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Physician Assistant State Licensing: Everything you Need to Know

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Interactive map of physician assistant state licensing boardsAs a freshly minted new graduate PA there are four steps you have to complete to move successfully from program to practice:

  1. Become nationally certified (by the NCCPA via the PANCE)
  2. Obtain a state license in the state you wish to practice
  3. Obtain an NPI number
  4. Obtain a federal DEA number

As a practicing PA, you must renew your current PA license.

Today we are going to look at #2 in this list: obtaining (and renewing) a physician assistant license in the state you wish to practice.

The process starts with your state licensing board.

Interactive map of physician assistant state licensing boards


Statutory and Regulatory Requirements for Initial Licensure and License Renewal

All states require that:

  1. PAs graduate from an accredited PA program and
  2. Pass the PANCE

Not all states require you have NCCPA certification to get your state license.

The chart below indicates PA licensure requirements in each state and the District of Columbia. Initial requirements apply to the initial license sought in a jurisdiction and are found in the first three columns following the jurisdiction.

License renewal requirements are found in the final column. Nearly every jurisdiction requires either a minimum number of continuing medical education (CME) hours, current certification by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), or both as a condition of license renewal.

Some jurisdictions impose additional requirements for applicants who have had an extended break from clinical practice. For these provisions, check the state licensing authority Web site.

wdt_ID Jurisdiction Graduate From Accredited PA Program Passage of NCCPA Exam (PANCE) Current NCCPA Certification Renewal Requirements
1 Alabama X X CME
2 Alaska X X X NCCPA
3 Arizona X X X CME
4 Arkansas X X CME
5 California X X CME OR NCCPA
6 Colorado X X
7 Connecticut X X X NCCPA
8 Delaware X X CME
9 District of Colombia X X CME
10 Florida X X CME
11 Georgia X X CME
12 Hawai X X X NCCPA
13 Idaho X X X NCCPA
14 Illinois X X X
15 Indiana X X X NCCPA
16 Iowa X X CME
17 Kansas X X CME
18 Kentucky X X X NCCPA
19 Louisiana X X X NCCPA
20 Maine X X X CME
21 Maryland X X CME
22 Massachusetts X X CME
23 Michigan X X
24 Minnesota X X CME OR NCCPA (RX)
25 Mississippi X X X CME
26 Missouri X X X CME
27 Montana X X NCCPA
28 Nebraska X X CME OR NCCPA
29 Nevada X X X CME
30 New Hampshire X X X NCCPA
31 New Jersey X X CME
32 New Mexico X X X NCCPA (CME FOR DEA)
33 New York X X INECTION CONTROL TRAINING
34 North Carolina X X CME
35 North Dakota X X CME AND NCCPA
36 Ohio X X X NCCPA (CME FOR RX)
37 Oklahoma X X CME
38 Oregon X X NCCPA FOR SCH.II RX
39 Pennsylvania X X X NCCPA
40 Rhode Island X X CME
41 South Carolina X X X NCCOA
42 South Dakota X X CME OR NCCPA
43 Tennessee X X CME OR NCCPA
44 Texas X X X CME
45 Utah X X CME OR NCCPA
46 Vermont X X CME OR NCCPA
47 Virginia X X X NCCPA
48 Washington X X CME OR NCCPA
49 West Virginia X X X NCCPA
50 Wisconsin X X X
51 Wyoming X X X NCCPA
Jurisdiction Graduate From Accredited PA Program Passage of NCCPA Exam (PANCE) Current NCCPA Certification Renewal Requirements

You Must Pay to Play

Every state has their own rules, their own set of fees, process and timeline for application and renewal.

  • Arizona, for example, has a $125 application fee and a $370 license fee.
  • Texas has a $220 licensure fee as well as a registration fee of $276 good for 12 months. Here is an example of their online application.

Remember, these fees are going to be on top of your $731  DEA license fee which must be renewed every three years and an NCCPA certification maintenance fee of $150 every two years.

You can talk to your employer about covering some of these expenses, and it may be something worth discussing before you sign the contract.

The entire process usually takes 2-3 months to complete, so you want to get started early.

License Renewals

In my home state of California, the renewal fee is $300 and is paid on a recurring basis every two years. 

It is illegal to practice as a physician assistant with an expired license.

Approximately ten weeks prior to the expiration date of your physician assistant license, a renewal notice will be mailed via U.S. mail to your address of record.

