The retired status exempts physician assistants from the registration process, registration fee, and CME.

The following restrictions apply to physician assistants whose licenses are on retired status:

1. the physician assistant cannot engage in clinical activities or practice medicine in any state,
2. the physician assistant cannot prescribe or administer drugs to anyone, nor may the physician assistant possess a Drug Enforcement Agency or Texas controlled substances registration; and
3. to be eligible for retired status, a physician assistant's license cannot be under investigation, under a Board order, or be otherwise restricted.

To return to practice from retired status, a physician assistant must obtain approval of the Board after submitting a written request. If a physician assistant has been on official retired status for two years or longer, the request must be reviewed by the Licensure Committee of the Board.

To request retired status, complete and return the retirement request form (link below) to the Board for approval before the expiration date of the current registration permit. Refunds of registration fees already paid cannot be made.

If a physician assistant is ineligible for retired status, annual registration, including the fee and CME, are required to keep the license current.

PA Retirement Request Form

The emeritus retirement status is a subgroup of the “official retired status”. Like the standard retired status, the emeritus retired status exempts physician assistants from the registration process, registration fee, and CME.

The following restrictions apply to physician assistants whose licenses are on the standard or emeritus retired status:

1. the physician assistant cannot engage in clinical activities or practice medicine in any state,
2. the physician assistant cannot prescribe or administer drugs to anyone, nor may the physician assistant possess a Drug Enforcement Agency or Texas controlled substances registration; and
3. to be eligible for retired status, a physician assistant's license cannot be under investigation, under a Board order, or be otherwise restricted.

The following additional qualifications are required for a physician assistant who requests the emeritus retired status:

1. the physician assistant has never received a remedial plan or been the subject of disciplinary action by the Texas Physician Assistant Board;
2. the physician assistant has no criminal history, including pending charges, indictment, conviction and/or deferred adjudication in Texas;
3. the physician assistant has never held a license, registration or certification that has been restricted for cause, canceled for cause, suspended for cause, revoked or subject to another form of discipline in a state, or territory of the United States, a province of Canada, a uniformed service of the United States or other regulatory agency.

See Chapter 185.28 in the Board Rules for additional information.

To return to practice from emeritus retired status, a physician assistant must obtain approval of the Board after submitting a written request. If a physician assistant has been on any official retired status for two years or longer, the request must be reviewed by the Licensure Committee of the Board.

To request emeritus retired status, complete and return the emeritus retirement request form (link below) to the Board for approval before the expiration date of the current registration permit. Refunds of registration fees already paid cannot be made.

If a physician assistant is ineligible for any retired status, annual registration, including the fee and CME, are required to keep the license current.

PA Emeritus Retirement Request Form