Colorado Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Colorado physical therapist assistants must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies).
All Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant credentials expire on October 31 of even-numbered years and renew for two years. Renewals open about four to five weeks before the expiration date through the DPO Online Services account. A new applicant credentialed within 120 days of the upcoming expiration date is given the next expiration date.
Summary
Colorado physical therapist assistants must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies). All Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant credentials expire on October 31 of even-numbered years and renew for two years. Renewals open about four to five weeks before the expiration date through the DPO Online Services account. A new applicant credentialed within 120 days of the upcoming expiration date is given the next expiration date. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Colorado Physical Therapist Assistant 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 | Same date for every licensee, 10/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 20 contact hours |
| Category 1 minimum | 15 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Formalized assessments; Presentations, research, and publications; Mentoring or supervision; Independent or group study or in-service; Volunteer service; Deemed Status for a PTA who meets the continuing professional competency program of a Colorado state agency or department, a board-recognized accrediting body, or a board-approved entity for the full two-year period (currently the Colorado Department of Education); Military exemption for a PTA called to federally funded active duty for more than 120 days |
Colorado sets a lower total for physical therapist assistants than for physical therapists: Rule 1.6(G)(3)(a)(1)(b) of 4 CCR 732-1 requires 20 hours of Professional Development Activities (PDA) per two-year renewal period for a PTA, against 30 for a PT, and Rule 1.6(G)(3)(b)(6) requires a minimum of 15 of the 20 hours to be in the Educational Coursework, Fellowships, and Residencies category, against 20 of 30 for a PT. The board's CPC page states the same two figures. One contact hour equals one PDA credit hour. Beyond the hours, the Continuing Professional Development program requires the PTA to complete the board's Self-Assessment Tool (there is a separate Physical Therapist Assistant SAT form) once per two-year renewal period and to execute a Learning Plan based on it; activities must be relevant to practice as a physical therapist assistant and pertinent to the Learning Plan. Professional Development Activities apply to only one two-year renewal period, so nothing carries over. Continuing professional competency requirements start after the first renewal: the rule states they apply effective after the 2020 certification renewal or upon completion of the first renewal of a certification thereafter, and the board's CPC page says a credential holder does not have to start working on CPC requirements until after the first renewal. The board does not pre-approve specific courses or providers; the PTA chooses activities from the board's Professional Development Activities List.
Required CE topics for Colorado physical therapist assistants
The Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies) pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board does not pre-approve courses or providers; hours are accepted if the activity appears on the board's Professional Development Activities List, and the board may accept or reject activities that are not on the list. The PTA attests to compliance at renewal (Rule 1.6(G)(2)(b)). Audits are conducted after a renewal period ends and require the signed and executed Learning Plan plus documentation of the 20 PDA hours (Rule 1.6(G)(3)(c)). Documentation is retained for two complete two-year renewal periods, recorded here as four years (Rule 1.6(G)(6)). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Colorado PTA need to renew?
- Colorado physical therapist assistants must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies). Colorado sets a lower total for physical therapist assistants than for physical therapists: Rule 1.6(G)(3)(a)(1)(b) of 4 CCR 732-1 requires 20 hours of Professional Development Activities (PDA) per two-year renewal period for a PTA, against 30 for a PT, and Rule 1.6(G)(3)(b)(6) requires a minimum of 15 of the 20 hours to be in the Educational Coursework, Fellowships, and Residencies category, against 20 of 30 for a PT. The board's CPC page states the same two figures. One contact hour equals one PDA credit hour. Beyond the hours, the Continuing Professional Development program requires the PTA to complete the board's Self-Assessment Tool (there is a separate Physical Therapist Assistant SAT form) once per two-year renewal period and to execute a Learning Plan based on it; activities must be relevant to practice as a physical therapist assistant and pertinent to the Learning Plan. Professional Development Activities apply to only one two-year renewal period, so nothing carries over. Continuing professional competency requirements start after the first renewal: the rule states they apply effective after the 2020 certification renewal or upon completion of the first renewal of a certification thereafter, and the board's CPC page says a credential holder does not have to start working on CPC requirements until after the first renewal. The board does not pre-approve specific courses or providers; the PTA chooses activities from the board's Professional Development Activities List.
- How often does a Colorado PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Colorado renew every two years. All Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant credentials expire on October 31 of even-numbered years and renew for two years. Renewals open about four to five weeks before the expiration date through the DPO Online Services account. A new applicant credentialed within 120 days of the upcoming expiration date is given the next expiration date.
- Does Colorado require specific CE topics for physical therapist assistants?
- The Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies) does not list mandated subject areas for PTA renewal on the pages we verified; the 20 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Colorado physical therapist assistants 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 4 years. The board does not pre-approve courses or providers; hours are accepted if the activity appears on the board's Professional Development Activities List, and the board may accept or reject activities that are not on the list. The PTA attests to compliance at renewal (Rule 1.6(G)(2)(b)). Audits are conducted after a renewal period ends and require the signed and executed Learning Plan plus documentation of the 20 PDA hours (Rule 1.6(G)(3)(c)). Documentation is retained for two complete two-year renewal periods, recorded here as four years (Rule 1.6(G)(6)).
- Is the first Colorado PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Colorado does not require continuing education for a PTA's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Colorado Physical Therapy CPC (Continuing Professional Competency), Division of Professions and OccupationsState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Physical Therapy: Applications and Forms, Colorado Division of Professions and Occupations (physical therapist assistant applications and license expiration)State board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- 4 CCR 732-1.6 Physical Therapist Assistant Rules, including 1.6(G) Continuing Professional Competency Requirements for Certification Renewal for Physical Therapist Assistant (LII mirror, latest eff. 5/30/2025)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Physical Therapy, Colorado Division of Professions and OccupationsState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Both PTA figures were read as PTA numbers, twice over: the Division's CPC page states 'Physical Therapist Assistants - 20 hours of PDA relevant to the practice of physical therapy and in line with a Learning Plan. A minimum of 15 of the 20 required hours must be in the Educational Coursework, Fellowships, and Residencies category', and Rule 1.6(G) of 4 CCR 732-1, which is titled for physical therapist assistants throughout, sets the same 20 and 15. The October 31 even-year expiration was read on the Division's applications page, which states that all Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant licenses expire on that date. A terminology note for the reader: the statute and the board rules call the PTA credential a certification (certification by examination under section 12-285-205, C.R.S., Rule 1.6(C) and 1.6(G)), while the Division's website calls it a license or a license/certificate and its application list says 'Physical Therapist Assistant - Initial license'. Both refer to the same credential. The CPC Program Manual and the Professional Development Activities List are PDFs and were not read, so the per-activity credit values are described only by category. The board posts a proposed revision to Rule 1.6 that went to a stakeholder meeting on August 4, 2026 concerning medication review and pelvic health practice, not continuing competency.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.