Veterinary CE Requirements by State (2026): Hours, Renewal Cycles and Online Limits

By The Vet Passport team · Updated November 5, 2026 · 9 min read

Short answer: most US states require veterinarians to complete about 15 to 20 CE hours a year, usually reported on a one-, two- or three-year renewal cycle. Totals range from 10 hours a year in Missouri to 60 hours every three years in Iowa. Many states also limit how many hours can be online or self-study, and some require specific topics such as controlled substances or state law.

Last checked November 2026. This table covers licensed veterinarians only. It summarizes each state's board rules, statutes or regulations, linked in the sources below. Rules change often, and details like carryover, exemptions for new graduates and what counts as "live" aren't all shown here. Always confirm with your state veterinary board before you renew. Where we couldn't verify a detail from an official source, we say "Check with your board." Spot an error? Email hello@joinvetpassport.com and we'll fix it.

How to read the table

CE hours is the total for one renewal cycle, unless it says "per year."
Biennial means every two years; triennial means every three.
Notes highlight online or self-study limits and required topics. Many states also cap practice management hours.

CE requirements for veterinarians, state by state

State	CE hours	Renewal cycle	Notes
Alabama	20 per year	Annual	Online max 10 hrs, approved through AAVSB's RACE program. Max 4 hrs practice management.
Alaska	30	Biennial	At least two-thirds medical. No online cap in the regulations.
Arizona	20	Biennial	Practice management max 2. Recorded or journal study max 5. 3 hrs opioid CE for DEA registrants or dispensers.
Arkansas	20 per year	Annual	At least 10 in person or live webinar; max 10 prerecorded online.
California	36	Biennial	Self-study max 6. 1 hr antimicrobial use every 4 years.
Colorado	32	Biennial	Includes 2 hrs Colorado jurisprudence and 1 hr substance-use prevention. Online allowed.
Connecticut	24	Biennial	Online courses qualify. No required topics.
Delaware	24	Biennial	Controlled-substance registrants also need 2 hrs on prescribing.
District of Columbia	36	Biennial	Includes required cultural competency and public health hours.
Florida	30	Biennial	Includes 1 hr dispensing legend drugs and 2 hrs Florida laws and rules. Non-interactive max 15.
Georgia	30	Biennial	Includes 2 hrs Georgia law, live. Interactive computer courses max 15.
Hawaii	20	Biennial	Courses from approved sponsors only.
Idaho	15	Check with your board	Rule updated July 2024.
Illinois	40	Biennial	Self-study must come from an approved provider.
Indiana	40	Biennial	No carryover. Online limits: check with your board.
Iowa	60	Triennial	Distance education max 30. Practice management max 20.
Kansas	20 per year	Annual	Online limits: check with your board.
Kentucky	30	Biennial	At least 15 live; prerecorded online max 15. 2 hrs pharmacy, antimicrobials or law.
Louisiana	20 per year	Annual	Online max 10 per year, including webinars.
Maine	24	Biennial	Non-clinical max 6. Opioid or benzodiazepine prescribers need 1 hr on controlled substances.
Maryland	18 per year	Annual	At least 12 clinical. All hours may be online.
Massachusetts	15 per year	Annual	Non-interactive max 6, with exceptions for qualifying online courses.
Michigan	45	Triennial	At least 12 live (6 in person). Includes 1 hr medical records and 1 hr law.
Minnesota	40	Biennial	At least 30 interactive. Non-interactive max 10.
Mississippi	15 per year	Annual	At least 10 in person or live.
Missouri	10 per year	Annual reporting	Limits on non-scientific and journal hours.
Montana	20	Biennial	Self-paced online max 10; live webinars count as in person.
Nebraska	32	Biennial	Home study max 8, with a scored test.
Nevada	40	Biennial	Distance or correspondence max 20.
New Hampshire	30	Biennial	Prerecorded max half. Includes 1 hr opioids and 1 hr records, law or ethics.
New Jersey	20	Biennial	Includes 1 hr prescription opioids. Business management max 4.
New Mexico	15 per year	Annual	Non-contact (online, articles) max half.
New York	45	Triennial	Self-study max 22.5. Includes 2 hrs controlled substances.
North Carolina	20 per year	Annual	Self-study or prerecorded max 10. Includes 2 hrs on controlled substances. Rule changes proposed in 2026.
North Dakota	24	Biennial	At least 18 in person or live virtual.
Ohio	30	Biennial	At least 12 in person. No carryover.
Oklahoma	20 per year	Annual	Includes 2 hrs controlled-substance law or Practice Act. Recorded web courses max 4.
Oregon	30	Biennial	Online allowed. Includes 1 hr antibiotic use and 1 hr analgesia or anesthesia.
Pennsylvania	30	Biennial	The 25% distance cap is suspended by board notice for now.
Rhode Island	24	Biennial	Online max 4. Business management max 4.
South Carolina	30	Biennial	Controlled-substance prescribers need 2 hrs on prescribing. Live-hour rules: check with your board.
South Dakota	16 per year	Check with your board	Board-approved programs.
Tennessee	20 per year	Annual	Multimedia max 10, with an exam. 2 hrs regulatory topics every 2 years.
Texas	17 per year	Annual	On-demand max 5. 2 hrs opioid or controlled-substance CE every 2 years.
Utah	24	Biennial	Includes 1 hr opioids and 1 hr workplace communication.
Vermont	24	Biennial	No online cap in the rule.
Virginia	15 per year	Annual	No online cap.
Washington	30	Biennial	Prerecorded max 10. Health equity hours and one-time state-required training.
West Virginia	18 per year	Annual	Practice management max 4.
Wisconsin	30	Biennial	Recorded online courses need a passed assessment.
Wyoming	24	Biennial	Includes 3 hrs controlled-substance prescribing.

