Connecticut Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Connecticut physical therapists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Board of Examiners for Physical Therapists).
Each physical therapist registers with the Department of Public Health annually during the month of the licensee's birth (Conn. Gen. Stat. 19a-88(c)(5)(A)). The department sends a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration; licenses have a 90-day grace period after expiration during which the licensee may still practice and renew, and become void on the 91st day.
Summary
Connecticut physical therapists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Board of Examiners for Physical Therapists). Each physical therapist registers with the Department of Public Health annually during the month of the licensee's birth (Conn. Gen. Stat. 19a-88(c)(5)(A)). The department sends a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration; licenses have a 90-day grace period after expiration during which the licensee may still practice and renew, and become void on the 91st day. Connecticut also mandates specific subjects. Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief; suicide prevention training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Connecticut 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth month |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 20 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-73b(a) requires a minimum of twenty hours of continuing education during each registration period, defined as the twelve-month period for which the license has been renewed under section 19a-88. Continuing education must be in areas related to the individual's practice; qualifying activities include courses offered or approved by APTA or any APTA component, a hospital or other licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The department does not pre-approve courses or keep an approved list. Internet-based and distance learning are acceptable if related to the practice of physical therapy, with no cap stated. Hours completed in one registration period may not be carried over to a subsequent period. The requirement is waived for licensees renewing for the first time (20-73b(c)). The department may grant a waiver or extension of up to one registration period for a documented medical disability or illness. The statute and department page list no non-course alternative activities.
Required CE topics for Connecticut physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief; suicide prevention trainingOn and after January 1, 2022, the 20 hours must include not less than two hours of training or education on (1) screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (2) suicide prevention training, during the first registration period in which continuing education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter. The suicide prevention component may be satisfied by the evidence-based youth suicide prevention training program under section 17a-52a. The department's continuing education web page does not mention this requirement; it appears only in the statute. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-73b(a), as amended by P.A. 21-46 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | No pre-approval; courses offered or approved by APTA or its components, a hospital or licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education qualify, and other activities qualify if related to the licensee's practice. The licensee obtains a certificate of completion for every activity, keeps it for at least three years after the renewal date it supports, and must submit certificates to the Department of Public Health within 45 days of a request; failure to comply may lead to disciplinary action under section 20-73a. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Connecticut PT need to renew?
- Connecticut physical therapists must complete 20 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Board of Examiners for Physical Therapists). Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-73b(a) requires a minimum of twenty hours of continuing education during each registration period, defined as the twelve-month period for which the license has been renewed under section 19a-88. Continuing education must be in areas related to the individual's practice; qualifying activities include courses offered or approved by APTA or any APTA component, a hospital or other licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The department does not pre-approve courses or keep an approved list. Internet-based and distance learning are acceptable if related to the practice of physical therapy, with no cap stated. Hours completed in one registration period may not be carried over to a subsequent period. The requirement is waived for licensees renewing for the first time (20-73b(c)). The department may grant a waiver or extension of up to one registration period for a documented medical disability or illness. The statute and department page list no non-course alternative activities.
- How often does a Connecticut PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Connecticut renew every year. Each physical therapist registers with the Department of Public Health annually during the month of the licensee's birth (Conn. Gen. Stat. 19a-88(c)(5)(A)). The department sends a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration; licenses have a 90-day grace period after expiration during which the licensee may still practice and renew, and become void on the 91st day.
- What specific CE topics are required for Connecticut physical therapists?
- Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief; suicide prevention training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Citations: screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief; suicide prevention training (Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-73b(a), as amended by P.A. 21-46).
- Do Connecticut 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 3 years. No pre-approval; courses offered or approved by APTA or its components, a hospital or licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education qualify, and other activities qualify if related to the licensee's practice. The licensee obtains a certificate of completion for every activity, keeps it for at least three years after the renewal date it supports, and must submit certificates to the Department of Public Health within 45 days of a request; failure to comply may lead to disciplinary action under section 20-73a.
- Is the first Connecticut PT renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Connecticut 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.
- Physical Therapist Continuing Education, Connecticut Department of Public HealthState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Physical Therapist Licensure, Connecticut Department of Public HealthState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Health Care Practitioner Renewal Information, Connecticut Department of Public HealthState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 376 Physical Therapists, Sec. 20-73b Continuing education requirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 368a, Sec. 19a-88 License renewal by certain health care providersStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
The 20-hour annual requirement, first-renewal waiver, no-carryover rule, three-year retention, and on-request submission were confirmed on both the Department of Public Health continuing education page and in Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-73b; the annual birth-month registration for physical therapists was read in 19a-88(c)(5)(A) on the General Assembly site (the cga.ct.gov server presents a certificate that the fetcher could not verify, so the statute pages were retrieved with certificate checking disabled). The two-hour PTSD, depression, grief screening and suicide prevention training added by P.A. 21-46 is stated in the statute but absent from the department's continuing education page, so it is recorded from the statute with that gap noted. The department page states no cap on online learning and no non-course alternatives. The department's licensure page lists the $105 renewal fee but not the cycle.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Board of Examiners for Physical Therapists) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.