If you hold a South Carolina physician assistant license, the Board of Medical Examiners requires PAs to maintain NCCPA certification and complete 50 hours of Category 1 CME biennially — at least 20 of which must relate to your practice area. PAs with controlled-substance prescriptive authority must document 4 additional hours every two years on prescribing and monitoring Schedule II–IV controlled substances. Below is the full breakdown of what you need, what counts, and when it is due.
50 hours / 2 years
Fifty Category 1 CME hours each biennial cycle.
Practice-area focus
At least 20 of the 50 hours must relate to your practice area.
NCCPA certification
PAs must maintain NCCPA certification.
Controlled substances
4 added hours every two years for controlled-substance prescribers.
How many CME hours South Carolina PAs need
South Carolina requires 50 hours of Category 1 CME biennially for physician assistants — at least 20 of which must relate to the PA's practice area — alongside maintained NCCPA certification.
Mandated subject requirements
- Practice area: at least 20 of the 50 hours related to your practice area.
- Controlled substances: 4 hours every two years for prescribers on prescribing and monitoring Schedule II–IV controlled substances.
Renewal cycle and deadlines
South Carolina PA licenses renew biennially. A random audit at the end of the renewal period requires proof of CME, which may be submitted via CE Broker.
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View pricingSouth Carolina Physician Assistants (PA) CME at a glance
- Practice-Area CME20 hrs · biennial
At least 20 of the 50 Category 1 hours must be related to the PA's practice area.
- Controlled Substance Prescribing & Monitoring4 hrs · biennial
PAs with controlled-substance prescriptive authority must document 4 CME hours every two years on approved procedures for prescribing and monitoring Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances.
Always confirm with your licensing board
The South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners requires PAs to maintain NCCPA certification, and to complete 50 hours of Category 1 CME biennially with at least 20 hours related to their practice area. PAs with controlled-substance prescriptive authority must document 4 CME hours every two years on approved procedures for prescribing and monitoring Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances. A random audit at the end of the renewal period requires proof of CME (submittable via CE Broker).
CME requirements change. Confirm current rules with the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners before relying on these figures.
Source: South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners. 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 South Carolina or beyond?
Our sister teams handle the licensing side with the same concierge service.
South Carolina Physician Assistant CME Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
How many CME hours do South Carolina PAs need?
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50 Category 1 CME hours every two years, at least 20 of which must relate to your practice area.
Do South Carolina PAs need NCCPA certification?
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Yes — PAs must maintain NCCPA certification.
Do South Carolina PAs need controlled-substance CME?
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PAs with controlled-substance prescriptive authority must document 4 hours every two years on prescribing and monitoring Schedule II–IV substances.
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