You are responsible for renewing your license even if you don’t receive a renewal notice. There are usually two options for license renewal, by mail or online.

Failure to Renew

Practicing as a physician assistant without a renewed license may lead to disciplinary action against your license.

There is usually no renewal grace period. Licenses not renewed by the expiration date are considered "delinquent."

After a license has been in "delinquent" status for five years, the license is automatically canceled. A canceled license may not be reactivated by simply paying delinquent fees and penalties. The physician assistant must apply for a new license and meet the current licensure requirements.

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author avatar
Stephen Pasquini PA-C Physician Assistant
Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life, Smarty PANCE Board Review, and PASchoolfinder websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and to foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Has anyone applied for a NJ license? Who do the verification employment forms need to be filled out by? Human Resources?

    Reply

  2. I am a PA in Virginia and will be traveling to California to be with my family for an extended period. My father passed away last month from COVID and I was unable to be there while he was ill or to attend his funeral due to restrictions. However, I am now vaccinated as is my mother, who has Parkinson’s, and I want to go help her. While in California, I am planning on continuing with Telepsych for my Virginia patients. I have already applied for my CA license, but would like to know if my supervising physician in VA can continue to supervise me while I am in CA. I can’t seem to find any information about supervision other than the supervisor needs to be available electronically or in person while the PA is seeing patients, which will not be an issue.

    Thank you,

    Kelly Lohmann, PA-C

    Reply

  3. I need to renew my license but now they required background check in Texas. If the process is delayed, can you still renew license in time?

    Reply

  4. Hi! Great post.
    I want to get the ball rolling on getting a state license – I graduate in 2 months. Do I have to wait until I at least graduate to apply? Some states have a permit you can apply for before PANCE, but it seems like I still need to graduate first. Some states have fingerprinting processes that take weeks to mail out, but usually after an application is submitted (after one has graduated). I was wondering if there was a way to get the ball rolling on this before graduating, or if I will just have to wait it out.

    Reply

  5. Hi! I just passed the PANCE and started looking into licensing. I do not have a job currently lined up, so is it still possible to obtain licensure without having a supervising physician number to use in the application? Can this be left blank and updated at a later time? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi. I believe the answer is yes. I know when I went through the process 15 years ago I also did not have a supervising physician although we used snail mail at the time. You may want to contact the licensing board for clarification just in case.

      P.S. Congrats on passing your PANCE!!

      Stephen

      Reply

  6. If I am unsure what state I plan to practice in, would it be recommended to apply to multiple licenses. Is there a limit? With COVID there are less opportunities right now and I am finding some states have more openings than others. Thank you.

    Reply

  7. Hello,

    I am a new grad looking to obtain a license in Texas as I have just recently moved to Austin. I am wondering if anyone has any insight on how to obtain this as a new grad… I looked on the Texas Medical Board website and it says “Have practiced at least 20 hours a week for 40 weeks in one of the two years preceding application” … Does anyone know how strict they are with this?

    Reply

    • This is fascinating Dillon. At first, I thought you must have read the requirement wrong, but upon further investigation, I see that you are right, they do have a checklist requirement of “at least 20 hours a week for 40 weeks in one of the two years preceding application.”
      http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/page/pa-eligibility-for-licensure

      I would suggest contacting the state board directly. This just doesn’t make sense. When you get an answer I would love it if you came back and updated us with their response.

      Stephen

      Reply

  9. In these testing times, is there any state offering PA license to an IMG who is ECFMG certified MD?

    Thanks

    Reply

  10. Stephen, I have purchased info from you in the past (I.E. cover letter cv and especially the follow up letter examples / do’s don’ts). It’s appreciated.

    Question however has likely been answered elsewhere so forgive me. Been a PA-C for over 20 years and practiced at all times and am now – with my Pennsylvania license (which includes 2 years in CO but still used Pennsylvania credential as it was Govt facility). I once was looking at job in MD and was made an offer and obtained a MD license also. I received MD license but never ever practiced there and have no intention to after 20 years and the “R” word is creeping up for next life. I have always renewed MD license and must now….Why would I want to keep renewing if “R”etirement is in sight and zero aspiration to relocate? Any reason to keep other than saying “Well, you never know if you will end up taking a job in MD”. It’s not in question and if that situation, then I retire today.

