Physical Therapy State CE Requirements

The following provides information regarding each state's physical therapy continuing education (CE) requirements.

Alabama        

• 10 contact hours annually for PTs
• 6 contact hours annually for PTAs
• Pre-approval must be received for onsite and home study courses

Alaska

• 24 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs
• Courses must be directly related to patient care
• CPR is not an acceptable form of CE for renewal of a license

Arizona

• 20 contact hours during each 2 year compliance period for PTs
• Must have at least 10 hours of courses approved by an accredited physical therapy, medical, or healthcare education program, association, or specialty medical society
• PTAs have no CE requirements

Arkansas

• 20 contact hours for PTs and PTAs
• 10 contact hours in each 2 year period preceding license renewals
• CE approved programs and college courses must be in the area of clinical application, clinical management, behavioral science, and science or scientific research

California

• The state board is in the process of establishing specific criteria to satisfy CE requirements
• Will not be in effect until late 2008 or early 2009

Colorado

• No CE requirements

Connecticut

• 20 contact hours annually in areas related to practice for PTs
• Completion certifications must be filed with the Department of Public Health
• PTAs have no CE requirements

Delaware

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs in areas related to their scope of practice

District of Columbia

• 4 CEUs or 40 contact hours for PTs
• An approved online course and college class list is issued by physical therapy licensing board

Florida

• 24 contact hours within 2 year re-licensing periods for PTs and PTAs
• 2 hours on prevention of medical errors instruction must be included in courses
• A 1 hour HIV/AIDS course must be taken for first license renewal
• Up to 12 hours can come from approved online and/or home study courses

Georgia

• 30 contact hours for each 2 year licensure period for PTs and PTAs
• 4 hours of ethics and jurisprudence instruction are mandatory

Hawaii

• 16 contact hours per year for PTs

Idaho

• 16 contact hours per annual license renewal for PTs
• Excess units may be rolled over

Illinois

• 40 contact units for each 2 year licensing period for PTs
• 20 contact units for each 2 year licensing period for PTAs

Indiana

• No CE requirements

Iowa

• 40 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTs
• 20 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTAs

Kansas

• 40 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTs
• 20 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTAs

Kentucky

• 30 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTs
• 20 contact hours for each 2 year licensing period for PTAs
• The board has a pre-approved CE list available

Louisiana

• 12 contact hours per year for PTs and PTAs
• 8 hours must be clinical courses related to the practice

Maine

• No CE requirements

Maryland

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs
• List of approved courses can be downloaded from the physical therapy board website

Massachusetts

• No CE requirements

Michigan

• No CE requirements

Minnesota

• 20 contact hours in every 2 year re-licensing cycle for PTs
• PTAs have no CE requirements

Mississippi

• 24 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs
• 2 hours are required in ethics/professional responsibility
• At least 6 contact hours (25% of CE courses) must be directly related to the clinical practice of physical therapy
• The board has a pre-approved CE list available

Missouri

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs

Montana

• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs

Nebraska

• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 10 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs

Nevada

• 15 contact hours/1.5 CEUs for each annual license renewal period for PTs and PTAs
• Regardless of the length of the course, courses can only be awarded a maximum of 1.5 CEUs
• Only 8 contact hours of non-clinical can be used towards license renewal

New Hampshire

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs

New Jersey

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs
• A maximum of 10 hours from online courses is allowed
• The board has a pre-approved CE list available

New Mexico

• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs

New York

• No CE requirements

North Carolina

• No CE requirements

North Dakota

• 25 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs

Ohio

• 24 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 12 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs

• The board has a pre-approved CE list available

Oregon

• 24 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 12 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs

Pennsylvania

• No CE requirements for renewal of 2 year PT or PTA license
• 20 contact hours are required in the 24 months prior to renewal of the certificate of authorization which allows a PT to treat by direct access
• At least 10 of the contact hours must be in appropriate evaluative procedures to treat a person without a referral

Rhode Island

• No CE requirements

South Carolina

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs and PTAs

South Dakota

• No CE requirements

Tennessee

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs
• Must include 4 hours of ethics education with APTA Guidelines for Professional Conduct and APTA Code of Ethics

Texas

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs
• Must include 2 hours of ethics instruction

Utah

• No CE requirements

Vermont

• No CE requirements

Washington

• 40 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• PTAs have no CE requirements

West Virginia

• 10 contact hours annually for PTs and PTAs
• The board has a pre-approved CE list available

Wisconsin

• 30 contact hours every 2 years for PTs
• 20 contact hours every 2 years for PTAs
• Must include 4 hours of ethics and jurisprudence instruction

Wyoming

• No CE requirements

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