Physician Assistant / Louisiana
2026 data Louisiana board official source

Louisiana 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 Louisiana data shows for Physician Assistants

Louisiana sets the entry bar for physician assistants at 4,095 training hours and a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). A background check is a standard part of the process, and applicants must be 18 or older. The credential is administered under Louisiana's licensing regime, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

Budget $319 to get started, plus $282 at each renewal on a 2-year cycle. Renewal isn't the end of the cost: 100 hours of continuing education are due every 2-year cycle, a recurring time commitment worth planning for.

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

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
21/100
Physician Assistant · Louisiana

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
4,095 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$319
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden F
$141/yr
$282 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 Louisiana

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
4,095 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$319
Renewal Fee
$282
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 Louisiana licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Louisiana licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in Louisiana? ▼
Louisiana requires 4095 education/training hours, passing an exam (PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)), and an initial fee of $319. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in Louisiana? ▼
To become a licensed physician assistant in Louisiana, you must meet the state's requirements including 4095 hours of education. You must also pass the required examination. Contact the Louisiana licensing board to verify current requirements.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to Louisiana from another state? ▼
Reciprocity for physician assistants nationally works like this: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states. Beyond that baseline, interstate compacts exist for many professions and may smooth a transfer into Louisiana. Verify the specifics with the Louisiana licensing board.
Does Louisiana require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
Louisiana 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 Louisiana? ▼
To stay licensed as a physician assistant in Louisiana, plan on 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $282.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

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

  • See how Louisiana'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 Louisiana's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. Louisiana overview

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Louisiana 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.