Time Limited Certifications
Certification by ABOG and participation in the CC process is voluntary.
Certification is a continuous process and certificates expire on a yearly basis.
If you passed the Certifying Exams in 2025, you gain certification that will expire on December 31, 2026, unless you successfully meet all of the 2026 CC requirements.
Please make sure you stay up-to-date with your CC program information each year. Check the website regularly for updates.
Keep your profile updated. Notify ABOG of changes in address, email address, or telephone numbers.
ABOG is not under obligation to notify you of impending loss of certification, deadlines, or changes in your certification status.
- ABOG will attempt to email reminders to those who may be in jeopardy of losing certification using the email address provided at the time of their most recent CC application.
- ABOG is not responsible for you not receiving such emails due to change of email address, loss of the notice due to spam or other filters, or any other email problem.
You must enroll in CC no later than August 1 of the year your certificate expires.
- All assignments for the CC year must be completed and submitted by November 15, 2026. Failure to complete and submit all CC assignments by the deadline may result in loss of board certification.
As a diplomate enrolled in CC, you have a dashboard showing your CC progress.
- Log in using your ABOG ID number and password.
- Review your dashboard at least quarterly.
You'll have access to all CC assignments when the application process has been completed, and you've been approved to participate.
If you're a diplomate in Year 6 who is required to take the CC exam, apply no later than February 28, 2026, and take and pass the exam on July 21, 2026.
- Detailed information about the application process, fee, and test content can be found in the Assessment of Knowledge, Judgement, and Skills section of the current bulletin.
If you retire from practice or temporarily are clinically inactive (e.g., not involved in the provision, supervision, or administration of patient care), you can request to participate in CC activities.
- View additional information by visiting Non-Clinical, Temporarily Clinically Inactive, or Retired.
If your certification has been expired less than six years, you can regain certification through the Re-Entry process. This requires passing a computer-based exam and completing the CC Year 1 requirements in the same year.
Non-Time-Limited Certifications
If you achieved specialty certification prior to 1986 and or subspecialty certification prior to 1987, you hold a certificate that is not time-limited. Your certificate doesn't expire. However, if you choose to participate in some or all of the parts of the CC process, this won't change your certification status in any manner. The duration of your certification remains unlimited.
Non-Time-Limited CC
If you hold a non-time-limited basic certificate and want to participate in CC, please contact us. You may participate in CC Parts I, II, III, and IV. Following are the tasks involved.
- Submit appropriate additional materials and pay the application fee.
- Read the section about Applying to CC for details about the application process.
- To be designated as meeting CC requirements, you'll need to participate in all parts of CC applicable to your practice. In most cases, this will require participation in CC Parts I, II, III, and IV.
- In CC Year 6, diplomates are required to pass the Part III CC exam or participate in Performance Pathway.
- If you have a non-time-limited certification, you're eligible to participate in the CC Performance Pathway (pilot) program, which offers opportunity for exemption from the CC exam in Year 6.
- If you're a diplomate with a non-time-limited certification who prefers to participate only in Part II to earn CME credit hours, you'll need to contact ABOG for approval via our Contact Us page. Participation in Part II alone will not meet the criteria to be designated as participating in CC.
Expired Certificates
The following section applies to you if you are a previously-certified physician who has lost ABOG certification due to lack of participation in or failure to complete the CC process. You are no longer a Diplomate of ABOG and may not advertise or otherwise designate that you are ABOG certified. Any designation or advertisement of expired ABOG certification must accurately communication the dates that the certification commenced and ended.
Certification Expired Fewer Than Six Years
If you are seeking to regain certification, you must pass a secure re-entry computer-based examination and then complete the CC Year 1 assignments in the year. The Re-entry examinations will be given July 21, 2026. All exams will be administered at Pearson VUE testing centers throughout the United States.
Application Process
Applications for the re-entry examination will be available at abog.org beginning January 2026, but you must call the ABOG Office of Medical Standards and Assessments (214.871.1619) for access to the online application.
- The final date to apply for the examination is February 28, 2026. No applications will be accepted after this date.
- A non-refundable examination fee of $1700 (specialty) or $2145 (subspecialty) must be paid at the time of application in addition to the annual CC fee. No application will be processed without payment of the application fee and submission of all required documents.
Testing Sites
You will be sent an email after your application has been approved and the appropriate fee has been paid. The email will be sent to the email address provided as part of the application process.
- After the email is received, you should contact Pearson VUE to obtain a reservation for the examination. Instructions for contacting the testing company will be included in the email.
- Reservations at the testing centers are limited and are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Thus, there is no guarantee that a specific city site will be available.
- You are encouraged to complete your application process as soon as possible.
Re-Entry Certification Limits
If you successfully pass the re-entry examination in 2026, you will have your diplomate status reinstated for the remainder of 2026 provided that you enter the CC process in 2026 and complete the assignments. Diplomate status will be renewed annually provided that the CC process is completed successfully each year.
Certification Expired for Six or More Years
If you hold a certificate that has been expired for six or more years, you are not eligible to apply for the re-entry examination. You may re-establish diplomate status only by taking and passing the Specialty Qualifying and Certifying Exams.
