Physician Assistant / Arkansas
2026 data Arkansas board official source

Arkansas Physician Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

State-board requirements, fees, and renewal cycle drawn from official regulator records.

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Practices medicine under physician supervision. Requires PANCE exam and masters degree.

What the Arkansas data shows for Physician Assistants

Arkansas's path to physician assistant licensure runs through 3,365 hours of approved instruction and a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam), plus a criminal history screening before applicants younger than 18 can be licensed. Arkansas folds the credential into its broader occupational licensing statute, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

The initial price tag is $173, and renewal costs $161 every 2 years. Maintaining the license requires 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.

For physician assistants, the reciprocity picture is: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
31/100
Physician Assistant · Arkansas

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training F
3,365 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$173
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden F
$81/yr
$161 every 2 years
Continuing Education F
50.0 hrs/yr
100 hours every 2 years
Experience Required A+
None required
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Arkansas

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
3,365 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$173
Renewal Fee
$161
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
100 hrs/cycle
Criminal History Check
Required
Minimum Age
18 years

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Physician Assistant All Arkansas licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Arkansas licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in Arkansas? ▼
Arkansas requires 3365 education/training hours, passing an exam (PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)), and an initial fee of $173. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in Arkansas? ▼
Certification as a physician assistant in Arkansas means clearing the state's checklist: 3365 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The Arkansas licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to Arkansas from another state? ▼
Here's how reciprocity typically plays out for physician assistants: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states. Many occupations are additionally covered by interstate licensing compacts that ease cross-state moves. Check with the Arkansas licensing board for how this applies to you.
Does Arkansas require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
Arkansas does require a background check before issuing a physician assistant license. What counts as disqualifying, and how it's reviewed, is up to the state licensing board.
What are the continuing education requirements for Physician Assistant in Arkansas? ▼
Arkansas ties continued physician assistant licensure to 100 continuing-education hours, due every 2 years, alongside a $161 renewal fee.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

Physician Assistant in Arkansas, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a physician assistant-wide, 50-state comparison.

  • See how Arkansas's physician assistant requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Physician Assistant in every state
  • Confirm whether your out-of-state physician assistant license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
  • See how Arkansas's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Arkansas overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Arkansas licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.