Online, live and in-person hours

The biggest differences between states are in format. Some states, such as Maryland, Connecticut and Virginia, allow all hours online. Others set a cap on prerecorded or self-study hours, or a minimum number of live or in-person hours. Ohio requires at least 12 in-person hours per cycle, and Michigan requires at least 12 live hours, 6 of them in person. Each board defines "live" and "interactive" a little differently, so check how yours treats live webinars.

In-person CE, such as a conference or a CE trip, generally counts toward live or in-person hours. A week-long Vet Passport journey offers 15 CE hours, accredited CE through our partner, which covers most or all of a year's requirement in many states.

Required topics

A growing number of states require specific hours within your total. Common ones include:

Controlled substances, opioids or prescribing (for example New York, New Jersey, Texas, Wyoming and Utah)
State law, rules or jurisprudence (for example Florida, Georgia and Colorado)
Antimicrobial or antibiotic use (for example California and Oregon)
Medical records (for example Michigan)

What about veterinary technicians?

Veterinary technician CE rules vary widely by state, and not every state credentials technicians the same way. Technicians should check with their state board or credentialing body for their own hours and cycle.

Tips for staying on track

Keep every CE certificate in one folder, with the date, hours, provider and format.
Check whether your state allows carryover of extra hours into the next cycle.
Plan in-person hours early if your state has a live or in-person minimum.
Ask your practice whether your CE allowance can go toward a CE trip; see how to get your practice to pay for CE travel.

Looking for in-person CE somewhere worth the trip? See the 2027 Vet Passport trips or the 2027 international veterinary CE calendar.

Sources

State rules and board pages, checked November 2026: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do veterinarians need?

It depends on the state. Most require about 15 to 20 hours a year, often reported every one, two or three years. As of November 2026, totals range from 10 hours a year in Missouri to 60 hours every three years in Iowa. Confirm with your state board.

Can veterinarians do all their CE online?

In some states, yes, such as Maryland, Connecticut and Virginia. Many others cap online, prerecorded or self-study hours, or require a minimum number of live or in-person hours. Check your state board's current rules.

Which states require controlled substance CE for veterinarians?

Several, including New York, New Jersey, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, New Hampshire and North Carolina. Others, such as Arizona, Delaware, Maine and South Carolina, require it only for vets who hold certain registrations or prescribe certain drugs. Rules change, so confirm with your board.

Does CE earned on a trip abroad count toward my state requirement?

Usually, if the program is accredited and your board accepts it. Many states count in-person CE toward live or in-person minimums. Check your board's rules and keep your certificates.

Do these requirements apply to veterinary technicians?

No. This guide covers veterinarians only. Technician CE requirements vary by state, so technicians should check with their own state board or credentialing body.

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