Virginia Osteopathic Physician (DO) license renewal and CE requirements
Virginia osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 30 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Virginia Board of Medicine.
Every licensee who intends to maintain an active license renews biennially during the licensee's birth month, attests to the continued competency requirement, and pays the renewal fee. An additional fee applies to a late application.
Summary
Virginia osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 30 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Virginia Board of Medicine. Every licensee who intends to maintain an active license renews biennially during the licensee's birth month, attests to the continued competency requirement, and pays the renewal fee. An additional fee applies to a late application. The first renewal is exempt.
Virginia 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth month |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 CME credits |
| Category 1 minimum | 30 CME credits |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
At least 30 hours of continuing learning activities within the two years immediately preceding renewal, attested to at renewal. All the hours must be Type 1: activities or courses offered by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession, which is why the Category 1 minimum equals the total. A practitioner is exempt from the continued competency requirement for the first biennial renewal following initial Virginia licensure. The Board may grant up to a one year extension of the deadline for good cause on written request made before the renewal date, and may exempt all or part of the requirement for circumstances beyond the licensee's control such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters. The Board may also exempt a licensee practicing solely in an uncompensated position under the direction of a physician fully licensed by the board, or one practicing solely as a medical examiner who obtains six hours of medical examiner training per year from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. This 30 hour Type 1 requirement took effect February 27, 2025.
Required CE topics for Virginia osteopathic physician (do)s
The Virginia Board of Medicine pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 6 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Hours must be Type 1 activities or courses offered by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession. The practitioner attests to completion at renewal rather than filing certificates, and retains all supporting documentation for six years following the renewal of an active license. Failure to comply may subject the licensee to disciplinary action. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Virginia DO need to renew?
- Virginia osteopathic physicians (DO) must complete 30 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Virginia Board of Medicine. At least 30 hours of continuing learning activities within the two years immediately preceding renewal, attested to at renewal. All the hours must be Type 1: activities or courses offered by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession, which is why the Category 1 minimum equals the total. A practitioner is exempt from the continued competency requirement for the first biennial renewal following initial Virginia licensure. The Board may grant up to a one year extension of the deadline for good cause on written request made before the renewal date, and may exempt all or part of the requirement for circumstances beyond the licensee's control such as temporary disability, mandatory military service, or officially declared disasters. The Board may also exempt a licensee practicing solely in an uncompensated position under the direction of a physician fully licensed by the board, or one practicing solely as a medical examiner who obtains six hours of medical examiner training per year from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. This 30 hour Type 1 requirement took effect February 27, 2025.
- How often does a Virginia DO license need to be renewed?
- Osteopathic Physician (DO) licenses in Virginia renew every two years. Every licensee who intends to maintain an active license renews biennially during the licensee's birth month, attests to the continued competency requirement, and pays the renewal fee. An additional fee applies to a late application.
- Does Virginia require specific CE topics for osteopathic physicians (DO)?
- The Virginia Board of Medicine does not list mandated subject areas for DO renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 CME credits may be in any approved subject.
- Do Virginia osteopathic physicians (DO) have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 6 years. Hours must be Type 1 activities or courses offered by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession. The practitioner attests to completion at renewal rather than filing certificates, and retains all supporting documentation for six years following the renewal of an active license. Failure to comply may subject the licensee to disciplinary action.
- Is the first Virginia DO renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Virginia 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.
- 18VAC85-20-235, Continued competency requirements for renewal of an active licenseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- 18VAC85-20-230, Renewal of an active licenseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Education: Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia Board of MedicineState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
One board covers both professions: the Virginia Board of Medicine regulates the practice of medicine and osteopathic medicine under a single chapter, 18VAC85-20, and its continuing education page serves the identical text for Medicine and for Osteopathic Medicine. The MD and DO records therefore cite the same sources. Hours, the Type 1 requirement, the first renewal exemption, the six year retention, and the extension and exemption provisions were read in 18VAC85-20-235; the biennial birth month cycle was read in 18VAC85-20-230. Mandatory subject requirements are recorded as an empty array: 18VAC85-20 Part VI contains no subject-specific continuing education mandate, and 18VAC85-21, the Board's opioid and buprenorphine prescribing chapter, sets prescribing standards rather than continuing education. Carryover of excess hours is not addressed in the regulation and is left null, as is whether the board audits. The 30 hour Type 1 figure reflects the amendment effective February 27, 2025; older summaries elsewhere describing 60 hours split between Type 1 and Type 2 are superseded.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Virginia Board of Medicine before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.