Alaska State Medical Board · PA

NCCPA certification required. 2-hour opioid mandate per board FAQ. Tied to your license expiration.

A primary-source–verified guide to Alaska's CME requirements for PAs — NCCPA pathway, mandatory topics, FAQ-vs-code gap explained, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from ASMB~7 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 19, 2026

These figures are compiled from official board materials — confirm current requirements with the Alaska State Medical Board

Mandatory topics

For PAs, 100 hours is the total CME requirement. Alaska also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 100-hour total.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
The board FAQ explicitly lists PAs alongside physicians and podiatrists for this requirement. Waived for PAs who certify on the renewal form that they do not hold a valid federal DEA registration. NCCPA-approved education satisfies this, in addition to AMA PRA Category 1 and AOA Category 1/2. Note: the codified regulation (12 AAC 40.200) is scoped to physicians, osteopaths, and podiatrists — not PAs — and the PA renewal form does not include an opioid attestation field. Atlas CME treats the FAQ as binding because the board is the enforcement authority, but a PA complying solely via NCCPA maintenance would likely be in technical compliance with the written rules.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Physicians, podiatrists and physician assistants, must provide evidence of at least two of the total hours of continuing medical education required to qualify for renewal must be specific to pain management and opioid use and addiction (unless you do not hold a valid DEA registration.)”
Alaska State Medical Board FAQSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Alaska cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalOpioid/Substance Use[2]
2 hrs
One-time

New Alaska PA license applicants must document completion of at least 2 hours of education in pain management, opioid use, and addiction as a condition of initial licensure per 12 AAC 40.400(b)(7). Accepted credit types: NCCPA-approved education, AMA Category I, or AOA Category I or II. Applicants who do not hold a valid federal DEA registration at the time of application are not required to satisfy this requirement at initial licensure but must comply at the time of applying for a DEA registration.

View sourceVerbatim from source
“verification of the applicant's completion of at least two hours of education in pain management and opioid use and addiction earned in a continuing medical education program approved by the National Commission on Certification of Physician assistants (NCCPA), a Category I continuing medical education program accredited by the American Medical Association, or a Category I or II continuing medical education program accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, for an applicant who does not currently hold a valid federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration number, the verification will be waived until the applicant applies for a valid registration number;”
12 AAC 40.400(b)(7)See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Alaska Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
NCCPA-approved education
PAs only
NCCPA-approved education. Per Board FAQ: 'For a physician assistant, it may instead be NCCPA-approved education.' The primary PA compliance pathway is maintaining current active NCCPA certification itself.SourceAlaska State Medical Board FAQ[1]
AMA PRA Category 1
Courses must be 'category 1 of AMA-approved education.'SourceAlaska State Medical Board FAQ; codified PA analog 12 AAC 40.400(b)(7) ('a Category I continuing medical education program accredited by the American Medical Association'). Audit 2026-07-02: prior cite 12 AAC 40.200(b) was wrong — that subsection is the illness-extension provision, and the physician credit-category rule (12 AAC 40.210(a)(1)) is not PA-scoped[1]
AOA Category 1-A
Board FAQ accepts 'Category 1 or 2 of AOA-approved education.'SourceAlaska State Medical Board FAQ; codified PA analog 12 AAC 40.400(b)(7) ('a Category I or II continuing medical education program accredited by the American Osteopathic Association'). Audit 2026-07-02: prior cite 12 AAC 40.200(b) was wrong — that subsection is the illness-extension provision, and the physician credit-category rule (12 AAC 40.210(a)(2)) is not PA-scoped[1]
AOA Category 2
Explicitly accepted per Board FAQ.SourceAlaska State Medical Board FAQ; codified PA analog 12 AAC 40.400(b)(7) ('a Category I or II continuing medical education program accredited by the American Osteopathic Association'). Audit 2026-07-02: prior cite 12 AAC 40.200(b) was wrong — that subsection is the illness-extension provision, and the physician credit-category rule (12 AAC 40.210(a)(2)) is not PA-scoped[1]
Documentation & audit

The division conducts computer-generated random audits after renewal.[3] PAs should retain CME documentation.

Waivers & exemptions

PAs who do not hold a valid federal DEA registration may certify this on their renewal form to waive the 2-hour pain management and opioid education requirement at biennial renewal per board FAQ guidance.[1] The same waiver applies at initial licensure under 12 AAC 40.400(b)(7): applicants without DEA registration are not required to complete the initial-licensure opioid education requirement, but must comply at the time of applying for a DEA registration.[3] The non-DEA exemption thus covers both the FAQ-stated biennial opioid CME at renewal and the codified initial-licensure opioid education requirement.

