Oregon Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Oregon physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy.
Physical therapist assistant licenses are valid for up to two years and expire on March 31 of even-numbered years, the same certification period the board uses for physical therapists; the current period runs April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. Renewal is completed in the board's licensee portal and requires reporting each continuing competency activity and uploading the certificates.
Summary
Oregon physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy. Physical therapist assistant licenses are valid for up to two years and expire on March 31 of even-numbered years, the same certification period the board uses for physical therapists; the current period runs April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. Renewal is completed in the board's licensee portal and requires reporting each continuing competency activity and uploading the certificates. Oregon also mandates specific subjects. Oregon Pain Management Commission Pain Management Module: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Cultural competency education: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Up to 8 excess contact hours carry over to the next cycle.
Oregon 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, 03/31 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 8 contact hours |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Oregon Jurisprudence Assessment Module (OR-JAM), once per renewal period, 3 hours in the non-clinical jurisprudence category; Non-clinical activities such as business and leadership, capped by category |
OAR 848-035-0020(1) applies one figure to both credentials: all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must complete 24 hours of continuing competence in each certification period, so the physical therapist assistant requirement matches the physical therapist requirement, and the board's continuing competency page opens by saying the requirements apply to renewing a PT or PTA license. Non-clinical activities are capped at 8 hours per period with no more than 4 from any single category, and up to 8 hours may be carried to the next period. The board sets no limit on online courses: licensees may take all of their courses online, all in person, or a mix, provided each activity is at least 0.5 hour. First-period proration follows the license effective date: a license effective between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 owes 24 hours, one effective between April 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 owes 12 hours, and one effective between January 1, 2026 and March 31, 2026 owes none. Courses taken in the 2 years before the license expiration date count even if they were taken before Oregon licensure.
Required CE topics for Oregon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Pain Management Commission Pain Management ModuleThe board lists this as one of two mandatory continuing competency courses for licensees and states that licensees must take the Oregon Pain Management Commission's module at every renewal. The course is free and the current version, Transforming Pain Management, is worth 1 CC hour. A licensee who completed it at initial licensure within the prior year uploads that certificate instead of retaking it. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | OAR 848-035-0030; ORS 413.590 |
| Cultural competency educationThe board states that licensees must take a cultural competency course every renewal period and that the course must be a minimum of one hour, meeting Oregon Health Authority criteria. The rule text applies it to all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | OAR 848-035-0030 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | Yes |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | The board does not pre-approve continuing competency courses. Certificates must show the course title, the licensee's name, the speaker or sponsor, the number of class hours, and the class date, and documentation is provided when the continuing competency is submitted at renewal. OAR 848-035-0040 sets the documentation rules, including the requirement that the licensee obtain and retain the completion certificate, and the board states a four-year retention. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Oregon PTA need to renew?
- Oregon physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy. OAR 848-035-0020(1) applies one figure to both credentials: all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must complete 24 hours of continuing competence in each certification period, so the physical therapist assistant requirement matches the physical therapist requirement, and the board's continuing competency page opens by saying the requirements apply to renewing a PT or PTA license. Non-clinical activities are capped at 8 hours per period with no more than 4 from any single category, and up to 8 hours may be carried to the next period. The board sets no limit on online courses: licensees may take all of their courses online, all in person, or a mix, provided each activity is at least 0.5 hour. First-period proration follows the license effective date: a license effective between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 owes 24 hours, one effective between April 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 owes 12 hours, and one effective between January 1, 2026 and March 31, 2026 owes none. Courses taken in the 2 years before the license expiration date count even if they were taken before Oregon licensure.
- How often does a Oregon PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Oregon renew every two years. Physical therapist assistant licenses are valid for up to two years and expire on March 31 of even-numbered years, the same certification period the board uses for physical therapists; the current period runs April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. Renewal is completed in the board's licensee portal and requires reporting each continuing competency activity and uploading the certificates.
- What specific CE topics are required for Oregon physical therapist assistants?
- Oregon Pain Management Commission Pain Management Module: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Cultural competency education: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Citations: Oregon Pain Management Commission Pain Management Module (OAR 848-035-0030; ORS 413.590) and cultural competency education (OAR 848-035-0030).
- Do Oregon physical therapist assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Proof of completion must be submitted with the renewal and records must be kept for 4 years. The board does not pre-approve continuing competency courses. Certificates must show the course title, the licensee's name, the speaker or sponsor, the number of class hours, and the class date, and documentation is provided when the continuing competency is submitted at renewal. OAR 848-035-0040 sets the documentation rules, including the requirement that the licensee obtain and retain the completion certificate, and the board states a four-year retention.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- OAR Chapter 848, Division 35, Continuing Competence (OAR 848-035-0020, 848-035-0030, 848-035-0040), Oregon Secretary of StateStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Continuing Competency (CC), Oregon Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Oregon writes one continuing competence rule for both credentials. OAR 848-035-0020(1) requires all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to complete 24 hours in each certification period, and OAR 848-035-0030 applies the cultural competence hour to both by the same wording, so the assistant requirement is identical to the therapist requirement rather than reduced. The board's continuing competency page, which states the certification period, the mandatory pain management and cultural competence courses, the absence of an online limit, and the first-period hour tiers, addresses PT and PTA licenses together and never separates them. The Secretary of State rules site returns a JavaScript challenge to plain automated clients, so the division text was retrieved through a rendering fetch rather than a direct request. audited is null because neither source read here states that the board runs audits; documentation is uploaded with every renewal instead. The OR-JAM is an optional credited activity worth 3 hours, not a mandate.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.