Physician Assistant / North Carolina
2026 data North Carolina board official source

North Carolina Physician Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Official regulator records behind the requirements, fees, and renewal cycle for this license.

PlainCredential home → About this data

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

What the North Carolina data shows for Physician Assistants

Becoming a licensed physician assistant in North Carolina means clearing a defined set of hurdles: 3,669 training hours, a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam), plus a background history check once the applicant turns 18. North Carolina regulators place this credential inside their licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

Budget $234 to get started, plus $211 at each renewal on a 2-year cycle. Maintaining the license requires 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.

Reciprocity for this profession works like this: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
26/100
Physician Assistant · North Carolina

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
3,669 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$234
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden F
$106/yr
$211 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 North Carolina

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
3,669 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$234
Renewal Fee
$211
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 North Carolina licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with North Carolina licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in North Carolina? ▼
North Carolina's requirements cover 3669 hours of education or training, the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) exam, and an initial fee of $234. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in North Carolina? ▼
North Carolina licenses physician assistants who complete its requirements (3669 education hours) and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the North Carolina licensing board.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to North Carolina 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 North Carolina. Verify the specifics with the North Carolina licensing board.
Does North Carolina require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
North Carolina 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 North Carolina? ▼
To stay licensed as a physician assistant in North Carolina, plan on 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $211.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

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

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

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