Continuing Certification Annual Fee Policy
The American Board of Ophthalmology establishes fees for Continuing Certification annually based on contract agreements with testing vendors and the overall cost of administering the program. Fees cover the 10-year cost of recertification for all ABO-administered activities along with two printed certificates suitable for framing.
Annual fees are assessed on the first day of each calendar year and must be paid in full prior to accessing Continuing Certification activities. A downloadable invoice for each year's fee is located on your Status Page and a receipt for payment will be emailed to you upon successful completion of your online transaction. Fees paid to the ABO for Continuing Certification will not be refunded if you choose not to complete the remainder of your 10-year cycle.
Diplomates in active duty United States military service may request a 50% refund on all fees. *New* Military ophthalmologists may also qualify for GI Bill® reimbursement.
ABO fees are not tax deductible as charitable contributions; however, they may be deductible under other provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Please consult your tax preparer for advice.
2025 Fees
Annual fees are $225 per year effective January 1, 2025. Balanced budgeting and careful stewardship enabled the Board to avoid increasing program fees for 12 years between 2013 and 2024 while expanding the program’s value and menu offerings.
Despite instituting a modest increase of $25 in 2025 to appropriately source the technology and tools necessary to continue to administer high-quality certification programs, the ABO delivers among the lowest-costing recertification programs of all ABMS surgical specialty boards. The ABO program enables participants to claim more than $400 in CME credits every year along with subscription-free, full-text access to more than 50 peer-reviewed clinical journal articles annually. Continuing Certification fees also provide diplomates with two printed certificates suitable for framing and display, a public profile listing, credentialing services, and concierge-level certification support.
The ABO holds a platinum seal for operational and financial transparency from Candid (GuideStar) and posts details about its financial management and oversight here.
In addition, the American Medical Association (AMA) will reward the work diplomates do to stay board certified with up to 60 AMA PRA Category 1™ credits upon completion of a 10-year cycle. Learn more about the AMA credit and other ways to maximize the value of your achievement.