If you hold an Ohio physician assistant license, the State Medical Board of Ohio requires 100 hours of continuing education during each two-year licensure registration period. Those hours must be Category 1 CME acceptable for maintaining your NCCPA certification. If you hold a prescriber number, Ohio layers in a 12-hour pharmacology requirement, and PAs who prescribe opioids or benzodiazepines must certify access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS). Below is the full breakdown of what you need, what counts, and when it is due.
100 hours / 2 years
One hundred hours of Category 1 CME each two-year registration period (prorated mid-cycle).
Pharmacology (12 hrs)
Prescribers must complete 12 hours of Category 1 pharmacology CME, counted within the 100.
OARRS access
PAs prescribing opioids or benzodiazepines must certify OARRS access at renewal.
NCCPA-acceptable credit
Hours must be acceptable for maintaining NCCPA certification (AMA PRA / AAPA Category 1).
How many CME hours Ohio PAs need
Ohio requires 100 hours of Category 1 continuing education during each two-year registration period. The hours must be acceptable for maintaining NCCPA certification, and the requirement is prorated for PAs licensed partway through a cycle.
Mandated subject requirements
- Pharmacology (prescribers): at least 12 hours of Category 1 pharmacology CME per registration period, counted toward the 100-hour total (prorated for an initial prescriber renewal).
- OARRS access: PAs who prescribe opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines must certify they have been granted access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System, unless exempt under R.C. 4730.49.
Renewal cycle and deadlines
Ohio PA licenses renew on a two-year registration period. Complete and document your 100 hours — including any required pharmacology hours — before your renewal deadline, and certify OARRS access if you prescribe opioids or benzodiazepines.
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View pricingOhio Physician Assistants (PA) CME at a glance
- Pharmacology (Prescribers)12 hrs · per 2 year cycle
A physician assistant who holds a prescriber number must complete at least 12 hours of Category 1 continuing education in pharmacology during each two-year registration period (prorated to 6 or 3 hours for an initial prescriber renewal depending on timing). These hours count toward the 100-hour total.
- OARRS Access (Controlled-Substance Prescribers)Required · per 2 year cycle
A physician assistant who prescribes opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines must certify at renewal that the board has granted the PA access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), unless an exemption under R.C. 4730.49 applies. This is a registration/attestation requirement rather than a fixed number of CME hours.
Always confirm with your licensing board
Ohio physician assistants are licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio and renew on a two-year licensure registration period. Each PA must complete 100 hours of continuing education acceptable for maintaining NCCPA certification during the registration period (prorated for licenses issued mid-cycle). PAs who hold a prescriber number must complete additional pharmacology CME and, if they prescribe opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines, must certify they have been granted access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS).
CME requirements change. Confirm current rules with the State Medical Board of Ohio before relying on these figures.
Source: State Medical Board of Ohio. Board website · Researched as of 2026-06-01 · CME rules change; this is administrative guidance, not legal or CME-accreditation advice.
Licensed in more than one state?
PA Licensure Compact: enacted but not yet active. Enacted by enough states and a commission is standing up, but NOT yet issuing the compact privilege — PAs still license state-by-state.
Each state license carries its own CME requirement and renewal date — if you hold more than one, you need a plan for each.
Also licensing in Ohio or beyond?
Our sister teams handle the licensing side with the same concierge service.
Ohio Physician Assistant CME Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
How many CME hours do Ohio PAs need?
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100 hours of Category 1 CME during each two-year licensure registration period, prorated for licenses issued mid-cycle.
Do Ohio PA prescribers need pharmacology CME?
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Yes — PAs with a prescriber number must complete at least 12 hours of Category 1 pharmacology CME per registration period (prorated for an initial prescriber renewal). These hours count toward the 100-hour total.
What is the OARRS requirement for Ohio PAs?
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PAs who prescribe opioid analgesics or benzodiazepines must certify at renewal that they have been granted access to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), unless an exemption under R.C. 4730.49 applies.
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