Maryland Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Maryland physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.
Licenses renew every two years with a May 31 deadline; the board's 2026 renewal was for even-numbered licenses only, due Sunday, May 31, 2026, and the board states late submissions are not accepted. Renewal applications and payments are submitted electronically only. The renewal fee shown for PTs in 2026 was $271.
Summary
Maryland physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Licenses renew every two years with a May 31 deadline; the board's 2026 renewal was for even-numbered licenses only, due Sunday, May 31, 2026, and the board states late submissions are not accepted. Renewal applications and payments are submitted electronically only. The renewal fee shown for PTs in 2026 was $271. Maryland also mandates specific subjects. Implicit Bias & Structural Racism training: a one-time requirement. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Maryland 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, 05/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Postgraduate academic and professional studies; Attendance at or presentation of seminars, conferences, courses, or workshops; Authoring or co-authoring publications; Self-directed study; Research; Workplace and community service contributions and leadership development; Supervision of students |
COMAR 10.38.08.05 requires a physical therapist to earn 30 CE hours for the renewal period (physical therapist assistants earn 20). A CE hour is a period of 60 minutes in which the licensee is engaged in a learning activity, excluding registration, breaks, social networking, and meals (COMAR 10.38.08.02). Hours must be earned between June 1 and May 31 during the two-year period before renewal; for the 2026 renewal the board accepted hours earned June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2026, and stated that hours earned April 1 to May 31, 2024 were accepted for that renewal only. CE hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to the next. The Board may renew a license for the first renewal period after original licensure without CE if the original license was issued one year or less before the renewal period. Pre-approval of courses is not required; the board charges $25 to review a course on request, submitted at least 30 days before the activity.
Required CE topics for Maryland physical therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implicit Bias & Structural Racism trainingThe board's renewal page states that completion of Implicit Bias & Structural Racism training must be attested to by all licensed health care professionals in Maryland. Health Occupations 1-225 requires the attestation on the licensee's first renewal after April 1, 2026, using a program approved by the Cultural and Linguistic Health Care Professional Competency Program; boards may grant CE credit for it. No hour count is stated in the statute or on the board page. | Not stated | One time | All licensees | Md. Code, Health Occupations 1-225 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Pre-approval is not required. Continuing education approved by APTA (including its academies, sections, and state chapters) and by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy is automatically accepted (COMAR 10.38.08.03). Other providers may apply for board approval at least six weeks before a course; approval lasts four years. Licensees submit a continuing education form with the renewal application and must keep records of the CE subject matter, certificates of completion, hours, and dates to present to the Board on request. The Board audits as many licensees as time and resources allow, sending audit letters at the close of the renewal period (COMAR 10.38.08.06); failure to substantiate CE hours results in denial of renewal. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Maryland PT need to renew?
- Maryland physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. COMAR 10.38.08.05 requires a physical therapist to earn 30 CE hours for the renewal period (physical therapist assistants earn 20). A CE hour is a period of 60 minutes in which the licensee is engaged in a learning activity, excluding registration, breaks, social networking, and meals (COMAR 10.38.08.02). Hours must be earned between June 1 and May 31 during the two-year period before renewal; for the 2026 renewal the board accepted hours earned June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2026, and stated that hours earned April 1 to May 31, 2024 were accepted for that renewal only. CE hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to the next. The Board may renew a license for the first renewal period after original licensure without CE if the original license was issued one year or less before the renewal period. Pre-approval of courses is not required; the board charges $25 to review a course on request, submitted at least 30 days before the activity.
- How often does a Maryland PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in Maryland renew every two years. Licenses renew every two years with a May 31 deadline; the board's 2026 renewal was for even-numbered licenses only, due Sunday, May 31, 2026, and the board states late submissions are not accepted. Renewal applications and payments are submitted electronically only. The renewal fee shown for PTs in 2026 was $271.
- What specific CE topics are required for Maryland physical therapists?
- Implicit Bias & Structural Racism training: a one-time requirement. Citations: Implicit Bias & Structural Racism training (Md. Code, Health Occupations 1-225).
- Do Maryland 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. Pre-approval is not required. Continuing education approved by APTA (including its academies, sections, and state chapters) and by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy is automatically accepted (COMAR 10.38.08.03). Other providers may apply for board approval at least six weeks before a course; approval lasts four years. Licensees submit a continuing education form with the renewal application and must keep records of the CE subject matter, certificates of completion, hours, and dates to present to the Board on request. The Board audits as many licensees as time and resources allow, sending audit letters at the close of the renewal period (COMAR 10.38.08.06); failure to substantiate CE hours results in denial of renewal.
- Is the first Maryland PT renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Maryland 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.
- COMAR 10.38.08.05 Renewal Requirements, Library of Maryland RegulationsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- COMAR 10.38.08.03 Continuing Education RequirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- COMAR 10.38.08.02 DefinitionsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- COMAR 10.38.08.04 Continuing Education Course ApprovalStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- COMAR 10.38.08.06 Auditing Compliance with Continuing Education RequirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- License Renewals, Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy ExaminersState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Licensees, Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy ExaminersState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Continuing Education, Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy ExaminersState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Md. Code, Health Occupations 1-225, Implicit bias training attestationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
Hours, the June 1 to May 31 window, no carryover, and the first-renewal waiver were read in COMAR 10.38.08.05 on the state's regulations library and repeated on the board's Licensees and Renewals pages. The Cornell LII mirror of 10.38.08.05 still shows an older April 1 to March 31 window; the board's 2026 renewal page documents the transition (April 1 to May 31, 2024 hours accepted for that renewal only), so the official state text was used. The board homepage returned 404 at the URLs tried, so the Licensees page is used as board_url. The renewal page read covered the 2026 even-numbered-license cycle; the board did not state on the pages read how a licensee's renewal year is assigned beyond that, or a licensee record-retention period (providers keep attendance records four years). No topic mandates other than the statewide implicit bias attestation were found for PTs.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.