Massachusetts Medical License Renewal 2026: $600 fee, 50 hours CME, birthday deadline

i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

When it is due

Birth date. Board states: renewal of a full medical license occurs on the first birth date after license issuance, unless the birthday falls within 90 days of obtaining the initial license, in which case the first renewal moves to the following birth date. Renewals thereafter run on a two-year birth date cycle.

Fee

$600 (Physician full license renewal, biennial; administrative and volunteer licenses also $600)

If you miss the deadline

No grace period is published. A full license not renewed by the renewal deadline lapses, and the board states in capital letters that a physician may not practice medicine in Massachusetts in any fashion or capacity until the license is revived. Revival requires a Lapsed License Renewal at $700 per event, which the board describes as comparable to applying for and receiving an initial license. If the physician has been out of clinical practice for 2 or more years and intends to return to patient care, the board may require a demonstration of current clinical competency before reviving the license.

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your Massachusetts Medical License

Follow these steps to renew your medical license with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BORIM):

Complete your CME for the cycle (50 hours) (see details below)

Complete the renewal application and answer the attestation questions

Pay the renewal fee ($600 (Physician full license renewal, biennial; administrative and volunteer licenses also $600))

Submit and save your confirmation

2 Massachusetts CME Requirements

50 hours per 2-year cycle.

3 hours of opioid prescribing

10 hours of risk management

2 hours of end-of-life care

3 hours of electronic health records

Required topics: Child Abuse Recognition, Domestic Violence

Tracking your CME across multiple states is one of the most time-consuming parts of credential management. CredentialDOMD automatically monitors your CME progress and alerts you when you're falling behind, so you never miss a requirement.

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

These are the mistakes Massachusetts physicians most commonly make during renewal:

Paying the $600 fee does not renew the license. After paying on the third-party site (nCourt) you are returned to the licensing system and must click Go to Next Page, review the application, and click Submit. The board states the renewal will NOT be approved until Submit is clicked; a confirmation email verifies actual submission.

There is no published grace period. Miss the birthday deadline and the license lapses: practice in any fashion or capacity is prohibited until the board revives it, the fee rises to $700, and the lapsed renewal process is comparable to an initial license application.

The first renewal can arrive well short of two years: it falls on your first birthday after issuance (unless that birthday is within 90 days of licensure), so plan CME and fees for a shortened first cycle.

A CME waiver request must reach the board no later than 30 days before the renewal date, with a written explanation, a list of credits earned, and a completion plan. Waiting until renewal week forfeits the waiver option.

You can only renew during the open renewal period after the board's email notification, and system access requires creating an account and linking it to your license in the medboard.mass.gov License Management System; do this well before the deadline. Also, Safari on Apple devices cannot display the wallet card and the renewal application needs pop-ups allowed; the board directs Apple users to Chrome or Firefox.

Track your Massachusetts license, CME, and DEA in one place

The reminder email above covers this renewal. The app goes further: it watches your MA renewal window, counts your CME hours against the requirement, and tracks your DEA registration alongside your license. Built by a practicing neurosurgeon who uses it daily. Free during beta.

Request an invite

Invite-only beta. Founding-member perks go by signup order.

4 Frequently Asked Questions

When is my Massachusetts full license renewal due? ▾

On your birth date, every two years. The first renewal is your first birthday after the license is issued, unless that birthday falls within 90 days of initial licensure, in which case it moves to the following birthday. Source: General Physician Licensing Questions, mass.gov.

How much does renewal cost and how do I pay? ▾

$600 biennially per the board's Schedule of Fees. You renew online at medboard.mass.gov and pay by credit card or ACH through the board's third-party payment processor (nCourt). After payment you must return to the licensing system and click Submit for the renewal to be processed.

Do DOs renew through a separate osteopathic board? ▾

No. Massachusetts has a single Board of Registration in Medicine for MDs and DOs; the board accepts ACGME and AOA accredited training. There is no separate osteopathic licensing board.

Do I submit CME certificates with my renewal? ▾

No. The board states you do not submit CME documentation with the renewal; keep your own records because the board expects you to be able to document your credits (50 per cycle, no carryover between cycles) on audit.

What happens if I let my license lapse? ▾

You may not practice medicine in Massachusetts in any fashion or capacity until the board revives the license. Revival is a Lapsed License Renewal at $700, filed through medboard.mass.gov, and the board describes it as comparable to an initial application. After 2+ years out of clinical practice, a clinical competency demonstration may be required before returning to patient care.

Can I switch to inactive or retired status instead of renewing? ▾

Yes. Inactive licensees may not practice or prescribe but are exempt from CME and malpractice insurance requirements, and can return via an Active Status Request Form. Retired status is for physicians done practicing in Massachusetts; returning from retirement costs $700 and may require a competency demonstration after 2+ years out of practice.

Massachusetts Medical License Renewal, 2026

Email me this guide

i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your Massachusetts Medical License

2 Massachusetts CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Track your Massachusetts license, CME, and DEA in one place

4 Frequently Asked Questions

✓ Where this comes from

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Massachusetts Medical License Renewal, 2026

Email me this guide

i Deadlines, fees, and what happens if you are late

1 Step-by-Step: Renewing Your Massachusetts Medical License

2 Massachusetts CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Track your Massachusetts license, CME, and DEA in one place

4 Frequently Asked Questions

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✓ Where this comes from

Take this guide with you