    Reply

  11. Hello, I am undecided as to which state I would like my first PA job to be in, is it possible to apply for 2 pa licenses in different states? And if it is, can I just start the one PA license and not pay for the active license once I decide?

    Reply

    • As far as applying for two licenses in different states, the answer is yes, you can. As far as payment is concerned, I believe (although I am not 100% sure) you have to apply and pay upfront. There are also several requirements like live scans (which are required in my home state of CA), which will require your presence. The best thing to do is to look closely at the requirements of each state. You may be able to delay payment and still get the process rolling, which I know is what you are looking to do and would make a lot of sense. You will have to come back and let me know what you find. It has been a long time since I have applied for State licensing, so I know things have changed.

      Warmly,

      Stephen Pasquini PA-C
      http://www.smartypance.com
      http://www.thepalife.com

      Reply

  12. What is it like to transfer between states as a PA? In regards to my license it usually easy to move to another state and find a job quickly?

    Reply

    • Hi Will, it’s not too difficult, when I came to CA years ago after having completed my PA education on the East Coast it took about 30-45 days to obtain my CA State license. I wish I could remember all the details. There was some paperwork involved and probably a fee (or two) but you can complete this at the same time you are having your credentialing paperwork completed at your place of employment which is also a bit of a process. There is no examination, just a few hoops to jump through.

      Stephen

      Reply

  13. New PA grad here and would love some guidance! Are there any specific documents I need to send to the state licensing board, besides releasing my NCCPA certification? How do they know I graduated from an accredited PA program? Or do I have to ask my school to release that info?

    Reply

    • Hi Eliza, when you graduate you should be provided with guidance on the next steps you need to take. If you are not working in the same state as your school and you are still unsure of what documentation you need or where you need to send it just contact your state medical licensing board directly they will be able to guide you. I did this so many years ago, I can’t even remember what I submitted. I know it took a bit of time though to get everything processed. Nowadays I just send them money. As long as they get that they seem pretty happy! 🙂 So does the AAPA, NCCPA, DEA, etc. etc. that love to bleed us poor PAs dry!! Not that I am complaining or anything 🙂

      Stephen

      Reply

  14. I heard that a PA working at a rural health clinic in texas can get their DEA license for free. Is this true or are there no exceptions to the $731 fee every 3 years?

    Reply

  15. You didn’t listed required NCCPA’s or come for Guam and Puerto Rico. I have been a PA for 15 years my license is current but I did not took panre. Do you think I’ll be able get a job in Hawaii. I been practicing in California.

    Reply

  16. Hi everyone,

    I just graduated a couple weeks ago, and just found out I passed the PANCE two days ago! PA-C!
    Anyway, I’m having a hard time figuring out how far I can get with licensing and everything without already having a job lined up. I’m applying for jobs in KY and in MI (I live in KY and would prefer to stay but my wife’s family lives in MI).
    Can I apply for an NPI number without a business address?
    Can I apply for a MI or KY license without a supervising physician lined up?
    I’ve tried to contact a woman in the KY PA license office several times and have not had any luck.
    Thanks in advance for any help you guys are able to provide

    Reply

  17. Hey Stephen, I’m a new grad getting ready to graduate this August from a school in Florida. I’m originally from Texas but they don’t allow temporary licensure or for PA’s to work without a license (as stated in this article) but Florida does as long as you’re scheduled/eligible to take your PANCE, and are in the process of obtaining your licence. Do you think many jobs will not consider you if you can’t work immediately?

    Reply

    • Hi Emmanuel, yes, absolutely. I know of many PAs who have accepted jobs in this situation with the start date set for a month or so after they take their PANCE. Often times, employers will use this as an orientation period.

      Stephen

      Reply

  18. While waiting for license what can you do for your employer? I work in a traveling geriatrics position and am waiting for license.

    Reply

    • We have a PA working for us now who is in a similar situation, although in her case she is a new graduate. We have her shadowing and seeing patients with supervision under our credentials. She is learning the EMR and will be ready to run when her credentials come through in the coming weeks.

      Reply

      • Is she getting or allowed to get paid? or hired on as a medical assistant/etc. so she can get paid? I might be doing something similar as I wait for my license, and I am curious how to do this in a way to make sure there will be no chance for repercussions. Thank you!

        Reply

  19. The links to Virginia on interactive map and the list below it point to the Virgin Islands; otherwise an informative article.

    Reply

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