New Hampshire Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
New Hampshire physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Governing Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification).
Phy 401.16 defines the renewal year as 2 years from the date the license was issued, so a physical therapist assistant renews biennially on the anniversary of their own issue date through the OPLC universal renewal application. The renewal addendum lists each continuing education activity claimed. A licensee whose license lapses may not practice until it is reinstated.
Summary
New Hampshire physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Governing Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification). Phy 401.16 defines the renewal year as 2 years from the date the license was issued, so a physical therapist assistant renews biennially on the anniversary of their own issue date through the OPLC universal renewal application. The renewal addendum lists each continuing education activity claimed. A licensee whose license lapses may not practice until it is reinstated. New Hampshire also mandates specific subjects. New Hampshire jurisprudence assessment module, physical therapist assistant version: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Clinical application of physical therapy: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle.
New Hampshire 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 | Tied to the original issue date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Academic instruction in physical therapy (Phy 406.02); Non-academic courses, seminars, conferences, and workshops (Phy 406.03); Facility-based physical therapy in-service training (Phy 406.04); Formal mentored independent study (Phy 406.05); Direct supervision of physical therapist or physical therapist assistant students during clinical education (Phy 406.06); Supervision of licensees holding conditional licenses (Phy 406.07); Publication of writing related to physical therapy (Phy 406.08); Professional presentations (Phy 406.09); Participation in a physical therapy research project (Phy 406.10); Work of professional boards, committees, and agencies (Phy 406.11); Teaching physical therapy (Phy 406.12); Infection control education, basic life support, facility onboarding, orientation, HIPAA and annual training (Phy 406.13); Journal study (Phy 406.14); New Hampshire jurisprudence assessment module (maximum 2 contact hours per renewal cycle, Phy 406.15); Specialty certification examination (Phy 406.16); Clinical mentor of a residency or fellowship (Phy 406.18) |
Phy 406.01(a) names both credentials: individuals licensed as physical therapists or physical therapist assistants who wish to renew, fully or conditionally, must complete 24 contact hours of continuing professional education in each 2-year renewal cycle. The physical therapist assistant total is the same as the physical therapist total. At least one half of the hours, 12, must relate directly and primarily to the clinical application of physical therapy, and the balance must relate to general physical therapy practice, including supervision and consultation skills, curriculum development, and trans-disciplinary issues or skills. Phy 406.01(b) lets a licensee who held a license in another state within the past 2 years, and whose first New Hampshire license expires in less than 2 years, count continuing education earned outside the New Hampshire license period but within the 2-year cycle. Phy 400 does not address carryover.
Required CE topics for New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire jurisprudence assessment module, physical therapist assistant versionPhy 402.03 requires every individual licensed as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant to take and pass the module each April, May, or June of years ending in 0 and 5, with a passing score of at least 80 percent. The physical therapist assistant sits a different version: Phy 402.03(c) examines a physical therapist assistant on RSA 328-A, Phy 100 through 500, and the APTA Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant, where a physical therapist is examined on the APTA Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist. It is open book, developed and administered by the FSBPT, and the score report goes directly to the OPLC. Phy 406.15(b) credits a maximum of 2 contact hours per renewal cycle toward the 24. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Phy 402.01(a)(4); Phy 402.03(a) and (c); Phy 406.15(b) |
| Clinical application of physical therapyA distribution requirement rather than a subject mandate: at least half of the 24 contact hours must relate directly and primarily to the clinical application of physical therapy, and the remainder to general physical therapy practice. A custom topic key is used because no canonical key fits. | 12 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Phy 406.01(e) and (f) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Phy 400 requires no board pre-approval of courses; activities must fit the categories in Phy 406.02 through Phy 406.18. At renewal the licensee lists each activity on the renewal addendum with beginning and ending dates, title, sponsor, clinical hours, other hours, and the rule number claimed. Copies of documentation are furnished only when the OPLC requests them in an audit. Phy 402.08(a) selects 10 percent of the renewal applications submitted in each renewal year at random for audit, with notice within 30 days of renewal, and Phy 410.03(d) requires licensees to retain documentation of continuing professional education and professional activities for at least 3 years. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a New Hampshire PTA need to renew?
- New Hampshire physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Governing Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification). Phy 406.01(a) names both credentials: individuals licensed as physical therapists or physical therapist assistants who wish to renew, fully or conditionally, must complete 24 contact hours of continuing professional education in each 2-year renewal cycle. The physical therapist assistant total is the same as the physical therapist total. At least one half of the hours, 12, must relate directly and primarily to the clinical application of physical therapy, and the balance must relate to general physical therapy practice, including supervision and consultation skills, curriculum development, and trans-disciplinary issues or skills. Phy 406.01(b) lets a licensee who held a license in another state within the past 2 years, and whose first New Hampshire license expires in less than 2 years, count continuing education earned outside the New Hampshire license period but within the 2-year cycle. Phy 400 does not address carryover.
- How often does a New Hampshire PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in New Hampshire renew every two years. Phy 401.16 defines the renewal year as 2 years from the date the license was issued, so a physical therapist assistant renews biennially on the anniversary of their own issue date through the OPLC universal renewal application. The renewal addendum lists each continuing education activity claimed. A licensee whose license lapses may not practice until it is reinstated.
- What specific CE topics are required for New Hampshire physical therapist assistants?
- New Hampshire jurisprudence assessment module, physical therapist assistant version: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Clinical application of physical therapy: 12 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: New Hampshire jurisprudence assessment module, physical therapist assistant version (Phy 402.01(a)(4); Phy 402.03(a) and (c); Phy 406.15(b)) and clinical application of physical therapy (Phy 406.01(e) and (f)).
- Do New Hampshire physical therapist assistants 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 3 years. Phy 400 requires no board pre-approval of courses; activities must fit the categories in Phy 406.02 through Phy 406.18. At renewal the licensee lists each activity on the renewal addendum with beginning and ending dates, title, sponsor, clinical hours, other hours, and the rule number claimed. Copies of documentation are furnished only when the OPLC requests them in an audit. Phy 402.08(a) selects 10 percent of the renewal applications submitted in each renewal year at random for audit, with notice within 30 days of renewal, and Phy 410.03(d) requires licensees to retain documentation of continuing professional education and professional activities for at least 3 years.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- N.H. Code of Administrative Rules Chapter Phy 400, License Renewal and Continuing Competence (Phy 401.16, 402.01, 402.03, 402.08, 406.01, 406.15, 410.03), effective 2-17-24 (#13825)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
New Hampshire sets one continuing competence requirement for both credentials, and Phy 406.01(a) says so explicitly, so the 24 contact hours and the 12-hour clinical minimum are cited from the same text that governs physical therapists. The physical therapist assistant difference is in the jurisprudence module: Phy 402.03(c) gives assistants a version examined on the APTA Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant. Cycle, hours, module, audit rate, and 3-year retention were read in the Phy 400 rule text on the General Court site. The OPLC board and continuing education pages return 403 to automated clients and were not read for this record, so the summary points the physical therapist record takes from them, no first-renewal difference and no delivery-method restriction, are left null here rather than assumed for assistants. Phy 400 does not address carryover, so carryover_allowed is null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Governing Board (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.