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Physician assistant CME requirements by state
Every state sets its own continuing education rule for physician assistants, on its own clock and with its own required topics. This table covers all 51 jurisdictions, each taken from the PA or medical board's own rules, with a link to the full detail on each state page.
The short answer
- 38 of 51 jurisdictions set an opioid, controlled-substance or pain-management topic for physician assistants.
- 22 name a pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics requirement.
- 8 set no general hour total of their own (topic mandates can still apply): Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota.
- Each state's clock is separate. A course can count in several states only if it meets each state's topic and provider rules.
All 51 jurisdictions
| Jurisdiction | Hours per renewal | Topic mandates | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 50 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 12 hours Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 4 h Navigating Professional Boundaries in Medicine (Board-designated): 2 h | Alabama Board of Medical Examiners / Medical Licensure Commission (ALBME) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Alaska | 50 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Alaska State Medical Board Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Arizona | 40 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants (AZPA) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Arkansas | 20 / year | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Pain management (5 hours; the rule states no frequency): 5 h | Arkansas State Medical Board (ASMB) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| California | 50 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 6 hours Implicit bias: Course (no set hours) Geriatric medicine / elder & dementia care: 10 h | Physician Assistant Board (California) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Colorado | No general hour total Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None | Colorado Medical Board (DORA/DPO) Checked October 13, 2026 |
| Connecticut | NCCPA CME (100 / 2 years) | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): Covered by the opioid row Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Mental health / PTSD, suicide risk, depression & grief, suicide prevention: 2 h | Connecticut DPH (PA licensure; CT Medical Examining Board) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Delaware | 100 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Alzheimer's disease / dementia: 2 h Child abuse & domestic violence recognition and reporting: 1 h | Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline Checked October 19, 2026 |
| District of Columbia | 100 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None LGBTQ cultural competency: 2 h Public health priorities of the District: 10 h | District of Columbia Board of Medicine (DC Health) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Florida | 100 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 10 hours Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 h Domestic Violence: 2 h HIV/AIDS: 1 h Human trafficking: 1 h | Florida Board of Medicine (PA Council) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Georgia | 40 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 3 hours Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Specialty-specific CE: 10 h Recognizing and documenting causes of death: 1 h | Georgia Composite Medical Board Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Hawaii | 40 / 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Hawaii Medical Board (DCCA PVL) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Idaho | 100 (via NCCPA) Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Idaho State Board of Medicine - PA Advisory Committee (DOPL) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Illinois | 50 / 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 10 hours Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 h Implicit bias awareness training: 1 h Alzheimer's disease & other dementias: 1 h Cultural competency: 1 h Mandated reporter (child abuse/neglect) training: Course (no set hours) | Illinois Medical Licensing Board / IDFPR (Division of Professional Regulation) - PAs licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Indiana | No general hour total Renews every 2 years | NCCPA certification maintenance CME (state-referenced, not state-set): 100 h Federal DEA MATE Act one-time 8-hour substance use disorder training (NOT a state requirement): 8 h | Physician Assistant Committee / Medical Licensing Board of Indiana (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Iowa | 100 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Child abuse identification & reporting (mandatory reporter training): 2 h Dependent adult abuse identification & reporting (mandatory reporter training): 2 h | Iowa Board of Physician Associates (formerly Board of Physician Assistants), Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing (DIAL) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Kansas | 100 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Kentucky | 100 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 7.5 h Buprenorphine / addiction medicine: 12 h Pediatric abusive head trauma (prevention and recognition): 1.5 h Alzheimer's disease and dementia (warning signs, detection, assessment, treatments): 1 h | Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Louisiana | 100 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Controlled dangerous substance (CDS) prescribing: 3 hours Board PRE-APPROVED (best practices, drug diversion, addiction treatment, chronic pain): 3 h Nutrition & metabolic health: 1 h Sickle cell disease: 1 + 1 refresher | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Maine | 100 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine (allopathic PAs; osteopathic PAs licensed under Maine Board of Osteopathic Licensure) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Maryland | 50 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 8 hours Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Implicit bias and structural racism training (combined approved program): Course (no set hours) | Maryland Board of Physicians (MBP) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | 100 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 4 h Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: Course (no set hours) Domestic violence / care of victims of domestic violence (expert-developed CME course): Course (no set hours) | Massachusetts Board of Registration of Physician Assistants Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Michigan | No general hour total Renews every 3 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: Course (no set hours) Human trafficking identification training: Course (no set hours) Implicit bias training: 3 h | Michigan Task Force on Physician's Assistants (under the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine & Surgery), LARA, Bureau of Professional Licensing Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Minnesota | 50 Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Minnesota Board of Medical Practice Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Mississippi | 100 Renews every 2 years | Controlled-substance prescribing CME: 5 h | Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure (MSBML) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Missouri | No general hour total Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts (Advisory Commission for Physician Assistants), Division of Professional Registration Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Montana | No general hour total Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Montana Board of Medical Examiners Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Nebraska | 50 hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | Nebraska DHHS Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit / Board of Medicine and Surgery (Physician Assistant