Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination
The PANCE is the national certification exam for physician assistants. Passing it earns the PA-C credential, which state licensing boards, including Connecticut, require. Certified PAs then maintain certification through CME every two years and a recertification exam within a 10 year period.
Issued by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) · Official page
Who can apply
- Graduate of an entry-level PA program accredited by ARC-PA
- Up to six attempts within six years of completing graduation requirements, whichever limit is reached first
Exam
- Exam
- PANCE
- Format
- Multiple choice, delivered in five blocks of 60 questions, with 60 minutes per block
- Questions
- 300
- Time
- Five hours of testing (5 blocks x 60 minutes), plus 45 minutes of break time and a 15 minute tutorial, about six hours total at the test center
NCCPA's page states the testing time is six hours and the total exam is five hours; the block structure (5 x 60 minutes) plus breaks and tutorial explains both figures.
Official fees
| Fee | Amount | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANCE exam fee | $550 | Paid when submitting the PANCE application | Official page |
| Certification maintenance fee | $180 | Due with CME logging by 11:59 p.m. PT, Dec. 31 of the certification expiration year (every two year cycle) | Official page |
| Recertification exam fee (PANRE or PANRE-LA) | $350 | Same fee for either option | Official page |
Only fees published by the issuer or regulator are listed. Blank amounts mean no official figure was available to verify.
Renewal and continuing education
- Cycle
- 10 year certification maintenance period made up of five two year cycles
- Requirement
- Each two year cycle: earn and log at least 100 CME credits (at least 50 Category 1) and pay the certification maintenance fee. Recertify once per 10 years by either PANRE-LA (apply in year 6, taken in years 7 to 9, 25 questions per quarter, must complete at least 8 of 12 quarters) or the test center PANRE in year 9 or 10.
Timeline
Eligibility ends after six attempts or six years from completing PA program graduation requirements, whichever comes first.
Notes
National certification. Connecticut DPH requires passing the NCCPA exam and current NCCPA certification for PA licensure.
Related careers
| Occupation | National median wage |
|---|---|
| Physician assistants | $135,880 |
Sources
- NCCPA Become Certified, accessed October 18, 2026
- NCCPA Maintain Certification, accessed October 18, 2026
- NCCPA Continuing Medical Education, accessed October 18, 2026
- NCCPA FAQs, accessed October 18, 2026
Verification notes
NCCPA's exam length wording is internally inconsistent (six hours of testing time vs five hour exam); duration is described from the block structure. Everything else verified.
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