Physician Assistant / West Virginia
2026 data West Virginia board official source

West Virginia Physician Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

PlainCredential home → About this data

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

What the West Virginia data shows for Physician Assistants

To practice as a physician assistant in West Virginia, the state licensing board requires 3,426 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 West Virginia's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)".

Upfront cost is $185, with renewal running $171 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
29/100
Physician Assistant · West Virginia

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
3,426 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee F
$185
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden F
$86/yr
$171 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 West Virginia

Education / Training Hours
Masters Degree (MPAS or MMS)
3,426 hours
Exam Requirement
PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam)
Required
Initial License Fee
$185
Renewal Fee
$171
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 West Virginia licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with West Virginia licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Physician Assistant in West Virginia? ▼
West Virginia's requirements cover 3426 hours of education or training, the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam) exam, and an initial fee of $185. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Physician Assistant in West Virginia? ▼
Certification as a physician assistant in West Virginia means clearing the state's checklist: 3426 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The West Virginia licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my Physician Assistant license to West Virginia from another state? ▼
For physician assistants, the reciprocity landscape looks like this: PA Licensure Compact: adoption underway in many states. Many professions are also covered by interstate licensing compacts that facilitate portability between states. Contact the West Virginia licensing board to confirm how it applies to your specific credential.
Does West Virginia require a background check for Physician Assistant licensing? ▼
A criminal background check is mandatory for physician assistant licensing in West Virginia. The state licensing board sets the disqualifying-offense criteria and review process.
What are the continuing education requirements for Physician Assistant in West Virginia? ▼
Licensed physician assistants in West Virginia must complete 100 hours of continuing education every 2 years. The renewal fee is $171.

Related Guides

What to do with this physician assistant license

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

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

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