All PAs must be authorized to practice by the jurisdiction in which they work. Some PAs, like those in the armed forces, are authorized to practice by the federal government, but most PAs are authorized to practice by states. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia “license” PAs. The remaining five states either “certify” PAs (MD, OH, VT) or “register” PAs (MA, NY). (State certification and registration are functionally equivalent to licensure.) The territories of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and the United States Virgin Islands also license PAs. Below, you will find information on the licensure process, as well as some of the other requirements states impose upon physician assistants.
- List of Licensing Authorities
- Summary Chart: Requirements for Licensure
- Chart: Current Certification Requirements for Licensure, Renewal, & Reinstatement
- Practice Prior to NCCPA Certification (temporary licensure)
- Sample Practice Agreement
- Summary: Physician Registration Prior to Practice
- Summary: State-Specific CME Requirements
- Standardization of Regulatory Terms: Licensure for PAs
- PowerPoint: Mapping Your Career - How to plan for an extended absence from clinical practice
- Summaries of State Laws and Regulations
- Model State Legislation
