Ohio Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Ohio physical therapist assistants must complete 12 clock hours, which is 12 contact hours, of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Physical Therapy Section).
Physical therapist assistant licenses expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed by that date through eLicense Ohio, a year offset from physical therapist licenses, which expire January 31 of even-numbered years. Renewal opens November 1 before the expiration date. A license issued on or after October 1 of an even-numbered year is valid through January 31 of the second odd-numbered year. The board states that a license cannot be renewed late and that an expired license cannot be used to practice.
Summary
Ohio physical therapist assistants must complete 12 clock hours, which is 12 contact hours, of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Physical Therapy Section). Physical therapist assistant licenses expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed by that date through eLicense Ohio, a year offset from physical therapist licenses, which expire January 31 of even-numbered years. Renewal opens November 1 before the expiration date. A license issued on or after October 1 of an even-numbered year is valid through January 31 of the second odd-numbered year. The board states that a license cannot be renewed late and that an expired license cannot be used to practice. Ohio also mandates specific subjects. Renewal jurisprudence module (Ohio JAM for PT and PTA), two hours of ethics: 2 clock hours every renewal cycle. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Ohio 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 | Same date for every licensee, 01/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 12 clock hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Passing an ABPTS specialty examination or the HTCC certification examination (24 contact hours in the year taken); Renewal of ABPTS specialty certification or HTCC certification (6 contact hours); Completing an ABPTRFE credentialed residency or fellowship (24 contact hours); Coursework at a CAPTE accredited entry-level physical therapist program or a post-professional transition clinical doctorate program; Serving as a clinical instructor as an APTA certified level I clinical instructor (1 contact hour per 80 hours, maximum 6 contact hours per renewal cycle for a physical therapist assistant); Volunteer services to indigent and uninsured persons (1 hour per 60 minutes, maximum 3 hours per biennium for a physical therapist assistant); Completing the renewal jurisprudence module (2 contact hours); Healthy Practice Resource modules (1 hour per module, maximum 2 modules per renewal period for a physical therapist assistant); Continuing education developed and delivered exclusively by the APTA or its academies and sections |
Ohio Admin. Code 4755:2-3-01(A)(3) sets a separate, smaller total for assistants: a physical therapist assistant shall complete a minimum of twelve units of continuing education activities within the two year renewal cycle, where paragraph (A)(2) requires twenty-four units of a physical therapist. A unit is one clock hour spent in a continuing education activity meeting section 4755.52 of the Revised Code. License holders are not required to obtain any continuing education units for the first renewal, and the board's renewal page repeats that first-time renewers do not take the jurisprudence module either. Accumulated units may not be carried over from one renewal period to another. Several activity allowances are also halved for assistants: clinical instruction is capped at six contact hours rather than twelve, volunteer services at three hours rather than six, and Healthy Practice Resource modules at two rather than four. On reinstatement, a license that was valid for twelve months or less requires half the cycle's hours with no category limits and no jurisprudence module; a license valid longer requires the full amount with both.
Required CE topics for Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal jurisprudence module (Ohio JAM for PT and PTA), two hours of ethicsParagraph (A)(3), the physical therapist assistant paragraph, requires at least two hours of ethics through a renewal jurisprudence module determined by the physical therapy section, and those two hours count as part of the twelve-hour total. The module is administered by the FSBPT, costs $48, and the score goes directly to the board, so no proof of completion is submitted. The board describes it as a single Ohio JAM for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants rather than separate versions. First-time renewers do not take it. | 2 clock hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Ohio Admin. Code 4755:2-3-01(A)(3); 4755:2-3-01(G)(9) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 2 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Unless the activity is one of the categories in paragraph (G) of the rule, completed continuing education must carry a current Ohio approval number. The physical therapy section may contract with the Ohio Physical Therapy Association to review and approve continuing education for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Certificates are not submitted at renewal; the board's renewal page tells licensees to keep them at least two years in case of audit. The section audits a number of license holders' records each renewal year and audited licensees submit copies of all proof of completion by the date the board specifies; failing to provide proof, or failing to respond to an audit notice, starts disciplinary action. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Ohio PTA need to renew?
