Physician Assistant Licensing Requirements
Qualifications for Physician Assistant Licensure
Physician Assistants (PAs) are persons who have successfully completed an accredited education program and successfully completed the national certifying examination for physician assistants that is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. Physician assistant must enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician, podiatrist, or physician group. There are circumstances where the collaborative agreement must take the form of a supervising agreement, please refer to Board Rule 1.15.
Requirements for licensure as a Physician Assistant include:
- Graduation from an NCCPA-approved physician assistant program,
- Verified practice history,
- Passage of the NCCPA National Board Exam,
- Verification of Federation of State Medical Boards disciplinary history
Licensure Application Fee
All fees are subject to review and change on July 1 each year. The application fee is not refundable. This fee covers the cost of processing the application and the licensing fee until the next renewal period. All Physician Assistant licenses expire on January 31 of even-numbered years. Physician Assistants who apply for licensure close to the renewal period may wish to consider holding their applications until just after the renewal. Otherwise, they will be required to pay both the application and renewal fee in short succession.
Reinstatement
Reinstatement is necessary to change a license status from expired to current. Certain requirements have been established to make these changes. You must complete and return the Reinstatement Application along with the applicable fee. The application may also require the following supporting documentation:
- Verification of certification by the NCCPA,
- Verification certificate/licenses currently or previously held in other states or jurisdictions,
- Compliance with the continued competency rule 1.9
Reactivation
Reactivation is necessary to change a license status from inactive to active. Do not use a reactivation application to change a license status from expired to current. Instead, you will need to apply for reinstatement of your license.
To reactivate your license, you must complete and return the Reactivation Application along with the applicable fee. The application may also require the following supporting documentation:
- Verification of certification by the NCCPA,
- Verification certificate/licenses currently or previously held in other states or jurisdictions,
- Compliance with the continued competency rule 1.9
NCCPA Contact Information
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc.
12000FindleyRoad, Suite 100
Johns Creek, GA 30097-1409
Phone: 678-417-8100
Fax: 678-417-8135
Continued Competency
The Continued Competency Rule requires that the applicant (if not having engaged in active practice for one year in any state or country prior to the request for reinstatement or reactivation of the license) be able to demonstrate continued competency.
Refer to Rule 1.9- Demonstration of Continued Competency by Physician Assistant Applicants for Licensure Pursuant to the Occupational Credential Portability Program, Reinstatement or an Expired License, or Reactivation of a License.