North Dakota Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
North Dakota physical therapists must complete 25 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy.
Licenses are renewed annually and expire if not renewed by January 31 (N.D. Admin. Code 61.5-02-02-05). The board's renewal application opens on November 1. A licensee who does not receive a renewal notice is still responsible for renewing before the January 31 deadline, and late renewal may carry a late fee.
Summary
North Dakota physical therapists must complete 25 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy. Licenses are renewed annually and expire if not renewed by January 31 (N.D. Admin. Code 61.5-02-02-05). The board's renewal application opens on November 1. A licensee who does not receive a renewal notice is still responsible for renewing before the January 31 deadline, and late renewal may carry a late fee. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
North Dakota 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 | Annual (12 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 01/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 25 contact hoursCounted over a two-year window, separate from the renewal cycle. |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | APTA specialty certification or recertification (15 units); Completion of a physical therapy residency program (25 units); Clinical instruction (1 unit per 165 hours, maximum 5 units per reporting period); Teaching an approved continuing competence activity (preparation credit up to 5:1, one course per year); Teaching in an accredited PT or PTA program when not the primary occupation (1 unit per contact hour, maximum 5 units) |
The board counts continuing competence units; one unit equals one hour of participation (61.5-03-02-01). All physical therapists must obtain 25 units every two years (61.5-03-01-02 and 61.5-03-02-02), even though the license itself renews every year, so the CE cycle (24 months) differs from the renewal cycle (12 months). There is no carryover of units to the next reporting period. The board determines reporting groups and deadlines. The rules do not state a cap on online or self-study units.
Required CE topics for North Dakota physical therapists
The North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Units may include activities related to physical therapy approved by the APTA, state physical therapy associations, and state physical therapy boards (61.5-03-02-02). At the January renewal deadline following the two-year cycle, licensees attest to completing the 25 units; the board selects a sample of ten percent of licensees each year for evidence of the attested activities (61.5-03-03-01). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a North Dakota PT need to renew?
- North Dakota physical therapists must complete 25 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy. The board counts continuing competence units; one unit equals one hour of participation (61.5-03-02-01). All physical therapists must obtain 25 units every two years (61.5-03-01-02 and 61.5-03-02-02), even though the license itself renews every year, so the CE cycle (24 months) differs from the renewal cycle (12 months). There is no carryover of units to the next reporting period. The board determines reporting groups and deadlines. The rules do not state a cap on online or self-study units.
- How often does a North Dakota PT license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist licenses in North Dakota renew every year. Licenses are renewed annually and expire if not renewed by January 31 (N.D. Admin. Code 61.5-02-02-05). The board's renewal application opens on November 1. A licensee who does not receive a renewal notice is still responsible for renewing before the January 31 deadline, and late renewal may carry a late fee.
- Does North Dakota require specific CE topics for physical therapists?
- The North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy does not list mandated subject areas for PT renewal on the pages we verified; the 25 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do North Dakota 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. Units may include activities related to physical therapy approved by the APTA, state physical therapy associations, and state physical therapy boards (61.5-03-02-02). At the January renewal deadline following the two-year cycle, licensees attest to completing the 25 units; the board selects a sample of ten percent of licensees each year for evidence of the attested activities (61.5-03-03-01).
Sources
Last verified September 7, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- N.D. Admin. Code Chapter 61.5-03-01, Continuing Competence RequirementStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- N.D. Admin. Code Chapter 61.5-03-02, Continuing Competence Activities and Unit StandardsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- N.D. Admin. Code Chapter 61.5-03-03, Verification of ComplianceStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- N.D. Admin. Code Chapter 61.5-02-02, Licensure (section 61.5-02-02-05 Renewal of licensure)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
- Rules and Regulations, North Dakota Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- License Renewal, North Dakota Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions, North Dakota Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
Annual January 31 renewal, 25 units per two years, one unit equals one hour, no carryover, attestation at renewal, ten percent annual audit sample, and activity credit values read from the North Dakota Administrative Code chapters linked from the board's regulations page. The board's FAQ confirms the clinical instruction value (1 unit per 165 hours, max 5) and states the board allows up to 15 units for an approved clinical certification program. The rules do not state a first-renewal exemption for new graduates; the only related provision is that licensees new to North Dakota from other jurisdictions without 25 units in the prior two years must complete 13 units within a year of initial licensure (61.5-03-03-01(4)). A jurisprudence examination is required for initial licensure (61.5-02-02-01), not at renewal. No mandatory CE subjects, retention period, or online cap appear in the rules. The board's CC audit page requires a login and was not readable.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.