Montana Medical License Renewal 2026: $375 fee, no CME required, March 31 deadline

Montana Medical License Renewal, 2026

Biennial (2 years) renewal through the Montana Board of Medical Examiners (Department of Labor and Industry, Professional Licensing Bureau). Licenses expire March 31 of the renewal year; the board sets each license’s renewal year individually. Verified from the board's own pages, August 2026.

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

When it is due

Licenses expire March 31 of the expiration year. Physicians (MDs and osteopaths) renew online between February 1 and March 31 of their renewal year (board renewal-process and license-information pages; ARM 24.101.413 table lists "Physician, Biennially, March 31"). The board does not publish whether an individual's renewal year is even or odd; it is set per license.

Fee

$375 (active physician, 2-year renewal) per the board FAQ, plus the Montana Prescription Drug Registry fee of $30/year ($60 for a two-year renewal) for physicians with prescribing authority. Inactive renewal: $190. Note: ARM 24.156.409 (rules PDF current through 3/31/24) itemizes the $190 inactive renewal but routes the active renewal fee to the department's standardized fee rule ARM 24.101.403; the $375 active figure comes from the board's own FAQ.

Late fee

100% of the renewal fee, in addition to the renewal fee (board renewal-process page: "Renewal after a license's expiration date will automatically result in a 100% late fee, in addition to the renewal fee"; ARM 24.101.403: late penalty is 100 percent of the renewal fee for each unrenewed renewal period). For an active physician that means roughly $375 penalty on top of the $375 renewal.

If you miss the deadline

After March 31 an unrenewed license becomes "lapsed." A physician may continue to practice on a lapsed license for 45 days after the expiration date (ARM 24.101.408, cited on the board homepage), but renewal during this window carries the late penalty. After 45 days the license becomes "expired": it may still be renewed with penalties, but practice on an expired license is prohibited. If not renewed within two years of the expiration date, the license is "terminated" and dropped from the licensing database; the physician must apply for a new license.

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

Follow these steps to renew your medical license with the Montana Board of Medical Examiners (Department of Labor and Industry, Professional Licensing Bureau):

Complete your CME for the cycle (0 hours)

Log in to the Montana Board of Medical Examiners (Department of Labor and Industry, Professional Licensing Bureau) renewal portal

Complete the renewal application and answer the attestation questions

Pay the renewal fee ($375 (active physician, 2-year renewal) per the board FAQ, plus the Montana Prescription Drug Registry fee of $30/year ($60 for a two-year renewal) for physicians with prescribing authority)

Submit and save your confirmation

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

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

The 45-day post-expiration window is not a free grace period: you may legally practice on a "lapsed" license for 45 days, but renewing in that window still triggers the 100% late penalty, and on day 46 the license becomes "expired" and practice must stop immediately.

A license unrenewed for two years past expiration is "terminated" and dropped from the database entirely; there is no reinstatement path at that point, only a brand-new license application.

Prescribers pay a Montana Prescription Drug Registry assessment on top of the renewal fee ($30/year, $60 for the two-year renewal), so the real renewal cost for a prescribing physician is about $435, not $375.

The board homepage currently displays a 2026-cycle banner stating renewals are online only, fees are waived, and the deadline is October 31, 2026. The board's own renewal pages state physicians renew February 1 through March 31; the fall Sept 2 to Oct 31 window belongs to acupuncturists, nutritionists, PAs, and podiatrists. Do not assume the October date or the fee waiver applies to your physician license without confirming with the board at (406) 444-6880.

Renewal notices are mailed to the address on record, but the board holds you responsible for renewing on time whether or not the notice arrives; keep your address current via the department's change-of-address form.

A license inactive for two or more years can only return to active status without additional Board review if you can document active licensure and clinical practice in another jurisdiction; otherwise expect Board scrutiny and a $185 inactive-to-active conversion fee (ARM 24.156.409).

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

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4 Frequently Asked Questions

When does my Montana physician license expire? ▾

Licenses are valid for a maximum of two years and expire on March 31 of the expiration year. The online renewal window runs February 1 through March 31 of your renewal year. (Board FAQ and renewal-process page.)

How much does renewal cost? ▾

$375 for an active license for the two-year period, per the board FAQ. Physicians with prescribing authority also pay the Montana Prescription Drug Registry fee of $30/year ($60 per two-year renewal). Inactive renewal is $190.

What happens if I miss the March 31 deadline? ▾

Your license goes "lapsed." You may keep practicing for 45 days on the lapsed license, but renewal now costs the renewal fee plus a 100% late penalty. After 45 days the license is "expired" and you may not practice. After two years unrenewed it is "terminated" and you must apply for a new license.

Does Montana require CME to renew? ▾

No. The board FAQ states Montana does not require physicians to acquire CME in order to acquire or renew a license.

How do I renew? Is paper renewal available? ▾

Renew online through the eBiz Montana portal at https://ebiz.mt.gov/POL/Default.aspx using your account credentials. The board site's current cycle notice states renewals are online only.

Are DOs handled by a separate osteopathic board? ▾

No. Montana has a single Board of Medical Examiners that licenses both MDs and osteopathic physicians; both renew on the same February 1 to March 31 schedule.

Montana Medical License Renewal, 2026

Email me this guide

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

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

2 Montana CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

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

4 Frequently Asked Questions

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Montana Medical License Renewal, 2026

Email me this guide

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

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

2 Montana CME Requirements

3 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

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

4 Frequently Asked Questions

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