General Information

Physician Assistants may concurrently apply for Prescriptive Authority and Controlled Substance registration(s) in addition to a Physician Assistant license. Prescriptive Authority enables you to prescribe medication under the supervision of a licensed physician in Delaware.

• If you do not wish to apply concurrently for Prescriptive Authority, you may apply later. If you decide to apply later on…
• For Prescriptive Authority, use the Physician Assistant Application for Prescriptive Authority.
• For a Controlled Substance registration, use the Controlled Substance Application for Physician’s Assistant.

• You need a Controlled Substance registration for each business/practice where you will prescribe controlled substances. For example, if you work for two different employers, a hospital and a primary care physician, and you will prescribe controlled substances at each, you need two registrations—one for the hospital and one for the primary care practice.

• The registration associated with each business/practice covers all Delaware locations of that business/practice where you may prescribe controlled substances. The address associated with each business/practice is typically its main location. For example, if you work for one primary care practice with locations in two Delaware towns, you need only one registration and you may prescribe controlled substances at both locations.

• When your application is complete, allow 4-8 weeks to receive your permanent Physician Assistant license. After your permanent Physician Assistant license is issued and prescriptive authority is approved, any controlled substance registration(s) for which you applied will be processed. Allow an additional 3-4 weeks to receive your Controlled Substance registration(s).

• When your Delaware Controlled Substance registration(s) is approved, you must then file for a federal DEA registration. Before prescribing controlled substances in Delaware, you must have both your federal DEA registration and Delaware Controlled Substance registration(s).

Checklist for All Applications

The following requirements apply to all Physician Assistant applicants regardless of whether you are applying by Examination, Reciprocity/Endorsement or Reapplication. A checklist with more detailed instructions is included with the application. All auxiliary forms you need are also included with the application form.

• Submit completed, signed and notarized application form.

• Enclose processing fee by check or money order made payable to “State of Delaware.” The amount of the fee depends on whether you are applying for only a Physician Assistant license or for both the Physician Assistant license and controlled substance registration(s). See the example on the application checklist.

• If you now hold, or have ever held, a PA license in any jurisdiction other than Delaware, arrange for the Board office to receive a Verification of Physician Assistant License form from each jurisdiction where you have held a license.

• Complete the Criminal History Record Check Authorization form to request state and federal criminal background checks. Follow the instructions on the authorization form to arrange to be fingerprinted.

• Request a self-query from the National Practitioner and Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Banks (NPDB/HIPDB) website. The self-query report will be mailed to your address. When you receive the report, mail (do not fax) the original report to the Board office.

• If you answer “yes” to any questions in the DISCLOSURES section, you must submit a separate signed statement to fully explain your answer.

Additional Requirements for Applications by Examination

The following requirements apply when you are filing your initial application for PA licensure on the basis of the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE).

• Submit an 8" X 11 1/2" copy of your Physician Assistant diploma.

• Arrange for the Board office to receive a Verification of Physician's Assistant Education form directly from the AMA-approved PA program from which you graduated.

• Submit an 8" X 11 1/2" copy of your National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) Certificate. If you are applying by Examination but are not yet nationally certified, you do not need to submit this copy.

• Arrange for the Board office to receive an official Verification of Certification from NCCPA, sent directly to the Board office.

Additional Requirements for Applications by Endorsement/Reciprocity and Reapplications

The following requirement pertains only when

• you are applying on the basis of endorsement/reciprocity (current PA licensure in another state or jurisdiction) or reapplying for Delaware PA licensure that lapsed
• your CME within the past two years is current.

Submit proof of 100 hours of continuing medical education (CME) comprised of 40 hours of AMA Category I CME (Section 25.2 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations).

Temporary Licensure

You may be granted a temporary license if you have

• graduated from an accredited PA program and otherwise meet all the requirements for licensure except for passing the PANCE, and
• registered to take the next available PANCE.