Alabama Physician Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Alabama physician assistants must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.
A physician assistant license is renewed annually on or before December 31. A license not renewed by January 1 may still be renewed between January 1 and January 31 by filing the application and fee with certification that the CME requirement is met; from February 1 onward the board also requires proof of CME credits earned in the preceding 24 months. A physician assistant holds two things in Alabama: a license to practice and a separate registration to a supervising physician.
Summary
Alabama physician assistants must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. A physician assistant license is renewed annually on or before December 31. A license not renewed by January 1 may still be renewed between January 1 and January 31 by filing the application and fee with certification that the CME requirement is met; from February 1 onward the board also requires proof of CME credits earned in the preceding 24 months. A physician assistant holds two things in Alabama: a license to practice and a separate registration to a supervising physician. Alabama also mandates specific subjects. Navigating Professional Boundaries in Medicine: a one-time requirement of 2 CME credits (all actively licensed physician assistants; a new licensee must complete it within 12 months of licensure). Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC): 4 CME credits every renewal cycle (physician assistants who hold a QACSC). The first renewal is exempt.
Alabama Physician Assistant renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Annual (12 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 12/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 50 CME creditsCounted over a two-year window, separate from the renewal cycle. |
| Category 1 minimum | 50 CME credits |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | AOA Category 1-A credits; AAFP Prescribed credits; ACOG Cognate Credits; AAPA Category I CME credits; Advanced life support certification courses, maximum 2 credits per course |
The CME cycle and the renewal cycle are not the same length. The license renews annually by December 31, but the CME obligation is 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits or equivalent every two calendar years, and the physician assistant certifies at each annual renewal that the requirement is met or that an exemption applies. Alabama sets a state hour count rather than simply deferring to NCCPA: the CME rule read at Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29 makes no reference to NCCPA certification. The board lists exemptions from the basic requirement for the initial year of licensure, residents and fellows, military deployment, and disability or retirement waivers.
Required CE topics for Alabama physician assistants
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navigating Professional Boundaries in MedicineA two hour on demand course provided free to Alabama licensees by PBI Education. The board set a completion deadline of December 31, 2025 for licensees already holding a license, and gives new licensees 12 months from licensure. | 2 CME credits | One time | all actively licensed physician assistants; a new licensee must complete it within 12 months of licensure | Not stated |
| Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC)The board requires a QACSC holder to complete 12 credits within the first 12 months (an eight credit specified course plus four board approved credits) and then four AMA PRA Category 1 credits every two years through board approved courses. This attaches to the controlled substances certificate, not to the physician assistant license itself. | 4 CME credits | Every renewal | physician assistants who hold a QACSC | Not stated |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or a listed equivalent (AOA Category 1-A, AAFP Prescribed, ACOG Cognate, AAPA Category I). Controlled substance credits for QACSC holders must come from a board approved course. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Alabama PA need to renew?
- Alabama physician assistants must complete 50 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. The CME cycle and the renewal cycle are not the same length. The license renews annually by December 31, but the CME obligation is 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits or equivalent every two calendar years, and the physician assistant certifies at each annual renewal that the requirement is met or that an exemption applies. Alabama sets a state hour count rather than simply deferring to NCCPA: the CME rule read at Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29 makes no reference to NCCPA certification. The board lists exemptions from the basic requirement for the initial year of licensure, residents and fellows, military deployment, and disability or retirement waivers.
- How often does a Alabama PA license need to be renewed?
- Physician Assistant licenses in Alabama renew every year. A physician assistant license is renewed annually on or before December 31. A license not renewed by January 1 may still be renewed between January 1 and January 31 by filing the application and fee with certification that the CME requirement is met; from February 1 onward the board also requires proof of CME credits earned in the preceding 24 months. A physician assistant holds two things in Alabama: a license to practice and a separate registration to a supervising physician.
- What specific CE topics are required for Alabama physician assistants?
- Navigating Professional Boundaries in Medicine: a one-time requirement of 2 CME credits (all actively licensed physician assistants; a new licensee must complete it within 12 months of licensure). Controlled substance prescribing CME for holders of a Qualified Alabama Controlled Substances Certificate (QACSC): 4 CME credits every renewal cycle (physician assistants who hold a QACSC).
- Do Alabama physician assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 3 years. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or a listed equivalent (AOA Category 1-A, AAFP Prescribed, ACOG Cognate, AAPA Category I). Controlled substance credits for QACSC holders must come from a board approved course.
- Is the first Alabama PA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Alabama does not require continuing education for a PA's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Medical Education Requirements for Licensees, Alabama Board of Medical ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Physician Assistant and Anesthesiologist Assistant License and Registration, Alabama Board of Medical ExaminersState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29, Continuing Medical Education for Physician Assistants (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
Alabama regulates physician assistants through the Board of Medical Examiners, not a separate physician assistant board. The annual December 31 renewal and the two year, 50 credit CME obligation were both read on the board's own pages, and the CME rule text was confirmed through the Cornell LII mirror of Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29. Physician assistants carry a heavier CME load than Alabama physicians in aggregate: physicians owe 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits per calendar year (50 over two years), so the two year totals are the same, but the physician obligation is annual while the physician assistant obligation is measured over two calendar years. The topic key professional_boundaries is not in the canonical list. Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29 does not require NCCPA certification for renewal, and the board's PA licensing page references PANCE only as an initial eligibility requirement, so no NCCPA maintenance requirement is recorded. The supervising physician registration is a practice authorization, not continuing education, and is not recorded as CE. Carryover and live or self study limits were not stated on the pages read.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.