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

North Dakota Physician Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

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

PlainCredential home → About this data

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

What the North Dakota data shows for Physician Assistants

To practice as a physician assistant in North Dakota, the state licensing board requires 3,162 documented education or training hours, a passing score on PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam). A criminal history background check is also part of the application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The regulation sits under North Dakota's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

Budget $132 to get started, plus $127 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.

On reciprocity, physician assistants should know: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
36/100
Physician Assistant · North Dakota

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
3,162 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$132
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden D
$64/yr
$127 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 Dakota

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
3,162 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$132
Renewal Fee
$127
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 Dakota licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with North Dakota licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in North Dakota? ▼
North Dakota's requirements cover 3162 hours of education or training, the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) exam, and an initial fee of $132. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in North Dakota? ▼
North Dakota licenses physician assistants who complete its requirements (3162 education hours) and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the North Dakota licensing board.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to North Dakota 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 North Dakota licensing board for how this applies to you.
Does North Dakota require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
A criminal background check is mandatory for physician assistant licensing in North Dakota. The state licensing board sets the disqualifying-offense criteria and review process.
What are the continuing education requirements for Physician Assistant in North Dakota? ▼
To stay licensed as a physician assistant in North Dakota, plan on 100 hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle; renewal itself runs $127.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

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

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

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