California Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
California physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Physical Therapy Board of California.
A license must be renewed every two years and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. A renewal notice is processed about 90 days before expiration. Continuing competency must be completed in the two years before expiration, or between initial issuance and expiration for a first renewal.
Summary
California physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Physical Therapy Board of California. A license must be renewed every two years and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. A renewal notice is processed about 90 days before expiration. Continuing competency must be completed in the two years before expiration, or between initial issuance and expiration for a first renewal. California also mandates specific subjects. Ethics, laws and regulations: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Life support for health care professionals (Basic Life Support): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle.
California 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 | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Tied to the licensee's birth monthFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Publishing a peer-reviewed article, study, or chapter (5 hours each, 16-hour cap); Developing a course (4 hours each, 16-hour cap); Serving as a subject matter expert for an examination (6 hours per experience, 16-hour cap); Serving on a board task force (6 hours per experience, 16-hour cap); Serving as a clinical instructor for four or more weeks (1 hour per week, 12-hour cap); Attending a professional conference (2 hours per conference, 8-hour cap) or an FSBPT or APTA conference (4 hours, 8-hour cap); Attending a board meeting (2 hours per meeting, 8-hour cap); Completing the FSBPT practice review tool (6 hours, 6-hour cap); Passing a specialist examination (6 hours, 6-hour cap); Expert consultant training (6 hours, 6-hour cap); Passing the California Law Examination (2 hours, 2-hour cap) |
16 CCR 1399.91 requires 30 hours of continuing competency in each two-year license cycle; the board states one APTA or CPTA CEU equals ten hours. For a first-time renewal submitted before the original license expires, the requirement is one-half (15 hours, of which 4 are life support and 2 are ethics, laws and regulations, per the board's continuing competency page); a first renewal submitted after expiration owes the full 30. Hours may come from courses offered by a PTBC Recognized Continuing Competency Approval Agency or an approved provider (traditional pathway) or from the alternate-pathway activities in 16 CCR 1399.94(b) listed above with their per-cycle caps. The regulations read do not set a general cap on online or self-study coursework and do not address carryover. Exemptions are available for residence abroad, military service, disability of one year or more, or other good cause (16 CCR 1399.99).
Required CE topics for California physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics, laws and regulationsTwo hours in ethics, laws and regulations, or some combination, each renewal cycle. Passing the California Law Examination can supply these 2 hours under 16 CCR 1399.94(b). | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1399.93(a) |
| Life support for health care professionals (Basic Life Support)Four hours in life support for health care professionals, comparable to or more advanced than the American Heart Association Basic Life Support Health Care Provider course. The board's continuing competency page states a hands-on component is required. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 16 CCR 1399.93(b) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board does not approve individual courses or providers. Coursework must be offered by a PTBC Recognized Continuing Competency Approval Agency or by a provider approved by one of those agencies, or by an accredited postsecondary institution; alternate-pathway activities are credited under 16 CCR 1399.94(b). Licensees do not submit proof with the renewal; they retain evidence of each activity for five years after it concludes and must produce it on request during the board's random continuing competency audits. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a California PT need to renew?
- California physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Physical Therapy Board of California. 16 CCR 1399.91 requires 30 hours of continuing competency in each two-year license cycle; the board states one APTA or CPTA CEU equals ten hours. For a first-time renewal submitted before the original license expires, the requirement is one-half (15 hours, of which 4 are life support and 2 are ethics, laws and regulations, per the board's continuing competency page); a first renewal submitted after expiration owes the full 30. Hours may come from courses offered by a PTBC Recognized Continuing Competency Approval Agency or an approved provider (traditional pathway) or from the alternate-pathway activities in 16 CCR 1399.94(b) listed above with their per-cycle caps. The regulations read do not set a general cap on online or self-study coursework and do not address carryover. Exemptions are available for residence abroad, military service, disability of one year or more, or other good cause (16 CCR 1399.99).
- How often does a California PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in California renew every two years. A license must be renewed every two years and expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. A renewal notice is processed about 90 days before expiration. Continuing competency must be completed in the two years before expiration, or between initial issuance and expiration for a first renewal.
- What specific CE topics are required for California physical therapists?
- Ethics, laws and regulations: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Life support for health care professionals (Basic Life Support): 4 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: ethics, laws and regulations (16 CCR 1399.93(a)) and life support for health care professionals (Basic Life Support) (16 CCR 1399.93(b)).
- Do California physical therapists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 5 years. The board does not approve individual courses or providers. Coursework must be offered by a PTBC Recognized Continuing Competency Approval Agency or by a provider approved by one of those agencies, or by an accredited postsecondary institution; alternate-pathway activities are credited under 16 CCR 1399.94(b). Licensees do not submit proof with the renewal; they retain evidence of each activity for five years after it concludes and must produce it on request during the board's random continuing competency audits.
- Is the first California PT renewal exempt from CE?
- No. California applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Continuing Competency, Physical Therapy Board of CaliforniaState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- License Renewal, Physical Therapy Board of CaliforniaState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- 16 CCR 1399.91 Continuing Competency Requirements (LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 7, 2026
- 16 CCR 1399.93 required ethics, laws and regulations, and life support hours (LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 7, 2026
- 16 CCR 1399.94 approved continuing competency activities and alternate pathways (LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 7, 2026
Two-year birth-month cycle, 30 hours, the 2-hour ethics/laws and 4-hour life support components, the 15-hour first-renewal rule, five-year retention, random audits, and the approval-agency model were all confirmed on the board's own renewal and continuing competency pages; the regulation text (16 CCR 1399.91, 1399.93, 1399.94) was read on the Cornell LII mirror because the board site links only to the Law Reference Guide PDF. The board pages do not state whether unused hours carry over or cap online learning, so those fields are null. The topic key life_support is not in the canonical list; no canonical key covers a BLS requirement.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Physical Therapy Board of California before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.