(A) A license to practice as a physician assistant shall be valid for a two-year period unless revoked or suspended, shall expire on the date that is two years after the date of issuance, and may be renewed for additional two-year periods in accordance with this section. A person seeking to renew a license shall apply to the state medical board for renewal prior to the license’s expiration date. The board shall provide renewal notices to license holders at least one month prior to the expiration date.

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Applications shall be submitted to the board in a manner prescribed by the board. Each application shall be accompanied by a biennial renewal fee of two hundred dollars. The board shall deposit the fees in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.

The applicant shall report any criminal offense that constitutes grounds for refusing to issue a license to practice under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code to which the applicant has pleaded guilty, of which the applicant has been found guilty, or for which the applicant has been found eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, since last signing an application for a license to practice as a physician assistant.

(B) To be eligible for renewal of a license, an applicant is subject to all of the following:

(1) The applicant must certify to the board that the applicant has maintained certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board by meeting the standards to hold current certification from the commission or its successor, including passing periodic recertification examinations;

(2) Except as provided in section 5903.12 of the Revised Code, the applicant must certify to the board that the applicant is in compliance with the continuing medical education requirements necessary to hold current certification from the commission or its successor.

(3) The applicant must comply with the renewal eligibility requirements established under section 4730.49 of the Revised Code that pertain to the applicant.

(C) If an applicant submits a complete renewal application and qualifies for renewal pursuant to division (B) of this section, the board shall issue to the applicant a renewed license to practice as a physician assistant.

(D) The board may require a random sample of physician assistants to submit materials documenting both of the following:

(1) Certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants or a successor organization that is recognized by the board;

(2) Completion of the continuing medical education required to hold current certification from the commission or its successor.

Division (D) of this section does not limit the board’s authority to conduct investigations pursuant to section 4730.25 of the Revised Code.

(E) A license to practice that is not renewed on or before its expiration date is automatically suspended on its expiration date. Continued practice after suspension of the license shall be considered as practicing in violation of division (A) of section 4730.02 of the Revised Code.

(F) If a license has been suspended pursuant to division (E) of this section for two years or less, it may be reinstated. The board shall reinstate a license suspended for failure to renew upon an applicant’s submission of a renewal application, the biennial renewal fee, and any applicable monetary penalty.

If a license has been suspended pursuant to division (E) of this section for more than two years, it may be restored. In accordance with section 4730.28 of the Revised Code, the board may restore a license suspended for failure to renew upon an applicant’s submission of a restoration application, the biennial renewal fee, and any applicable monetary penalty and compliance with sections 4776.01 to 4776.04 of the Revised Code. The board shall not restore to an applicant a license to practice as a physician assistant unless the board, in its discretion, decides that the results of the criminal records check do not make the applicant ineligible for a license issued pursuant to section 4730.12 of the Revised Code.

The penalty for reinstatement shall be fifty dollars and the penalty for restoration shall be one hundred dollars. The board shall deposit penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.

(G)(1) If, through a random sample conducted under division (D) of this section or through any other means, the board finds that an individual who certified completion of the continuing medical education required to renew, reinstate, restore, or reactivate a license to practice did not complete the requisite continuing medical education, the board may do either of the following:

(a) Take disciplinary action against the individual under section 4730.25 of the Revised Code, impose a civil penalty, or both;

(b) Permit the individual to agree in writing to complete the continuing medical education and pay a civil penalty.

(2) The board’s finding in any disciplinary action taken under division (G)(1)(a) of this section shall be made pursuant to an adjudication under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code and by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six of its members.

(3) A civil penalty imposed under division (G)(1)(a) of this section or paid under division (G)(1)(b) of this section shall be in an amount specified by the board of not more than five thousand dollars. The board shall deposit civil penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.