Mississippi Physician Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Mississippi physician assistants must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure.
A Mississippi physician assistant license is renewed every year through MELS, the board's Medical Enforcement and Licensure System, on the same state fiscal year the board uses for physicians, which ends June 30. The continuing education cycle is longer than the renewal: it runs two years, July 1 to June 30 two years later, with the current cycles being July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, then July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028, and July 1, 2028 to June 30, 2030.
Summary
Mississippi physician assistants must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. A Mississippi physician assistant license is renewed every year through MELS, the board's Medical Enforcement and Licensure System, on the same state fiscal year the board uses for physicians, which ends June 30. The continuing education cycle is longer than the renewal: it runs two years, July 1 to June 30 two years later, with the current cycles being July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, then July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028, and July 1, 2028 to June 30, 2030. Mississippi also mandates specific subjects. Prescribing of medications with an emphasis on controlled substances: 5 CME credits every renewal cycle (physician assistants authorized to prescribe controlled substances).
Mississippi 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, 06/30 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 100 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 | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Current NCCPA certification serves as evidence that the 100 hour requirement has been met |
30 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2615, Rule 1.9: every licensed physician assistant completes not less than 100 hours of continuing medical education over a two year cycle, of which 50 hours must be Category 1 as defined by ACCME, AAPA, AMA or AOA. A physician assistant authorized to prescribe controlled substances must include 5 hours related to prescribing medications with an emphasis on controlled substances inside that 100. Mississippi gives two ways to document it: hold current NCCPA certification, which the board accepts as evidence of the 100 hours, or keep your own certificates of completion and supporting documentation for audit. The requirement is separate from and larger than the Mississippi physician requirement of 40 hours of Category 1 CME per two year cycle, and the hour total is a two year figure against an annual license, which is why continuing_education.cycle_months is 24.
Required CE topics for Mississippi physician assistants
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescribing of medications with an emphasis on controlled substancesFive of the 100 hours per two year cycle, not an addition to the total. | 5 CME credits | Every renewal | Physician assistants authorized to prescribe controlled substances | 30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2615, R. 1.9 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Category 1 credit must be as defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association. A physician assistant who is not NCCPA certified is responsible for keeping certificates of completion and supporting documentation for every activity, organized and accessible in case of a continuing education compliance audit. A physician assistant holding current NCCPA certification uses that certification as the evidence instead. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Mississippi PA need to renew?
- Mississippi physician assistants must complete 100 CME credits of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. 30 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2615, Rule 1.9: every licensed physician assistant completes not less than 100 hours of continuing medical education over a two year cycle, of which 50 hours must be Category 1 as defined by ACCME, AAPA, AMA or AOA. A physician assistant authorized to prescribe controlled substances must include 5 hours related to prescribing medications with an emphasis on controlled substances inside that 100. Mississippi gives two ways to document it: hold current NCCPA certification, which the board accepts as evidence of the 100 hours, or keep your own certificates of completion and supporting documentation for audit. The requirement is separate from and larger than the Mississippi physician requirement of 40 hours of Category 1 CME per two year cycle, and the hour total is a two year figure against an annual license, which is why continuing_education.cycle_months is 24.
- How often does a Mississippi PA license need to be renewed?
- Physician Assistant licenses in Mississippi renew every year. A Mississippi physician assistant license is renewed every year through MELS, the board's Medical Enforcement and Licensure System, on the same state fiscal year the board uses for physicians, which ends June 30. The continuing education cycle is longer than the renewal: it runs two years, July 1 to June 30 two years later, with the current cycles being July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026, then July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028, and July 1, 2028 to June 30, 2030.
- What specific CE topics are required for Mississippi physician assistants?
- Prescribing of medications with an emphasis on controlled substances: 5 CME credits every renewal cycle (physician assistants authorized to prescribe controlled substances). Citations: prescribing of medications with an emphasis on controlled substances (30 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2615, R. 1.9).
- Do Mississippi physician assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. Category 1 credit must be as defined by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association. A physician assistant who is not NCCPA certified is responsible for keeping certificates of completion and supporting documentation for every activity, organized and accessible in case of a continuing education compliance audit. A physician assistant holding current NCCPA certification uses that certification as the evidence instead.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Physician Assistant CME Requirements, Mississippi State Board of Medical LicensureState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Renew a Mississippi License, Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure (physician assistants renew annually through MELS)State board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- 30 Miss. Code R. 2615-1.9 Continuing Education, physician assistants (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- 30 Miss. Code R. 2615-1.3 Qualifications for Licensure, physician assistants (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements, Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure (physician requirements, with physician assistant requirements stated separately)State board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Mississippi State Board of Medical LicensureState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Mississippi regulates physician assistants through the State Board of Medical Licensure, the same board that licenses physicians, under Miss. Code Ann. section 73-26-5 and 30 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2615, and the board publishes a physician assistant CME page separate from the physician one. The 100 hours, the 50 hour Category 1 floor, the 5 hour controlled substance component, the NCCPA alternative and the two year cycle dates were read on that board page and confirmed in the Cornell LII mirror of Rule 1.9; the annual renewal through MELS was read on the board's renewal page. The rule sets the license period nowhere that could be read: Part 2615 Chapter 1 has no renewal section, so the June 30 date comes from the board's own renewal page describing annual renewal alongside the physician license, whose year is the July 1 to June 30 state fiscal year and whose CME cycle the physician assistant cycle dates match. Current NCCPA certification is required for initial licensure under Rule 1.3; whether it must be maintained as a condition of renewal is not stated in the rules read, and the board presents it as one of two ways to document the hours rather than as a renewal condition. Record retention years and whether a first renewal is prorated are not stated.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.