A source-verified guide to South Carolina's CME requirements for PAs — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.
Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 18, 2026
South Carolina has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 100-hour total.
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.
Physician assistants with controlled substance prescriptive authority
“Four continuing education hours must be related to approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances listed in Schedules II, III, and IV, as required by state law set forth in South Carolina Code § 40-47-965(B)(2).”
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, South Carolina 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 system | Notes |
|---|---|
AMA PRA Category 1 min 50 hrs | Category 1 CME credits must be sponsored by the American Medical Association as accredited by ACCME. At least 50 of the 100 biennial hours must be Category 1.SourceS.C. Reg. 81-120(A)(1)[1] |
AOA Category 1-A | The American Osteopathic Association as accredited by the AOACCME is explicitly named as a Category 1 source.SourceS.C. Reg. 81-120(A)(1)[1] |
AAPA Category 1 PAs only | The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) is explicitly named as a Category 1 source.SourceS.C. Reg. 81-120(A)(1)[1] |
Category 2 continuing education PAs onlymax 50 hrs | Category 2 CME credits per the AMA definition — teaching residents/medical students, unstructured online researching, reading authoritative medical literature, consultation with peers, group discussions, self-assessment, medical writing, preceptorships, research, and participating in live activities not designated for AMA PRA Category 1. Up to 50 of the 100 biennial hours may be Category 2.SourceS.C. Reg. 81-120(A)(2)[1] |
Board-approved credit PAs only | Another organization approved by the Board as having acceptable standards for courses it sponsors.SourceS.C. Reg. 81-120(A)(1)[1] |
Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.
Current NCCPA certification establishes compliance with the general 100-hour CE requirement but does NOT waive the 4-hour controlled substance CE for PAs with prescriptive authority.[1]
A person whose profession or occupation is regulated by Title 40 is exempt from completing continuing education requirements while serving on active military duty.[4]
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your a fixed calendar cycle renewal.
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.
“One hundred (100) CME credits, including no less than 50 Category 1 CME credits. The remaining 50 credits can be Category 1, Category 2 or a combination of both. Four continuing education hours must be related to approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances listed in Schedules II, III, and IV, as required by state law set forth in South Carolina Code § 40-47-965(B)(2). ... (B) Proof of completing CME credits must be maintained for no less than 3 years following renewal. The Board of Medical Examiners may conduct random audits of CME hours to establish proof of compliance with continuing education requirements. (C) Current certification with the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) establishes compliance with the requirements of this regulation except for hours related to prescribing and monitoring controlled substances, which must be completed biennially as required by state law.”S.C. Reg. 81-120 · Effective 2025-05-23
“Four continuing education hours must be related to approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances listed in Schedules II, III, and IV, as required by state law set forth in South Carolina Code § 40-47-965(B)(2).”S.C. Reg. 81-120(A)
“License renewal occurs every two years in the odd-numbered years. ... Renewal deadlines—[in the odd-numbered years] ... Physician Assistant—December 31 ... Physician Assistants [PA] Physician Assistants must maintain an active NCCPA certification. PAs with controlled substance prescriptive authority must complete four (4) hours of continuing education related to approved procedures of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances listed in Schedules II, III, and IV of the schedules provided for in Sections 44-53-210, 44-53-230, and 44-53-250.”SCBME Medical CE Reqs PDF
“A person whose profession or occupation is regulated by this title is exempt from completing continuing education requirements for his profession or occupation while serving on active military duty.”S.C. Code § 40-1-610