Physician Assistant Board · PA

50 hours. Every 2 years. Tied to your birth month.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from PAB~6 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 2, 2026

Mandatory topics

California has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 50-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your California 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[1]
6 hrs
One-time

PAs who hold an active license, are authorized through a California practice agreement to furnish Schedule II controlled substances, AND are registered with the DEA

View sourceVerbatim from source
“PAs who hold an active license, who are authorized through a practice agreement to furnish Schedule II controlled substances, and who are registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and who have not successfully completed a one-time course in compliance with Sections 1399.610 and 1399.612 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, as those provisions read on June 7, 2019, shall complete, as part of their continuing education requirements, a course that covers Schedule II controlled substances, and the risks of addiction associated with their use, based on the standards developed by the board.”
BPC § 3502.1(e)(3) (one-time CSEC); rule layer 16 CCR § 1399.610 (california/pa/ccr-16-1399-610-westlaw) + board enforcement PAB CSEC page (california/pa/pab-csec-info)See source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalGeriatric Medicine[2]
10 hrs
Biennial

PAs providing primary care to a patient population of which over 25 percent are 65 years of age or older

View sourceVerbatim from source
“physician assistants who provide primary care to a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20% of all mandatory continuing education hours by completing courses in the field of geriatric medicine, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients”
PAB CME page (BPC § 3524.6); statute layer captured california/pa/bpc-3524-6See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, California 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
Source16 CCR § 1399.616[2]
AMA PRA Category 1
Source16 CCR § 1399.616[2]
AOA Category 1-A
Source16 CCR § 1399.616[2]
AAFP Prescribed
Source16 CCR § 1399.616[2]
Board-approved credit
Covers state medical societies recognized by the ACCME. Only Category I (Preapproved) credit from these organizations qualifies — non-Category-I courses from the same provider do not count.Source16 CCR § 1399.616[2]
Documentation & audit

PAs must retain CE documentation for 4 years.[3] The Board randomly audits PAs.

Renewal is tied to the PA's birth month. Licenses expire on the last day of the birth month every two years.[4]

Waivers & exemptions

The requirement is deemed satisfied if the physician assistant, at the time of renewal, is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.[3] PAs with current NCCPA certification are exempt from the 50-hour CE requirement entirely. If audited, verification of NCCPA certification must be submitted. NCCPA certification does not exempt a PA from the separate CSEC course when that course applies.

The Board may exempt a licensee from CE requirements for reasons of health, military service, or undue hardship.[2] Waiver application (CCR 1399.618) must be submitted 60 days prior to license expiration.

The Physician Assistant Board must waive renewal requirements for military personnel when they are called to active duty.[4] Active-duty call must be documented.

PAs granted inactive status are exempt from CE requirements and are in compliance for renewal. Inactive status prohibits practice.[2]

FAQ
How many CE hours do California PAs need?
California physician assistants must complete 50 hours of approved Category 1 (Preapproved) continuing medical education every two years.[3][2] The renewal cycle is tied to the PA's birth month, with licenses expiring on the last day of the birth month every two years.[4] PAs who maintain current NCCPA certification are exempt from the 50-hour requirement entirely.[3] Only Category 1 CME from approved accrediting organizations (AAPA, AMA, ACCME, AOACCME, AAFP, or recognized state medical societies) is accepted.
Are there mandatory CE topics for PAs in California?
California has several topic-specific requirements. PAs authorized to furnish Schedule II controlled substances through a California practice agreement AND registered with the DEA must complete a one-time Controlled Substance Education Course (CSEC) of at least 6 hours (minimum 3 hours dedicated to Schedule II controlled substances) with a proctored written examination at the conclusion.[5] Approved providers: CAPA, APPex, Stanford Health Care.[6] PAs providing primary care where over 25% of patients are age 65 or older must complete at least 10 hours per renewal in geriatric medicine or dementia care.[7] All CE courses with a direct patient care component must include implicit bias curriculum, but there is no separate hour requirement for PAs on this topic.[8]
Where can I check my California PA license renewal date?
California PA license renewal is managed through the Physician Assistant Board at pab.ca.gov, which is a separate entity from the Medical Board of California. Renewal reminders are mailed approximately 4 months before expiration.[4] An expired license may be renewed within 5 years by paying all accrued fees, but after 5 years the license is automatically cancelled and the PA must reapply as a new licensee.[4] PAs certify CE compliance under penalty of perjury on the renewal application.
Does NCCPA certification satisfy California's CE requirement?
Yes. PAs who maintain current NCCPA certification at the time of renewal are exempt from the 50-hour CE requirement.[3] If audited, NCCPA-certified PAs must submit verification of their certification status. This is one of the most significant exemptions available to California PAs, as NCCPA certification maintenance (100 credits per two-year cycle) exceeds the state's 50-hour requirement. However, PAs should verify whether specific mandatory topics like the Controlled Substance Education Course are separately required.

