Louisiana Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Louisiana physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board.
Licenses are issued for a two-year term and expire on April 30 of the last year of the term (LAC 46:LIV.179). Renewal opens February 1 and the standard deadline is March 31; renewals filed April 1 through April 30 pay a late fee, and anything after April 30 is treated as a reinstatement (LAC 46:LIV.181). The board's 2027 renewal page ties the cycle to birth year: licensees born in an odd year renew in odd years, so the even-year cohort renews in even years.
Summary
Louisiana physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board. Licenses are issued for a two-year term and expire on April 30 of the last year of the term (LAC 46:LIV.179). Renewal opens February 1 and the standard deadline is March 31; renewals filed April 1 through April 30 pay a late fee, and anything after April 30 is treated as a reinstatement (LAC 46:LIV.181). The board's 2027 renewal page ties the cycle to birth year: licensees born in an odd year renew in odd years, so the even-year cohort renews in even years. Louisiana also mandates specific subjects. Jurisprudence: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Ethics or professionalism: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
Louisiana 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, 04/30 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 0 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Teaching an approved clinical or preventive course (2 hours of credit per approved contact hour, first presentation only, max 10 hours); Initial ABPTS specialty certification (10 hours); Approved post-professional clinical residency or fellowship (1 hour per 2 hours, max 10 hours); Postgraduate or transitional DPT coursework with a grade of B or higher (1 semester hour equals 10 contact hours); Teaching in a CAPTE-accredited program (1 semester hour equals 10 contact hours, max 10 hours); Board-approved self-assessment tool (6 hours); Elected or appointed office in a national or state PT organization (max 5 hours); Primary clinical instructor or residency or fellowship mentor (1 hour per 120 hours of instruction, max 5 hours); Publications, abstracts, textbook chapters, poster or platform presentations (max 5 hours) |
LAC 46:LIV.194 requires at least 30 hours of board-approved continuing education in each biennial renewal period, split into three required types: jurisprudence (minimum 2 contact hours), ethics or professionalism (minimum 2 contact hours), and clinical and/or administrative (minimum 26 contact hours). The board defines a contact hour as 60 minutes of instruction and every course must be at least one hour long. No carryover between renewal periods is allowed. Since a 2021 rule change there is no live-hour requirement and the board states all 30 hours may be completed through board-approved online courses. First renewal: under LAC 46:LIV.198 a new graduate is exempt for the continuing education year (April 1 to March 31) in which they graduate and must complete 15 contact hours for the second year of the renewal period; the 2027 renewal page applies the same 15-hour figure (2 jurisprudence, 2 ethics, 11 clinical/administrative) to 2026 reciprocity and reinstatement licensees. Courses must be board-approved; APTA, APTA Louisiana, and Louisiana CAPTE-accredited program courses that meet the content criteria are automatically approved (LAC 46:LIV.193).
Required CE topics for Louisiana physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JurisprudenceSatisfied by passing the board's online jurisprudence examination or attending a board-sponsored jurisprudence course; either fulfills the two-hour requirement and counts toward the 30 hours. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | LAC 46:LIV.194.B(1) |
| Ethics or professionalismMinimum of two contact hours per biennial renewal period; counts toward the 30 hours. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | LAC 46:LIV.194.B(2) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Courses and activities must be approved by the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board; APTA, APTA Louisiana (LPTA), and Louisiana CAPTE-accredited program offerings meeting the content criteria are automatically approved, and a licensee may submit an unapproved course for individual approval except during the last 60 days of the license term (LAC 46:LIV.193). Hours are reported with the online renewal; records (dates, subjects, duration, certificates) must be kept for four years after the program date, and the board audits a random sample of licensees each renewal period (LAC 46:LIV.197). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Louisiana PT need to renew?
- Louisiana physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board. LAC 46:LIV.194 requires at least 30 hours of board-approved continuing education in each biennial renewal period, split into three required types: jurisprudence (minimum 2 contact hours), ethics or professionalism (minimum 2 contact hours), and clinical and/or administrative (minimum 26 contact hours). The board defines a contact hour as 60 minutes of instruction and every course must be at least one hour long. No carryover between renewal periods is allowed. Since a 2021 rule change there is no live-hour requirement and the board states all 30 hours may be completed through board-approved online courses. First renewal: under LAC 46:LIV.198 a new graduate is exempt for the continuing education year (April 1 to March 31) in which they graduate and must complete 15 contact hours for the second year of the renewal period; the 2027 renewal page applies the same 15-hour figure (2 jurisprudence, 2 ethics, 11 clinical/administrative) to 2026 reciprocity and reinstatement licensees. Courses must be board-approved; APTA, APTA Louisiana, and Louisiana CAPTE-accredited program courses that meet the content criteria are automatically approved (LAC 46:LIV.193).
- How often does a Louisiana PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Louisiana renew every two years. Licenses are issued for a two-year term and expire on April 30 of the last year of the term (LAC 46:LIV.179). Renewal opens February 1 and the standard deadline is March 31; renewals filed April 1 through April 30 pay a late fee, and anything after April 30 is treated as a reinstatement (LAC 46:LIV.181). The board's 2027 renewal page ties the cycle to birth year: licensees born in an odd year renew in odd years, so the even-year cohort renews in even years.
- What specific CE topics are required for Louisiana physical therapists?
- Jurisprudence: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Ethics or professionalism: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: jurisprudence (LAC 46:LIV.194.B(1)) and ethics or professionalism (LAC 46:LIV.194.B(2)).
- Do Louisiana 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 4 years. Courses and activities must be approved by the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board; APTA, APTA Louisiana (LPTA), and Louisiana CAPTE-accredited program offerings meeting the content criteria are automatically approved, and a licensee may submit an unapproved course for individual approval except during the last 60 days of the license term (LAC 46:LIV.193). Hours are reported with the online renewal; records (dates, subjects, duration, certificates) must be kept for four years after the program date, and the board audits a random sample of licensees each renewal period (LAC 46:LIV.197).
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Louisiana Physical Therapy Practice Act and Rules (LAC Title 46, Part LIV), board compilation dated 09-01-2025Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Renewal Information for 2027, Louisiana Physical Therapy BoardState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- CE Resource Center, Louisiana Physical Therapy BoardState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Education Policy and Procedure, Louisiana Physical Therapy BoardState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Submitting a Request for Continuing Education Exemption, Louisiana Physical Therapy BoardState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours, the three required categories, no-carryover, alternative activities, four-year retention, random audit, and the new-graduate exemption were read directly from LAC 46:LIV.191 through 199 in the board's rules PDF; April 30 expiration and the March 31 / April 30 deadlines from LAC 46:LIV.179 and 181. The birth-year cohort split (odd birth year renews in odd years) appears only on the board's 2027 renewal page, not in the rule text read. The rule states no limit on online or self-study hours and the board confirms all 30 hours may be online, so live_or_interactive_minimum is recorded as 0. The rule does not state a blanket first-renewal exemption; the exemption is tied to graduation year, so exempt_first_renewal is left null and the graduation-year rule is described in notes. The CE-exemption page (page/120) covers only military and hardship exemptions.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Louisiana Physical Therapy Board before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.