Idaho Board of Medicine · PA

100 hours. Every two years. NCCPA certification required.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from IBM~6 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

Idaho has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 100-hour total.

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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Idaho 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
Idaho's PA CE requirement flows through NCCPA certification maintenance rather than an independent state hour count, so whatever AAPA accepts toward NCCPA credit satisfies Idaho.SourceIDAPA 24.33.02[1]
AMA PRA Category 1
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers counts toward NCCPA certification maintenance and therefore satisfies Idaho's PA CE requirement.SourceIDAPA 24.33.02[1]
NCCPA Category 2 credits
PAs only
NCCPA accepts Category 2 credits up to its own caps. Because Idaho PA CE flows through NCCPA maintenance, whatever NCCPA accepts satisfies Idaho.SourceIDAPA 24.33.02[1]
Documentation & audit

Idaho is transitioning to birth-date-based license expiration. After April 1, 2026, all PA licenses will be mandatory two-year licenses expiring on the licensee's birth date.[2] Even birth years expire in 2028 or 2030; odd birth years expire in 2029 or 2031. The DOPL press release confirms there are no changes to CE requirements as part of this transition.

Waivers & exemptions

Service members on active duty outside Idaho receive a six-month penalty-free renewal window following discharge or reassignment. During military service and for six months following discharge, the license remains in good standing without renewal.

FAQ
How many CE hours do Idaho PAs need?
Idaho PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years. This requirement is structured as an attestation to NCCPA maintenance of certification, which the Idaho Board of Medicine requires under IDAPA 24.33.02.[1] NCCPA certification maintenance requires a minimum of 100 CME credits per two-year cycle with at least 50 being Category 1. The state is transitioning to birth-date-based license expiration starting April 2026.[2]
Are there mandatory CE topics for PAs in Idaho?
No mandatory CE topics have been confirmed in Idaho's primary rule sources.[3][4] Multiple secondary sources report that Idaho requires 2 hours of ethics training and 1 hour of opioid prescribing training, but these could not be verified in the primary rule text. IDAPA 24.33.02 (the PA-specific rule PDF) remains unreadable, so PAs should confirm current mandatory topic requirements directly with the Idaho Board of Medicine or the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee.
Where can I check my Idaho PA license renewal date?
Idaho PA license information is available through the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) at dopl.idaho.gov. The Physician Assistant Advisory Committee page at dopl.idaho.gov/paac/ provides licensing resources.[1] Idaho is transitioning to birth-date-based license expiration after April 1, 2026. PAs with even birth years will expire in 2028 or 2030, and those with odd birth years will expire in 2029 or 2031.[2]
Does NCCPA certification satisfy Idaho's PA CE requirement?
Yes. Idaho's CE requirement for PAs is structured as an attestation to NCCPA certification maintenance rather than an independent CE tracking obligation.[1] PAs who maintain their NCCPA certification (which requires 100 CME credits per two-year cycle) have met the Idaho state CE requirement. The open question is whether Idaho imposes additional topic-specific requirements beyond what NCCPA requires, which multiple secondary sources claim but which has not been verified in primary rule text.
How does Idaho's collaborative practice model affect PA CE?
Idaho uses a collaborative practice model rather than a supervision model. Under Idaho Code 54-1807A, PAs collaborate with one or more Idaho-licensed physicians, with the degree and nature of collaboration determined by the facility or practice.[5] PAs with two or more years of licensure may independently own medical practices with a collaborative practice agreement. The collaborative model itself does not impose specific CE requirements, and the CE obligation remains the NCCPA certification maintenance standard.

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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. Physician Assistant Advisory Committee — Idaho DOPL
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “physician assistants shall attest to maintenance of certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants or similar certifying agency approved by the Board, which certification requires a minimum of one hundred (100) hours of continuing medical education over a two-year (2) period.”IDAPA 24.33.02 (via DOPL)
  2. Biennial Licensure Transition Press Release (PAs) — Idaho DOPL
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “DOPL will transition from the option of 1-year licenses or 2-year licenses in the month of June to 2-year licenses that renew on the licensees' birthdates. … There are no changes to your current Continuing Education requirements.”
  3. PAAC Statutes, Rules, and Guidance — Idaho DOPL
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
  4. Idaho Admin. Code r. 24.33.01.079 — Continuing Medical Education Required
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Each person licensed to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine or surgery in Idaho shall complete no less than forty (40) hours of practice relevant, Category 1, CME every two (2) years.”IDAPA 24.33.01.079
  5. Idaho Code § 54-1807A — Physician Assistants, PAAC
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
  6. IDAPA 24.33.01 — Rules of the Board of Medicine (effective 7-1-25)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “This rule applies to medical physicians, osteopathic physicians, and physician assistants who are licensed or seek to be licensed under the Board of Medicine.”IDAPA 24.33.01

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 Idaho Board of Medicine, 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's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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