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Other roles in California

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://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=3502.1.&lawCode=BPC
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “PAs who hold an active license, who are authorized through a practice agreement to furnish Schedule II controlled substances, and who are registered with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and who have not successfully completed a one-time course in compliance with Sections 1399.610 and 1399.612 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, as those provisions read on June 7, 2019, shall complete, as part of their continuing education requirements, a course that covers Schedule II controlled substances, and the risks of addiction associated with their use, based on the standards developed by the board.”BPC § 3502.1(e)(3) (one-time CSEC); rule layer 16 CCR § 1399.610 (california/pa/ccr-16-1399-610-westlaw) + board enforcement PAB CSEC page (california/pa/pab-csec-info)
  2. Continuing Medical Education Information -- Physician Assistant Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-06-23
    Show verbatim text
    “a physician assistant who is renewing their license is required to complete a minimum of fifty (50) hours of approved continuing medical education (CME) during each two (2) year renewal period. … Physician assistants who are certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), or other qualified certifying body as determined by the Board, at the time of renewal are compliant with the Board’s CME requirements. … Effective January 1, 2025, physician assistants who provide primary care to a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20% of all mandatory continuing education hours by completing courses in the field of geriatric medicine, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients”PAB CME Page
    “physician assistants who provide primary care to a patient population of which over 25% are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20% of all mandatory continuing education hours by completing courses in the field of geriatric medicine, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients”PAB CME page (BPC § 3524.6); statute layer captured california/pa/bpc-3524-6 · Effective 2025-01-01
  3. CCR Title 16, Section 1399.615 -- CE Required (Barclays Official CCR, current through Register 2026 No. 26)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “(a) A physician assistant who renews his or her license on or after January 1, 2011, is required to complete fifty (50) hours of approved continuing medical education during each two (2) year renewal period. … (b) The requirements of subdivision (a) shall be deemed satisfied if the physician assistant, at the time of renewal, is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. … (e) A physician assistant shall retain, for a period of four years after the acquisition of the necessary continuing medical education, records issued by an approved continuing medical education provider that indicate the title of the course or program attended, the dates of attendance and the hours assigned to the course or program, or if a physician assistant is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants at the time of license renewal, evidence of certification shall be retained for four (4) years after such certification is issued.”16 CCR § 1399.615 (source switched from law.cornell.edu to official govt.westlaw text; prior subdivision (e) quote was an older/non-official rendering — current (e) adds NCCPA-certification-evidence retention; (a)/(b) values unchanged)
  4. Renewal Information -- Physician Assistant Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-06-25
    Show verbatim text
    “If your license was issued during your birth month, your initial license will be valid for a full twenty–four (24) month term. … A renewal reminder will be mailed to the address of record on file approximately four (4) months prior to the expiration date of your license. … A license that has expired may be renewed at any time within five years after its expiration by filing an application for renewal and paying all accrued and unpaid renewal fees. … Beginning January 1, 2013, the Physician Assistant Board must waive renewal requirements for military personnel when they are called to active duty.”PAB Renewal Info
  5. CCR Title 16, Section 1399.610 -- CSEC Course Requirements (6 hr, 3 hr Schedule II, written exam; Barclays Official CCR, current through Register 2026 No. 26)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “(b) The course includes a comprehensive written examination, proctored by the course provider at the conclusion of the course, of the material presented. The licensee must successfully complete the examination to receive a certificate of completion issued pursuant to subdivision (b) of section 1399.612. … (c) The course is at least six (6) hours in duration, of which a minimum of three (3) hours shall be exclusively dedicated to Schedule II controlled substances. A course provider shall not include the time for the written examination specified in subdivision (b) in the (6) six hour requirement.”16 CCR § 1399.610(b)-(c)
  6. Physician Assistant Controlled Substance Education Requirement -- Physician Assistant Board
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “Beginning January 1, 2020, physician assistants, who have not completed a one–time controlled substance education course in accordance with California Code of Regulations (CCR), title 16, sections … must complete a course, as part of the continuing education requirements, within the two–year period immediately preceding the license expiration date. … This requirement applies to physician assistants who: … - Hold an active California license; - Are authorized through a California practice agreement to furnish Schedule II controlled substances; and - Are registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).”PAB CSEC Page (page rewritten since 2026-04 access; 'As of January 1, 2020' now reads 'Beginning January 1, 2020' — same requirement, quote refreshed to current text)
  7. BPC Section 3524.6 -- Geriatric Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “A physician assistant who provides primary care to a patient population of which over 25 percent are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20 percent of all mandatory continuing education hours in a course in the field of geriatric medicine, the special care needs of patients with dementia, or the care of older patients.”BPC § 3524.6 · Effective 2025-01-01
  8. BPC Section 3524.5 -- Continuing Education (Implicit Bias)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-07-02
    Show verbatim text
    “The board may require a licensee to complete continuing education as a condition of license renewal under Section 3523 or 3524. The board shall not require more than 50 hours of continuing education every two years. The board shall, as it deems appropriate, accept certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), or another qualified certifying body, as determined by the board, as evidence of compliance with continuing education requirements. … The board shall adopt regulations to require that, on and after January 1, 2022, all continuing education courses for licensees under this chapter contain curriculum that includes the understanding of implicit bias. … Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (b), a continuing education course dedicated solely to research or other issues that does not include a direct patient care component is not required to contain curriculum that includes implicit bias in the practice of physician assistants.”BPC § 3524.5 (statute text amended since prior access — now 'may require a licensee … under Section 3523 or 3524', 'shall not require more than 50 hours', 'shall, as it deems appropriate, accept certification'; 50-hr/2-yr ceiling, NCCPA acceptance, and implicit-bias content mandate all unchanged in substance; quote refreshed to current text)

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 Physician Assistant 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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