Virginia has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 100-hour total.
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Virginia 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 |
|---|---|
AAPA Category 1 PAs only | Virginia defers entirely to the NCCPA standard — any credit that counts toward NCCPA certification maintenance satisfies the state requirement. AAPA Category 1 CME Credit is the canonical NCCPA Category I credit.Source18VAC85-50-56(A)[1] |
AMA PRA Category 1 | AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers satisfies NCCPA Category I.Source18VAC85-50-56(A)[1] |
NCCPA Category 2 credits PAs only | Any CE that satisfies NCCPA certification maintenance satisfies Virginia's state requirement. NCCPA framework includes Category 2 credit (up to 50 of 100), self-assessment CME, and PI-CME with NCCPA bonus weighting.Source18VAC85-50-56(A)[1] |
Licensed physician assistants biennially renew the license in each odd-numbered year in the licensee's birth month by submitting renewal forms and fees, plus verifying compliance with continuing medical education standards established by the NCCPA.[1] Virginia defers entirely to NCCPA as the CE standard — nccpaDerived: true (Decision 3 pattern).
Physician assistants whose NCCPA certification lapses cannot maintain licensure.[1] Those resuming practice within two years apply for renewal with a late fee; those with lapses exceeding two years must seek reinstatement with associated fees. There is no independent state-level first-renewal or hardship exemption documented in Layer 1 for PAs; the operative pathway is maintaining current NCCPA certification.