Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants · PA

40 hours. Every 2 years. Tied to your birthday.

A source-verified guide to Arizona's CME requirements for PAs — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from ARBPA~6 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

For PAs, 40 hours is the total CME requirement. Arizona also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 40-hour total.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
3 hrs
Biennial
Opioid/substance-use-disorder/addiction CME is required of all Arizona PAs, per the board's enforcement position — the ARBoPA renewal notice is headed 'ALL RENEWING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS' and states that all PAs renewing are required to complete the 3 hours as part of the 40, with no prescriber/DEA carve-out. The underlying statute (A.R.S. § 32-3248.02) on its face reaches only Schedule-II prescribers with a DEA registration, but the board enforces the broader, universal reading. Hours count within the 40-hour total. NCCPA-certified PAs remain deemed-satisfied for the whole 40 under A.R.S. § 32-2523(F) regardless.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective April 26, 2018, All Physician Assistants renewing their licenses are required to complete (3) three hours of CME as part of the 40 hours required upon renewal in: OPIOID-RELATED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER-RELATED OR ADDICTION-RELATED CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.”
ARBoPA Renewal Opioid CME noticeSee source [1] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Arizona 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
AAPA Category 1
PAs only
SourceARS 32-2523(A)[2]
AMA PRA Category 1
SourceARS 32-2523(A)[2]
AOA Category 1-A
SourceARS 32-2523(A)[2]
Board-approved credit
Catch-all for accrediting organizations not explicitly named in the statute but acceptable to the board.SourceARS 32-2523(A)[2]
Documentation & audit

Renewal is tied to the PA's birthday.[2] PAs must renew every other year on or before their birthday. A late renewal penalty applies after 30 days; the license automatically expires 90 days after the birthday and the PA must reapply for licensure from scratch.

Waivers & exemptions

Under ARS 32-2523(F), the CE requirement 'is deemed satisfied if, at the time of renewal, the licensee holds a certification in good standing from a certifying body approved by the board.'[2] In practice PAs with current NCCPA certification are deemed to have satisfied the 40-hour requirement; ARS 32-2523(A) also limits the random audit (10% of renewing PAs per calendar year) to those who do NOT hold such certification.

Under ARS 32-2523(E), the board may grant deadline extensions for illness, religious missionary activity, residence in a foreign country, or other extenuating circumstances upon written request.[2]

FAQ
How many CE hours do Arizona PAs need?
Arizona physician assistants must complete 40 hours of Category I continuing medical education every two years.[2] The renewal cycle is tied to the PA's birthday, not a calendar year or license issuance date. PAs must renew every other year on or before their birthday. The statute accepts credit from AAPA, AMA, AOA, and any other accrediting organization acceptable to the board. PAs who maintain current NCCPA certification are deemed to have satisfied the 40-hour requirement.[2]
Are there mandatory CE topics for PAs in Arizona?
Yes — every renewing Arizona PA must complete 3 hours of opioid-related, substance use disorder-related, or addiction-related continuing education per renewal cycle. The PA board's notice is headed 'ALL RENEWING PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS' and applies the mandate without a prescriber or DEA carve-out,[3] even though the underlying statute (Arizona's 2018 Opioid Epidemic Act) reaches only Schedule II prescribers with DEA registrations on its face.[4] The 3 hours count toward the 40-hour total.
Where can I check my Arizona PA license renewal date?
Arizona PA license renewal is managed through the Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants at azpa.gov, which is a separate board from the Arizona Medical Board that regulates physicians.[5] Renewal is due every other year on or before the PA's birthday.[2] If the license is not renewed within 30 days after the birthday, a late fee applies. If it is not renewed within 90 days, the license automatically expires and the PA must reapply for licensure from scratch.

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Other roles in Arizona

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. https://www.azpa.gov/
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “Effective April 26, 2018, All Physician Assistants renewing their licenses are required to complete (3) three hours of CME as part of the 40 hours required upon renewal in: OPIOID-RELATED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER-RELATED OR ADDICTION-RELATED CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.”ARBoPA Renewal Opioid CME notice
  2. ARS 32-2523 -- Physician Assistant Licensure, Renewal, CE, Audit
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-16
    Show verbatim text
    “each holder of a regular license shall renew the license every other year on or before the licensee's birthday by paying the prescribed renewal fee and supplying the board with information it deems necessary, including proof of having completed, before the renewal date, forty hours of category I continuing medical education approved by the American academy of physician assistants, the American medical association, the American osteopathic association or any other accrediting organization acceptable to the board. The board shall verify continuing medical education compliance and shall randomly audit at least ten percent of physician assistants who are renewing their license within the calendar year and who do not hold a current national certification from a national certification organization for physician assistants that is approved by the board. … if a holder of a regular license fails to renew the license within ninety days after the licensee's birthday, the license automatically expires. … The continuing medical education requirement in subsection A of this section is deemed satisfied if, at the time of renewal, the licensee holds a certification in good standing from a certifying body approved by the board.”ARS 32-2523
  3. PA Renewal Opioid CME -- Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-16
    Show verbatim text
    “Effective April 26, 2018, All Physician Assistants renewing their licenses are required to complete (3) three hours of CME as part of the 40 hours required upon renewal in: OPIOID-RELATED SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER-RELATED OR ADDICTION-RELATED CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION.”ARBPA Opioid CME Page
  4. ARS 32-3248.02 -- Health Professionals Substance Use/Addiction CE
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-16
    Show verbatim text
    “A health professional who is authorized under this title to prescribe schedule II controlled substances and who has a valid United States drug enforcement administration registration number or who is authorized under chapter 18 of this title to dispense controlled substances shall complete a minimum of three hours of opioid-related, substance use disorder-related or addiction-related continuing education each license renewal cycle. The three hours of continuing medical education or accredited continuing education that is approved by the applicable health profession regulatory board shall be included as part of any continuing education requirements for that health professional.”ARS 32-3248.02
  5. Licensure -- Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17

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 Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants, 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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