Iowa Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Iowa physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing).
The biennial renewal period begins on the sixteenth day of the licensee's birth month and ends on the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later; the license expiration date is the fifteenth day of the birth month every two years after initial licensure (481 IAC 800.1 and 800.6(1)). Renewal opens 60 days before expiration, and a 30 day grace period with a late fee follows expiration. A license issued within six months of the renewal date is not renewed until the following cycle two years later.
Summary
Iowa physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing). The biennial renewal period begins on the sixteenth day of the licensee's birth month and ends on the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later; the license expiration date is the fifteenth day of the birth month every two years after initial licensure (481 IAC 800.1 and 800.6(1)). Renewal opens 60 days before expiration, and a 30 day grace period with a late fee follows expiration. A license issued within six months of the renewal date is not renewed until the following cycle two years later. Iowa also mandates specific subjects. Child abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (licensees required by Iowa Code 232.69 to report child abuse (health practitioners who examine, attend, or treat children)). Dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (licensees required by Iowa Code 235B.3 or 235E.2 to report dependent adult abuse). Up to 20 excess contact hours carry over to the next cycle and the first renewal is exempt.
Iowa 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 month |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 40 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 20 contact hours |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | APTA-approved postprofessional clinical residency or fellowship (1 hour per 2 hours, maximum 20 hours); Direct clinical supervision of PT or PTA students in full-time clinical experiences (1 hour per 160 contact hours, maximum 8 hours per biennium); Presenting professional programs (2 hours per hour presented, first offering only); Academic courses related to professional competency (1 semester hour equals 15 hours, 1 trimester hour equals 12, 1 quarter hour equals 10); Teaching in an approved college, university, or graduate school (same conversions, one time for the first offering); Authoring research or other work published in a recognized professional publication (5 hours per page); Service as an officer, delegate, or committee member of a professional physical therapy organization (1 hour per six months, maximum 4 hours per biennium) |
481 IAC 803.2(1): the biennial continuing education compliance period runs from the sixteenth day of the birth month to the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later, and each physical therapist must complete a minimum of 40 hours of board-approved continuing education per biennium. An hour is at least 50 minutes and may be live, virtual, online, or prerecorded with proof of completion. Hours in business-related, personal skills, or general health topics (including CPR and mandatory reporter training) are not considered directly related to clinical physical therapy and may not exceed a combined 10 hours (803.3(2)(b)), so at least 30 of the 40 hours must be clinical. Carryover: licensees may apply up to 50 percent of the required hours to the following renewal period, a maximum of 20 hours for physical therapists (803.2(3)). First renewal: persons licensed for the first time are not required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal, and hours earned from initial licensure until the second renewal may be used (803.2(2)). No cap on online hours was stated.
Required CE topics for Iowa physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training)At renewal the licensee indicates completion of the Iowa HHS core training curriculum in child abuse identification and reporting within the previous three years, or a waiver condition. Iowa Code 232.69(3)(b) requires the core training within six months of starting work that involves regular contact with children and every three years thereafter. Hours are not stated in the rule or statute. Documentation must be kept for three years and the board may audit compliance. | Not stated | Periodic | Licensees required by Iowa Code 232.69 to report child abuse (health practitioners who examine, attend, or treat children) | 481 IAC 800.6(4)(a); Iowa Code 232.69(3)(b) |
| Dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training)Completion within the previous three years of the Iowa HHS dependent adult abuse curriculum is indicated on the renewal application. No canonical topic key fits, so dependent_adult_abuse_reporting is used. Hours not stated in the rule read. | Not stated | Periodic | Licensees required by Iowa Code 235B.3 or 235E.2 to report dependent adult abuse | 481 IAC 800.6(4)(b); Iowa Code 235B.16(5)(b) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Continuing education must be approved by the board and meet the standards in 481 IAC 803.3: an organized program that contributes directly to professional competency, relates to the practice, is taught by qualified presenters, and provides proof of attendance showing date, location, title, presenter, contact hours, and a certificate or evidence of completion. The rules define audit as the selection of licensees for verification of CE requirements and state the board may request presenter qualifications at audit; the rules read do not state a retention period for CE certificates (mandatory reporter training documentation must be kept three years). Licensees attest to CE and mandatory reporter compliance on the renewal application. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Iowa PT need to renew?
- Iowa physical therapists must complete 40 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing). 481 IAC 803.2(1): the biennial continuing education compliance period runs from the sixteenth day of the birth month to the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later, and each physical therapist must complete a minimum of 40 hours of board-approved continuing education per biennium. An hour is at least 50 minutes and may be live, virtual, online, or prerecorded with proof of completion. Hours in business-related, personal skills, or general health topics (including CPR and mandatory reporter training) are not considered directly related to clinical physical therapy and may not exceed a combined 10 hours (803.3(2)(b)), so at least 30 of the 40 hours must be clinical. Carryover: licensees may apply up to 50 percent of the required hours to the following renewal period, a maximum of 20 hours for physical therapists (803.2(3)). First renewal: persons licensed for the first time are not required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal, and hours earned from initial licensure until the second renewal may be used (803.2(2)). No cap on online hours was stated.
- How often does a Iowa PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Iowa renew every two years. The biennial renewal period begins on the sixteenth day of the licensee's birth month and ends on the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later; the license expiration date is the fifteenth day of the birth month every two years after initial licensure (481 IAC 800.1 and 800.6(1)). Renewal opens 60 days before expiration, and a 30 day grace period with a late fee follows expiration. A license issued within six months of the renewal date is not renewed until the following cycle two years later.
- What specific CE topics are required for Iowa physical therapists?
- Child abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (licensees required by Iowa Code 232.69 to report child abuse (health practitioners who examine, attend, or treat children)). Dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training): required on a periodic schedule set by the board (licensees required by Iowa Code 235B.3 or 235E.2 to report dependent adult abuse). Citations: child abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training) (481 IAC 800.6(4)(a); Iowa Code 232.69(3)(b)) and dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (mandatory reporter training) (481 IAC 800.6(4)(b); Iowa Code 235B.16(5)(b)).
- Do Iowa physical therapists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. Continuing education must be approved by the board and meet the standards in 481 IAC 803.3: an organized program that contributes directly to professional competency, relates to the practice, is taught by qualified presenters, and provides proof of attendance showing date, location, title, presenter, contact hours, and a certificate or evidence of completion. The rules define audit as the selection of licensees for verification of CE requirements and state the board may request presenter qualifications at audit; the rules read do not state a retention period for CE certificates (mandatory reporter training documentation must be kept three years). Licensees attest to CE and mandatory reporter compliance on the renewal application.
- Is the first Iowa PT renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Iowa 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.
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 803, Continuing Education for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants (IAC 7/9/25)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 800, Licensure of Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants (IAC 2/5/25), rule 800.6 License renewalStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Iowa Code 232.69, Mandatory and permissive reporters, training required (Iowa Code 2026)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Physical and Occupational Therapy, Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and LicensingState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours, compliance period, first-renewal exemption, carryover, non-clinical topic cap, alternative activity conversions, and audit definition were read directly from 481 IAC Chapter 803 (as amended effective 8/13/25). Renewal timing, the six-month rule for new licensees, and the mandatory reporter training requirements were read from 481 IAC 800.1 and 800.6. Iowa Code 232.69 does not list physical therapists by name; it applies to every health practitioner who examines, attends, or treats a child, so the child abuse training requirement is recorded as conditional on that scope. The DIAL board page confirms the 60 day renewal window and that CE must be complete before renewal but does not itself state the hours. Not read: a retention period for CE certificates, and course hours for the mandatory reporter curricula.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.