Physician Assistants · Iowa · Continuing education
Iowa Physician Assistant CME Requirements (2026)
01 In short
- PA100 hours every 2 years, including 2 h opioid prescribing & pain management; renewal by September 30.
Official source: the state licensing board · checked Oct 28, 2026
02 Calculator
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03 Requirements
Iowa PA CE requirements at a glance
- CE required
- 100hours
- Renewal cycle
- 2 years
- Deadline
- Sep 30
- Reporting
- Upload
- Renewal deadline
- By September 30
- Category 1 minimum
- 50
- Accepted credit
- At least 50 hours Category I designated by AAPA, AMA, AOA Council on CME, AAFP or other ACCME-accredited organizations; remaining 50 hours Category I or II as accepted by NCCPA
- Carryover
- Excess hours: up to 50 percent of the required hours (max 50 hours) may be applied to the following renewal period.
- New licensees
- No CE required for the first renewal after initial licensure; a license issued within six months of the renewal date is not renewed until the next renewal date two years later.
- Audits & records
- Certificate of completion of CE hours is attached to the online renewal; licensees may be selected for audit.
- Renew online
- dial.iowa.gov ↗
| Topic | Hours | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Opioid prescribing & pain managementPAs who prescribed opioids to a patient during the renewal cycle; CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain; counts toward the 100 hours | 2 | every renewal |
| Child abuse recognition & reportingPAs who examine, attend, counsel or treat children in Iowa; HHS curriculum on child abuse identification and reporting completed in the previous three years (Iowa Code 232.69) | — | every 3 years |
| Mandated reporter trainingPAs who examine, attend, counsel or treat adults in Iowa; dependent adult abuse identification and reporting training in the previous three years (Iowa Code 235B.16) | — | every 3 years |
Alternatives & exemptions. Licensees who maintain NCCPA certification may show compliance by proof of current NCCPA certification for the period reviewed or audited.
Good to know. Iowa now titles the profession physician associate. Compliance period and license period run October 1 to September 30 two years later.
Source: www.legis.iowa.gov · 481—Chapter 782 (rules 782.2, 782.3) and rule 481—780.8 Iowa Administrative Code; Iowa Code chapter 148C · checked Oct 28, 2026
04 Questions
Which CE courses count for physician assistants in Iowa?
At least 50 hours Category I designated by AAPA, AMA, AOA Council on CME, AAFP or other ACCME-accredited organizations; remaining 50 hours Category I or II as accepted by NCCPA.
How many CE hours do physician assistants need in Iowa?
100 hours every 2 years, at least 50 of them Category 1.
How do I verify a physician assistant license in Iowa?
Use the license lookup of the Iowa Board of Physician Associates (dial.iowa.gov/licenses/medical/physician-assistants); the board's own record is the primary source. CE status itself is checked by the board at renewal.
How do physician assistants report CE in Iowa?
By uploading certificates with the renewal.
When is the renewal deadline for physician assistants in Iowa?
Licenses renew by September 30 (2 years cycle).