Alabama Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Alabama physical therapists must complete 10 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Physical Therapy.
Every license expires on October 1 of the year following its issuance and must be renewed annually. The renewal window runs July 1 through September 30 at midnight. Continuing education is counted over a compliance period of October 1 through September 30.
Summary
Alabama physical therapists must complete 10 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Physical Therapy. Every license expires on October 1 of the year following its issuance and must be renewed annually. The renewal window runs July 1 through September 30 at midnight. Continuing education is counted over a compliance period of October 1 through September 30. Alabama also mandates specific subjects. Alabama physical therapy jurisprudence (Practice Act and Administrative Code): 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Up to 10 excess contact hours carry over to the next cycle and the first renewal is exempt.
Alabama Physical Therapist renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Annual (12 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 10/01 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 10 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 10 contact hours |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Physical therapy related academic coursework (15 hours per semester hour); Clinical residency or fellowship participation (15 hours per 1,000 hours completed); Specialty certification or recognition of advanced proficiency (3 hours initial, 1 hour recertification); Peer-reviewed publication (5 hours for a book, 3 for a chapter or single-author publication, 2 for a multi-author publication); Teaching or lecturing in a physical therapy continuing education activity (2 hours per hour taught); Formal peer review of practice once every five years (3 hours); Limited activities capped at 40 percent of the annual requirement: published abstract or book review, manuscript review, clinical practice guideline publication, poster or platform presentation, primary clinical instructor for CAPTE students (1 hour per 200 hours), alternative media development (1 hour per project) |
Ala. Admin. Code 700-X-2-.10(5)(d)1 requires a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education for each compliance period (October 1 through September 30). One hour is 50 minutes of engagement; activities of 15, 30, or 45 minutes count as 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 hours. The board's continuing education page states that qualified PTs providing Direct Access must complete 12 hours. Hours earned above 10 in a compliance period may be carried forward, but no more than 10 hours (700-X-2-.10(5)(d)3). Individuals licensed within one year of graduation from a CAPTE program are not required to meet the continuing education requirement for the first renewal, with the exception of jurisprudence (700-X-2-.10(5)(d)1(ii)); the board's renewal page words this as 'unless the license was obtained by exam within the past calendar year'. Licensees by endorsement must show 10 hours in the 12 months before application. The rule sets no cap on self-study or online learning; self-directed methods may use a post-test but cannot result in a pass/fail grade. Unacceptable activities include employer orientations, in-services, staff meetings, case conferences, CPR and blood-borne pathogen training, committee meetings, and activities under 15 minutes.
Required CE topics for Alabama physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama physical therapy jurisprudence (Practice Act and Administrative Code)At least 2 hours of continuing education on Alabama physical therapy jurisprudence every fifth year, due when renewing in years ending in 0 or 5 (2025, 2030, 2035). The board's renewal and continuing education pages also require 2 hours of Alabama jurisprudence continuing education at the first renewal for newly licensed PTs (new graduates submit only these 2 hours; endorsement licensees submit 2 jurisprudence hours plus 8 additional hours). The board lists authorized jurisprudence course providers. The separate Alabama Jurisprudence Assessment Module (AL JAM) exam, effective October 7, 2024, is required only of new applicants, not renewing licensees. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Ala. Admin. Code 700-X-2-.10(5)(d)4 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | None. Effective October 1, 2014 the board does not pre-approve providers, sponsors, or programs; the licensee decides, using professional judgment, whether an activity is directly related to their practice of physical therapy and meets the general guidelines in 700-X-2-.10(5)(a). Certificates must show the completion date, contact hours, objectives, and target audience. Licensees keep records for five years and must provide them, or access to an online tracking system, to the board on request; upon audit an unacceptable activity gives the licensee 60 days to cure before disciplinary action. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Alabama PT need to renew?
- Alabama physical therapists must complete 10 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Alabama Board of Physical Therapy. Ala. Admin. Code 700-X-2-.10(5)(d)1 requires a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education for each compliance period (October 1 through September 30). One hour is 50 minutes of engagement; activities of 15, 30, or 45 minutes count as 0.25, 0.50, or 0.75 hours. The board's continuing education page states that qualified PTs providing Direct Access must complete 12 hours. Hours earned above 10 in a compliance period may be carried forward, but no more than 10 hours (700-X-2-.10(5)(d)3). Individuals licensed within one year of graduation from a CAPTE program are not required to meet the continuing education requirement for the first renewal, with the exception of jurisprudence (700-X-2-.10(5)(d)1(ii)); the board's renewal page words this as 'unless the license was obtained by exam within the past calendar year'. Licensees by endorsement must show 10 hours in the 12 months before application. The rule sets no cap on self-study or online learning; self-directed methods may use a post-test but cannot result in a pass/fail grade. Unacceptable activities include employer orientations, in-services, staff meetings, case conferences, CPR and blood-borne pathogen training, committee meetings, and activities under 15 minutes.
- How often does a Alabama PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Alabama renew every year. Every license expires on October 1 of the year following its issuance and must be renewed annually. The renewal window runs July 1 through September 30 at midnight. Continuing education is counted over a compliance period of October 1 through September 30.
- What specific CE topics are required for Alabama physical therapists?
- Alabama physical therapy jurisprudence (Practice Act and Administrative Code): 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Citations: alabama physical therapy jurisprudence (Practice Act and Administrative Code) (Ala. Admin. Code 700-X-2-.10(5)(d)4).
- Do Alabama physical therapists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- The board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation and records must be kept for 5 years. None. Effective October 1, 2014 the board does not pre-approve providers, sponsors, or programs; the licensee decides, using professional judgment, whether an activity is directly related to their practice of physical therapy and meets the general guidelines in 700-X-2-.10(5)(a). Certificates must show the completion date, contact hours, objectives, and target audience. Licensees keep records for five years and must provide them, or access to an online tracking system, to the board on request; upon audit an unacceptable activity gives the licensee 60 days to cure before disciplinary action.
- Is the first Alabama PT renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Alabama does not require continuing education for a PT's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Alabama Board of Physical Therapy Administrative Code, Chapter 700-X-2 Licensure (revised June 14, 2026), rule 700-X-2-.10 Renewal of LicenseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Education, Alabama Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- License Renewal, Alabama Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Licensing Requirements (Alabama Jurisprudence Exam), Alabama Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Rules and Regulations, Alabama Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Annual cycle, October 1 expiration, 10-hour minimum, one-year compliance period, 10-hour carryover cap, five-year retention, first-renewal exemption, and the every-fifth-year jurisprudence requirement were read directly from rule 700-X-2-.10 in the legislature's administrative code PDF (chapter revised June 14, 2026). The 12-hour Direct Access figure and the first-renewal jurisprudence hours come from the board's continuing education and renewal pages, not the rule. The board's renewal page describes a 'two-year compliance period, October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026' for the 2026 renewal while the rule defines a one-year compliance period with up to 10 hours of carryover; both describe 10 hours per annual renewal, so this was treated as a wording difference rather than a conflict. Whether certificates are uploaded with the renewal or only produced on audit was not stated clearly (the renewal page says hours are 'required with the renewal application' and the rule says no license renews without satisfactory evidence), so proof_at_renewal is null. The board's rules page links to the Practice Act and the administrative code but hosts no rule PDFs of its own.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Alabama Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.