PAs not practicing in Alaska may obtain inactive license status, which exempts them from CE requirements. Reactivation requires current NCCPA certification, fee payment, and an FSMB clearance report.[1]

FAQ
How many CE hours do Alaska PAs need?
Alaska's codified renewal rule requires current active NCCPA certification — it does not set a separate state hour count.[3] NCCPA certification maintenance requires 100 CME credits per two-year cycle, at least 50 in Category 1. In addition, the Alaska State Medical Board FAQ states that PAs must complete 2 hours of education on pain management, opioid use, and addiction per biennial renewal period (waivable for PAs who certify on the renewal form that they do not hold a valid federal DEA registration).[1]
Are there mandatory CE topics for Alaska PAs?
Yes. Per the Alaska State Medical Board FAQ, PAs must complete at least 2 hours per biennium on pain management, opioid use, and addiction.[1] The course certificate should reference all three subject areas. This is waivable for PAs without a valid federal DEA registration, who may certify that fact on their renewal form. Note: the codified regulation is scoped to physicians, osteopaths, and podiatrists — not PAs — but the board FAQ explicitly includes PAs. Atlas CME treats the FAQ as binding for compliance purposes. Separately, all DEA-registered PAs must complete a one-time 8-hour federal MATE Act training on treating patients with opioid or other substance use disorders (attested at DEA registration or first renewal after 2023-06-27); this is a federal requirement, not Alaska-specific.
Where can I check my Alaska PA license renewal date?
All Alaska PA licenses expire on December 31 of even-numbered years on a uniform biennial cycle.[1] License status and renewal information are available through the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing website.[4] Renewal notices are sent at least 30 days before expiration, but PAs remain responsible for timely renewal. There is no grace period, and practicing with a lapsed license is illegal.

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Other roles in Alaska

Physician Assistants CME requirements in other states

Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Frequently Asked Questions -- Alaska State Medical Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-19
    Show verbatim text
    “Physicians, podiatrists and physician assistants, must provide evidence of at least two of the total hours of continuing medical education required to qualify for renewal must be specific to pain management and opioid use and addiction (unless you do not hold a valid DEA registration.) … Courses must be Category 1 of AMA-approved education, or Category 1 or 2 of AOA-approved education. For a podiatrist, it may instead be CPME-approved education. For a physician assistant, it may instead be NCCPA-approved education. … Physician assistants must maintain a current active NCCPA certification to qualify for renewal.”Alaska State Medical Board FAQ
    “Physicians, podiatrists and physician assistants, must provide evidence of at least two of the total hours of continuing medical education required to qualify for renewal must be specific to pain management and opioid use and addiction (unless you do not hold a valid DEA registration.)”Alaska State Medical Board FAQ
  2. https://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “verification of the applicant's completion of at least two hours of education in pain management and opioid use and addiction earned in a continuing medical education program approved by the National Commission on Certification of Physician assistants (NCCPA), a Category I continuing medical education program accredited by the American Medical Association, or a Category I or II continuing medical education program accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, for an applicant who does not currently hold a valid federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration number, the verification will be waived until the applicant applies for a valid registration number;”12 AAC 40.400(b)(7)
  3. Alaska State Medical Board -- Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-19
    Show verbatim text
    “A physician assistant license must be renewed biennially on the date set by the department. … documented evidence that the applicant has met the continuing medical education and recertification requirements of the NCCPA, including the NCCPA recertification examination, and is currently certified by NCCPA;”12 AAC 40.470
    “The collaborative plan must be filed with the division within 14 days after the effective date of the collaborative plan or within 14 days after the effective date of any change to that plan. … To qualify to practice in a remote practice location, a physician assistant with less than two years of full-time clinical experience must work 160 hours in direct patient care under the direct and immediate supervision of the collaborating physician or alternate collaborating physician. The first 40 hours must be completed before the physician assistant begins practice in the remote practice location, and the remaining 120 hours must be completed within 90 days after the date the physician assistant starts practice in the remote practice location.”12 AAC 40.410(b); 12 AAC 40.415(a)
    “A licensee shall submit, upon a form supplied by the board, a signed statement of compliance with the continuing medical education requirement at the time the licensee applies for license renewal. … The board or its designee will, in the board's or the board designee's discretion, audit the statements of compliance and additional evidence submitted under (a) and (b) of this section.”12 AAC 40.220(a),(c) — sits in the physician-article CME rules (compliance with 12 AAC 40.200/40.210); the 'computer-generated random audit' phrasing is from the ASMB FAQ physician-CME answer
    “verification of the applicant's completion of at least two hours of education in pain management and opioid use and addiction earned in a continuing medical education program approved by the National Commission on Certification of Physician assistants (NCCPA), a Category I continuing medical education program accredited by the American Medical Association, or a Category I or II continuing medical education program accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, for an applicant who does not currently hold a valid federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration number, the verification will be waived until the applicant applies for a valid registration number;”12 AAC 40.400(b)(7)
  4. Applications & Forms -- Alaska State Medical Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-19

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Alaska State Medical Board, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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