Florida Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Florida physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice.
Physical therapist assistant licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern Time on November 30 of odd-numbered years; the board's PTA page states that current licenses expire on November 30, 2027 and become null and void on December 1, 2027. Bienniums run from December 1 of an odd year to November 30 of the next odd year. Courses must be submitted to the licensee's CE Broker account before the renewal application is filed.
Summary
Florida physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice. Physical therapist assistant licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern Time on November 30 of odd-numbered years; the board's PTA page states that current licenses expire on November 30, 2027 and become null and void on December 1, 2027. Bienniums run from December 1 of an odd year to November 30 of the next odd year. Courses must be submitted to the licensee's CE Broker account before the renewal application is filed. Florida also mandates specific subjects. Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV/AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only. Human trafficking awareness training: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour. No more than 12 contact hours may be self-study or online and the first renewal is exempt.
Florida 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, 11/30 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 12 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Instructing a continuing education course (up to 6 contact hours); Serving as a clinical instructor (1 contact hour per 120 hours of clinical internship, maximum 8 contact hours per biennium; the instructor must be APTA credentialed); Passing the Florida Laws and Rules examination within the biennium (not available when the exam is taken for initial licensure, reactivation, reinstatement, or under a disciplinary order); Attending a Florida Board of Physical Therapy meeting, unless the licensee is on the agenda or appears for another purpose; Past board members serving on a Probable Cause Panel; College courses from an accredited physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program (1 credit hour equals 15 contact hours) |
The board's physical therapist assistant page states that twenty-four (24) contact hours of continuing education must be completed within the current biennium for which the license is being renewed, which matches the physical therapist total. The subject breakdown for a PTA is 22 general hours, 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors, and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS at the first renewal. One continuing education unit equals 10 contact hours. No more than 12 hours may come from home study courses, no more than 5 contact hours of risk management courses count in a biennium, no more than 3 hours of HIV/AIDS education, and no more than 3 hours in prevention of medical errors. Licenses issued in the second half of the biennium are exempt from the renewal continuing education requirements except for the 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors and the 1 hour of HIV/AIDS. A licensee who volunteers in public schools for at least 80 hours a year, or 400 hours a year if retired, may have the biennial renewal fee and up to 25 percent of the continuing education waived, but the domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors requirements cannot be waived.
Required CE topics for Florida physical therapist assistants
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of Medical ErrorsThe board's physical therapist assistant renewal page lists 2 hours of Medical Error within the 24, and states that all licensees must complete 2 hours on the Prevention of Medical Errors for each licensure renewal cycle. It is still required of a licensee issued a license in the second half of the biennium who is otherwise exempt. Medical Error courses approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance are accepted. No more than 3 hours in this subject count toward the 24. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Not stated |
| HIV/AIDSThe board's physical therapist assistant renewal page lists 1 hour of HIV/AIDS, required for the first renewal only, accepted if approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance. It is still required of a licensee issued a license in the second half of the biennium who is otherwise exempt. No more than 3 hours in this subject count toward the 24. | 1 contact hour | First renewal only | All licensees | Not stated |
| Human trafficking awareness trainingSection 456.0341, Florida Statutes, applies by its own terms to each person licensed or certified under chapter 486, the physical therapy practice act under which physical therapist assistants are licensed, and required each licensee to complete a board-approved one-hour continuing education course on human trafficking by January 1, 2021. Subsection (2) directs the board to count that hour within the total continuing education required. The board's physical therapist assistant page does not list this course among its continuing education requirements; it is recorded here because the statute reaches chapter 486 licensees. | 1 contact hour | One time | All licensees | s. 456.0341, F.S. |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Courses must be sponsored or approved by the Florida Physical Therapy Association, by the American Physical Therapy Association including other state chapters and APTA sections, or sponsored by a college or university physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program approved by that program and accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. Completed hours are reported to CE Broker rather than to the board; the board's page instructs licensees not to send certificates to the board, and the department renews the license upon receipt of all courses successfully submitted to the CE Broker account. A delinquent licensee must report continuing education for the current cycle and the previous cycle before renewing. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Florida PTA need to renew?
- Florida physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice. The board's physical therapist assistant page states that twenty-four (24) contact hours of continuing education must be completed within the current biennium for which the license is being renewed, which matches the physical therapist total. The subject breakdown for a PTA is 22 general hours, 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors, and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS at the first renewal. One continuing education unit equals 10 contact hours. No more than 12 hours may come from home study courses, no more than 5 contact hours of risk management courses count in a biennium, no more than 3 hours of HIV/AIDS education, and no more than 3 hours in prevention of medical errors. Licenses issued in the second half of the biennium are exempt from the renewal continuing education requirements except for the 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors and the 1 hour of HIV/AIDS. A licensee who volunteers in public schools for at least 80 hours a year, or 400 hours a year if retired, may have the biennial renewal fee and up to 25 percent of the continuing education waived, but the domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors requirements cannot be waived.
- How often does a Florida PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Florida renew every two years. Physical therapist assistant licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern Time on November 30 of odd-numbered years; the board's PTA page states that current licenses expire on November 30, 2027 and become null and void on December 1, 2027. Bienniums run from December 1 of an odd year to November 30 of the next odd year. Courses must be submitted to the licensee's CE Broker account before the renewal application is filed.
- What specific CE topics are required for Florida physical therapist assistants?
- Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV/AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only. Human trafficking awareness training: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour. Citations: human trafficking awareness training (s. 456.0341, F.S.).
- Do Florida physical therapist assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates. Courses must be sponsored or approved by the Florida Physical Therapy Association, by the American Physical Therapy Association including other state chapters and APTA sections, or sponsored by a college or university physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program approved by that program and accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. Completed hours are reported to CE Broker rather than to the board; the board's page instructs licensees not to send certificates to the board, and the department renews the license upon receipt of all courses successfully submitted to the CE Broker account. A delinquent licensee must report continuing education for the current cycle and the previous cycle before renewing.
- Is the first Florida PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Florida 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.
- Physical Therapist Assistant licensing and renewal (expiration date, fees, continuing education table and helpful information), Florida Board of Physical Therapy PracticeState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Section 456.0341, Florida Statutes, Requirements for instruction on human traffickingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
Every figure here was read on the board's own physical therapist assistant page, which carries its own renewal requirements, fee schedule, and continuing education tables rather than pointing at the physical therapist page: the November 30, 2027 expiration and December 1, 2027 null and void date, the 24 contact hours per biennium with 22 general plus 2 medical errors plus 1 HIV/AIDS at first renewal, the 12-hour home study cap, the 5-hour risk management and 3-hour HIV/AIDS and medical errors caps, the second-half-of-biennium exemption, the instructor and clinical instructor credits, and the CE Broker reporting. Florida sets the same 24-hour total for PTAs as for PTs. The rule that supplies the PT record's 12-hour live minimum and four-year retention (Rule 64B17-9.001, F.A.C.) is published by flrules.org only as a document file, which the no-download rule excludes, so live_or_interactive_minimum, retention_years, and audited are left null here even though the board's 12-hour home study cap implies a live component. Chapter 64B17-8, which defines the medical errors and HIV/AIDS course content, was not read.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.