- Ohio physical therapist assistants must complete 12 clock hours, which is 12 contact hours, of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Physical Therapy Section). Ohio Admin. Code 4755:2-3-01(A)(3) sets a separate, smaller total for assistants: a physical therapist assistant shall complete a minimum of twelve units of continuing education activities within the two year renewal cycle, where paragraph (A)(2) requires twenty-four units of a physical therapist. A unit is one clock hour spent in a continuing education activity meeting section 4755.52 of the Revised Code. License holders are not required to obtain any continuing education units for the first renewal, and the board's renewal page repeats that first-time renewers do not take the jurisprudence module either. Accumulated units may not be carried over from one renewal period to another. Several activity allowances are also halved for assistants: clinical instruction is capped at six contact hours rather than twelve, volunteer services at three hours rather than six, and Healthy Practice Resource modules at two rather than four. On reinstatement, a license that was valid for twelve months or less requires half the cycle's hours with no category limits and no jurisprudence module; a license valid longer requires the full amount with both.
- How often does a Ohio PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Ohio renew every two years. Physical therapist assistant licenses expire on January 31 of odd-numbered years and must be renewed by that date through eLicense Ohio, a year offset from physical therapist licenses, which expire January 31 of even-numbered years. Renewal opens November 1 before the expiration date. A license issued on or after October 1 of an even-numbered year is valid through January 31 of the second odd-numbered year. The board states that a license cannot be renewed late and that an expired license cannot be used to practice.
- What specific CE topics are required for Ohio physical therapist assistants?
- Renewal jurisprudence module (Ohio JAM for PT and PTA), two hours of ethics: 2 clock hours every renewal cycle. Citations: renewal jurisprudence module (Ohio JAM for PT and PTA), two hours of ethics (Ohio Admin. Code 4755:2-3-01(A)(3); 4755:2-3-01(G)(9)).
- Do Ohio 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 2 years. Unless the activity is one of the categories in paragraph (G) of the rule, completed continuing education must carry a current Ohio approval number. The physical therapy section may contract with the Ohio Physical Therapy Association to review and approve continuing education for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Certificates are not submitted at renewal; the board's renewal page tells licensees to keep them at least two years in case of audit. The section audits a number of license holders' records each renewal year and audited licensees submit copies of all proof of completion by the date the board specifies; failing to provide proof, or failing to respond to an audit notice, starts disciplinary action.
- Is the first Ohio PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Ohio does not require continuing education for a PTA's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Ohio Admin. Code Rule 4755:2-3-01, Continuing education, effective April 3, 2026Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ohio Admin. Code Rule 4755:2-1-05, Biennial renewal of licensure, effective October 11, 2024Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- PT-PTA Renewal, Ohio OTPTAT BoardState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Ohio Jurisprudence Assessment Module for PT and PTA, Ohio OTPTAT BoardState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Ohio is a state where both the number and the renewal year differ. The twelve-unit total was read in the physical therapist assistant paragraph of Ohio Admin. Code 4755:2-3-01, not inferred from the physical therapist total, and the board's renewal page states it as 24 hours for PT and 12 hours for PTA. The renewal date is also different: rule 4755:2-1-05(C) puts physical therapist assistants on January 31 of odd-numbered years and paragraph (B) puts physical therapists on January 31 of even-numbered years. The jurisprudence module is required of both and the board publishes it as one PT and PTA module. Unit is recorded as clock_hours because the rule defines a unit as one clock hour; paragraph (G) awards the same totals in contact hours, so contact_hour_equivalent is 12. The two-year retention comes from the board's renewal page; the rule itself states no retention period. The rule states no cap on self-study or online activities.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Physical Therapy Section) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.