Committee) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Nevada | 40 hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h SBIRT (screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for substance use disorder): 2 h Suicide detection, intervention and prevention (evidence-based): 2 h Cultural competency and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI): 2 h HIV stigma, discrimination and unrecognized bias: 2 h | Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners (PAs supervised by DOs are licensed/regulated by the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | 100 hours per 2-year cycle | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | New Hampshire Board of Medicine (NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| New Jersey | 50 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Explicit and implicit bias in perinatal care (unconscious bias, cultural competency, reproductive justice, pregnancy-related disparities): 1 h | New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners (Physician Assistant Advisory Committee) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| New Mexico | No general hour total (certification-based) Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | New Mexico Medical Board Checked October 19, 2026 |
| New York | No general hour total Renews every 3 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h Infection control and barrier precautions: NYSDOH-approved coursework (no fixed hour count set) | New York State Education Department (NYSED), Office of the Professions - State Board for Medicine Checked October 19, 2026 |
| North Carolina | 50 hours Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | North Carolina Medical Board Checked July 20, 2026 |
| North Dakota | No general hour total (certification-based) Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | North Dakota Board of Medicine Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Ohio | 100 hours Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): 12 hours | State Medical Board of Ohio Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | 20 hours Renews every year | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h | Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Oklahoma Medical Board) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Oregon | 60 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Cultural competency: 2 per 2-year cycle | Oregon Medical Board (OMB) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | 100 hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Opioid education for new prescribers (one-time): 4 h Child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31 of 2014): 2 h | Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine (medical-board PAs) AND State Board of Osteopathic Medicine (osteopathic-board PAs) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | 50 / 2 years (25 per year) | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 8 h | Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Licensure of Physician Assistants Checked October 19, 2026 |
| South Carolina | 100 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): Covered by the opioid row Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 4 h General CME (Category 1 / NCCPA certification maintenance): 100 h Human trafficking awareness & prevention: 1 h | South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners (SC LLR) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| South Dakota | 30 Renews every year | None beyond the general hours | South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Tennessee | 100 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Tennessee Committee on Physician Assistants (under the Board of Medical Examiners) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Texas | 40 credits Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Human trafficking prevention (HHSC-approved course): 1 h Forensic evidence collection: 2 h Nutrition & metabolic health: 1 h | Texas Physician Assistant Board (administered under the Texas Medical Board) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Utah | 40 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3.5 h SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) training: 3.5 h Suicide prevention training: 0.5 h | Utah Physician Assistant Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Vermont | 100 Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h | Vermont Board of Medical Practice (Vermont Department of Health) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Virginia | 100 Renews every 2 years | None beyond the general hours | Virginia Board of Medicine Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Washington | 100 hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h Suicide assessment, treatment, and management training: 6 h Health equity continuing education: 2 h | Washington Medical Commission (WMC) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| West Virginia | 100 hours Renews every 2 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 3 h | WV Board of Medicine (allopathic-supervised PAs) AND WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine (osteopathic-supervised PAs) Checked October 19, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | 30 Renews every 2 years | Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority): None Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 2 h Category 1 continuing medical education (NCCPA-defined or board-approved): 30 h | Wisconsin Physician Assistant Affiliated Credentialing Board (DSPS) Checked July 20, 2026 |
| Wyoming | 60 Renews every 3 years | Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing: 1 h | Wyoming Board of Medicine Checked October 19, 2026 |
Summaries only. Open a state for the full rule, citations and every exception. Latest check: October 19, 2026.
National certification is a separate clock
NCCPA certification is separate from every state license: 100 CME credits logged every 2 years, inside a 10-year certification maintenance cycle. Many states accept current NCCPA certification toward their own CME rule, but state topic mandates still apply.
Common questions
How many CE hours does a PA need to renew a state license?
It depends on the state. The table lists the total for each of the 51 jurisdictions, from no state total (the board relies on national certification) to the highest hour counts, plus any required topics.
Do PA opioid or controlled-substance CE rules differ by state?
Yes. 38 of 51 jurisdictions set an opioid, controlled-substance or pain-management topic for physician assistants, with different hours and timing. Separately, every DEA registrant owes the one-time 8-hour MATE Act training.
Does national certification count toward state CE for a PA?
NCCPA certification is separate from every state license: 100 CME credits logged every 2 years, inside a 10-year certification maintenance cycle. Many states accept current NCCPA certification toward their own CME rule, but state topic mandates still apply.
How do I track CE for PA licenses in several states?
Keep one record per license with its own renewal date, total hours and topic mandates, and check each course against every state it should count in. The Interstate Medicine Ledger does this for physician assistants across all 51 jurisdictions.
Track every state in one record
The Interstate Medicine Ledger keeps each license, DEA and state controlled-substance registration, national certification and CE certificate in one record, and counts each course against every state it applies to. $60 a year ($5 a month), 30 days free.
Related: NP CE by state · PA CME by state · CRNA CE by state · State controlled-substance registration · DEA registration renewal
Sources
- Each row: that state's PA or medical board rules and statutes, linked in the Board column and cited in full on the state page.
- NCCPA continuing medical education (100 credits every 2 years)
- DEA Diversion Control Division (MATE Act training)
Educational information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the board before you renew. Interstate Medicine is not affiliated with any licensing or certifying board.