Illinois Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Illinois physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Illinois Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board).
Physical therapist licenses renew every two years on September 30. The continuing education prerenewal period is the 24 months preceding September 30 in the year of the renewal (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(3)). Renewal is completed online through IDFPR.
Summary
Illinois physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Illinois Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board). Physical therapist licenses renew every two years on September 30. The continuing education prerenewal period is the 24 months preceding September 30 in the year of the renewal (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(3)). Renewal is completed online through IDFPR. Illinois also mandates specific subjects. Ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Implicit bias awareness training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: diagnosis, treatment, and care: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board. Cultural competency training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board. Mandated reporter training (Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (physical therapists as medical personnel mandated reporters). No more than 30 contact hours may be self-study or online and the first renewal is exempt.
Illinois 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 | Same date for every licensee, 09/30 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 30 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Instructing approved CE courses (up to 50 percent of the total requirement); Research and publications (up to 50 percent of the total requirement); Serving as a clinical instructor for PT students (up to 10 hours); Illinois Physical Therapy Association district meetings or journal clubs (up to 5 hours); Service on the Illinois Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board (up to 8 hours) |
68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(1): every physical therapist shall complete 40 hours of CE relevant to the practice of physical therapy during each prerenewal period; a CE hour equals 50 minutes. Beginning with the September 2016 renewal at least 3 of the 40 hours must cover the ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence. An applicant may obtain 75 percent of total CE credit through correspondence or web-based courses (1340.61(b)(3)(E)), which for a 40 hour requirement is 30 hours; that computed figure is what max_self_study_or_online records. A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal following original issuance of the license (1340.61(a)(6)). Carryover was not addressed in the rule text read. Waivers are available for good cause such as armed forces service or documented medical hardship (1340.61(f)).
Required CE topics for Illinois physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudenceAt least 3 of the 40 hours must include content related to the ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence. Counts toward the 40 hour total. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(1) |
| Sexual harassment prevention trainingIDFPR's legislative-mandate CE page: a one-hour sexual harassment prevention course during each renewal cycle, beginning with the first renewal after obtaining the initial license; applies to all individual license holders with CE requirements. No canonical topic key fits, so sexual_harassment_prevention is used. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5 |
| Implicit bias awareness trainingA one-hour course in implicit bias awareness training per renewal period, starting with the first renewal that requires CE. Physical therapists are among the professions listed on IDFPR's CE page. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | 20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7 |
| Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: diagnosis, treatment, and careAt least a one-hour course prior to the first renewal that requires continuing education, then retaken once every six years; effective for renewals on or after January 1, 2025. Physical therapists are expressly listed. | 1 contact hour | Periodic | All licensees | 20 ILCS 2105/2105-365 |
| Cultural competency trainingAt least a one-hour course prior to the first renewal that requires continuing education, then retaken once every six years; effective for renewals on or after January 1, 2025. Physical therapists are expressly listed. | 1 contact hour | Periodic | All licensees | 20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 |
| Mandated reporter training (Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act)IDFPR's CE page states physical therapists qualify as medical personnel mandated reporters and must complete mandated reporter training at least every six years. Hours were not stated on the page read. | Not stated | Periodic | Physical therapists as medical personnel mandated reporters | Not stated |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 5 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | CE must come from an approved sponsor: the American Physical Therapy Association and its components including the Illinois Physical Therapy Association, colleges or universities with accredited PT or PTA programs, or any other person or organization approved by the Department (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61; IDFPR form IL486-1915). Each renewal applicant certifies full compliance on the renewal application and must retain or otherwise produce evidence of compliance for a minimum of 5 years (1340.61(e)). Whether the Department conducts random audits was not stated in the text read. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Illinois PT need to renew?
- Illinois physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Illinois Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board). 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(1): every physical therapist shall complete 40 hours of CE relevant to the practice of physical therapy during each prerenewal period; a CE hour equals 50 minutes. Beginning with the September 2016 renewal at least 3 of the 40 hours must cover the ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence. An applicant may obtain 75 percent of total CE credit through correspondence or web-based courses (1340.61(b)(3)(E)), which for a 40 hour requirement is 30 hours; that computed figure is what max_self_study_or_online records. A renewal applicant is not required to comply with CE requirements for the first renewal following original issuance of the license (1340.61(a)(6)). Carryover was not addressed in the rule text read. Waivers are available for good cause such as armed forces service or documented medical hardship (1340.61(f)).
- How often does a Illinois PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Illinois renew every two years. Physical therapist licenses renew every two years on September 30. The continuing education prerenewal period is the 24 months preceding September 30 in the year of the renewal (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(3)). Renewal is completed online through IDFPR.
- What specific CE topics are required for Illinois physical therapists?
- Ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle. Sexual harassment prevention training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Implicit bias awareness training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: diagnosis, treatment, and care: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board. Cultural competency training: 1 contact hour on a periodic schedule set by the board. Mandated reporter training (Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (physical therapists as medical personnel mandated reporters). Citations: ethical practice of physical therapy, including jurisprudence (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61(a)(1)), sexual harassment prevention training (20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.5), implicit bias awareness training (20 ILCS 2105/2105-15.7), Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: diagnosis, treatment, and care (20 ILCS 2105/2105-365), and cultural competency training (20 ILCS 2105/2105-370).
- Do Illinois physical therapists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 5 years. CE must come from an approved sponsor: the American Physical Therapy Association and its components including the Illinois Physical Therapy Association, colleges or universities with accredited PT or PTA programs, or any other person or organization approved by the Department (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61; IDFPR form IL486-1915). Each renewal applicant certifies full compliance on the renewal application and must retain or otherwise produce evidence of compliance for a minimum of 5 years (1340.61(e)). Whether the Department conducts random audits was not stated in the text read.
- Is the first Illinois PT renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Illinois 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.
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61 Continuing Education (Illinois General Assembly, JCAR administrative code)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- IDFPR Continuing Education, including CE requirements pursuant to legislative mandateState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- IDFPR Physical Therapy profession pageState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Illinois Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant Continuing Education Sponsor Application and Instructions (IL486-1915)State board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Ill. Admin. Code tit. 68, section 1340.61 Continuing Education (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 7, 2026
The 40 hour requirement, 3 hour ethics and jurisprudence content, 24 month prerenewal period ending September 30, 50 minute hour, first-renewal exemption, 75 percent web-based cap, alternative activity caps, certification at renewal and 5 year retention were read from 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1340.61 on the ILGA site and confirmed on the Cornell mirror. The legislatively mandated topics (sexual harassment prevention, implicit bias, Alzheimer's and dementia, cultural competency, mandated reporter training) were read from IDFPR's continuing education page. The IDFPR pages fetched do not themselves state that PT renewals fall in even-numbered years; the Illinois Physical Therapy Association page announcing a September 30, 2026 deadline could not be fetched (403), so the record states only the September 30 biennial deadline. Not read: carryover, audit procedure, and hours for mandated reporter training.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Illinois Physical Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.