approved activities. At least 12 must be Category 1 or Category 2 in patient safety and risk management. At least 2 must be approved child abuse recognition and reporting training. At least 2 must be in pain management, the identification of addiction, or the practices of prescribing or dispensing opioids, in AOA Category 1 or Category 2. The remaining hours may be any Category 1 or Category 2 approved activity. No credit is granted for courses in office management or practice building. A first-time Pennsylvania licensee is exempt from CME for the biennial renewal period following initial licensure; holders of a temporary training license, retired physicians treating only immediate family, and physicians on inactive status are also exempt, though reinstating an inactive or lapsed license requires proof of compliance for the preceding biennium. A physician suspended for disciplinary reasons is not exempt. The board may grant a hardship waiver of all or part of the requirement for serious illness, military service, or other good cause, on written request with documentation.
- How often does a Pennsylvania DO license need to be renewed?
- Osteopathic Physician (DO) licenses in Pennsylvania renew every two years. Osteopathic physician licenses renew biennially in advance of October 31 of every even-numbered year. The board mails renewal notices two to three months before expiration to the most recent address on file, and the Postal Service does not forward them. A licensee who keeps practicing without renewing on time owes a penalty fee and may face criminal, civil, or administrative penalties.
- What specific CE topics are required for Pennsylvania osteopathic physicians (DO)?
- Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 CME credits every renewal cycle. Patient safety and risk management: 12 CME credits every renewal cycle. Pain management, identification of addiction, or prescribing and dispensing opioids: 2 CME credits every renewal cycle (licensees who hold a current DEA registration or who use the DEA registration number of another person or entity to prescribe controlled substances. A physician who does neither is exempt from this requirement.). Organ and tissue donation and recovery process: a one-time requirement of 2 CME credits. Citations: child abuse recognition and reporting (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c); 49 Pa. Code 25.417(b); 23 Pa.C.S. 6383(b)(2)), patient safety and risk management (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(1)), pain management, identification of addiction, or prescribing and dispensing opioids (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c); 49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(3)(v)), and organ and tissue donation and recovery process (49 Pa. Code 25.271(c)(6)).
- Do Pennsylvania osteopathic physicians (DO) have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 2 years. Hours must be AOA Category 1 or Category 2 approved activities, with at least 20 in AOA Category 1-A. Physicians verify completion on the biennial renewal application and retain official documentation for 2 years after renewal, producing it on board demand under random audits of reported credit hours; electronic submission is acceptable. Organ and tissue donation training must be documented by an organ procurement organization. Child abuse training is reported electronically to the Bureau by the approved provider, and the license will not renew without that report. Noncompliance may lead to disciplinary proceedings under section 15(a)(6) of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act.
- Is the first Pennsylvania DO renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Pennsylvania 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.
- 49 Pa. Code 25.271, Requirements for renewalStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 25.417, Child abuse recognition and reporting, mandatory training requirementStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal Information, Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic MedicineState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, Pennsylvania Department of StateState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Pennsylvania runs two separate physician boards under the Department of State, and this record covers only the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. Every value was read from 49 Pa. Code Chapter 25 and the osteopathic board's own renewal page, not carried over from the MD record. The two boards are close but not identical: DOs renew by October 31 of even-numbered years against a CME period running November 1 of the even year through October 31 of the next even year, while MDs renew by December 31 of even-numbered years; the 20-hour core must be AOA Category 1-A for DOs and AMA PRA Category 1 for MDs. The 2-hour opioid requirement is written into 25.271(c) itself for DOs with an explicit exemption in 25.271(c)(3)(v) for physicians with no DEA registration, whereas the MD rule places the same requirement inside 16.19(b)(1). 49 Pa. Code 25.271 was last amended April 24, 2026, effective April 25, 2026. The board publishes its licensee CME summary sheets and the 2026 renewal guide only as PDFs, which were not downloaded; the rule text is the stronger source and was used instead. Carryover and live or self-study limits are not addressed in Chapter 25 and are left null. Pennsylvania sets no human trafficking, implicit bias, suicide prevention, or jurisprudence CME mandate for DOs in the sources read. The topic key organ_tissue_donation is not on the canonical list and is used because the rule names the subject that way.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.