What specific CE topics are required for Pennsylvania physical therapists?

Law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapy: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapy (49 Pa. Code 40.67) and child abuse recognition and reporting (49 Pa. Code 40.19(c) and 40.67; 40.208(b)).

Do Pennsylvania physical therapists 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 5 years. Courses from preapproved providers (APTA, FSBPT, CAPTE accredited programs, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, APTA credentialed residency and fellowship organizations, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties) and providers preapproved by the Board qualify; the Board posts a list of approved CE programs. At renewal the licensee verifies compliance; proof of completion is retained for 5 years after completion. The Board audits licensees and an audit notice must be answered fully within 30 days.

Is the first Pennsylvania PT renewal exempt from CE?

Yes. Pennsylvania does not require continuing education for a PT's first renewal.

Pennsylvania Physical Therapist license renewal and CE requirements

Pennsylvania physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy.

Physical therapist licenses expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year unless renewed for the next biennium (49 Pa. Code 40.19). Renewal notices are emailed about 60 days before expiration; a direct access certificate of authorization renews only together with the PT license.

Renewal cycle

Two-year

Same date for every licensee

CE per cycle

contact hours

Mandated topics

required subjects

Last verified

September 7, 2026

15 days ago

Summary

Pennsylvania physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy. Physical therapist licenses expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year unless renewed for the next biennium (49 Pa. Code 40.19). Renewal notices are emailed about 60 days before expiration; a direct access certificate of authorization renews only together with the PT license. Pennsylvania also mandates specific subjects. Law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapy: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.

Pennsylvania 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, 12/31 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	Clinical instruction (1 contact hour per 40 hours, maximum 4 contact hours per biennium); Authoring a book (up to 15 contact hours); Authoring a book chapter (up to 10 contact hours); Authoring a peer-reviewed article (up to 10 contact hours); Authoring a non-peer-reviewed article (up to 5 contact hours)

49 Pa. Code 40.67 requires 30 contact hours of continuing physical therapy education in the 24 months preceding the second and each subsequent biennial renewal, including at least 2 contact hours in law or ethics applicable to physical therapy practice and at least 2 contact hours in child abuse recognition and reporting. A licensee is not required to complete CE during the biennial cycle in which first licensed. A contact hour may satisfy the requirement only for the biennium in which it was completed, so there is no carryover. The regulation states no limit on distance or home study hours.

Required CE topics for Pennsylvania physical therapists

State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.

Topic	Hours	Frequency	Applies to	Citation
Law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapyAt least 2 of the 30 contact hours.	2 contact hours	Every renewal	All licensees	49 Pa. Code 40.67
Child abuse recognition and reportingAt least 2 contact hours of approved courses in child abuse recognition and reporting each biennial renewal period, counted within the 30 hours.	2 contact hours	Every renewal	All licensees	49 Pa. Code 40.19(c) and 40.67; 40.208(b)

Documentation and audit

Proof submitted at renewal	No, attestation only
Keep records for	5 years
Board audits compliance	Yes
Approved providers	Courses from preapproved providers (APTA, FSBPT, CAPTE accredited programs, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, APTA credentialed residency and fellowship organizations, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties) and providers preapproved by the Board qualify; the Board posts a list of approved CE programs. At renewal the licensee verifies compliance; proof of completion is retained for 5 years after completion. The Board audits licensees and an audit notice must be answered fully within 30 days.

Common questions

How many CE hours does a Pennsylvania PT need to renew?: Pennsylvania physical therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy. 49 Pa. Code 40.67 requires 30 contact hours of continuing physical therapy education in the 24 months preceding the second and each subsequent biennial renewal, including at least 2 contact hours in law or ethics applicable to physical therapy practice and at least 2 contact hours in child abuse recognition and reporting. A licensee is not required to complete CE during the biennial cycle in which first licensed. A contact hour may satisfy the requirement only for the biennium in which it was completed, so there is no carryover. The regulation states no limit on distance or home study hours.
How often does a Pennsylvania PT license need to be renewed?: Physical Therapist licenses in Pennsylvania renew every two years. Physical therapist licenses expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year unless renewed for the next biennium (49 Pa. Code 40.19). Renewal notices are emailed about 60 days before expiration; a direct access certificate of authorization renews only together with the PT license.
What specific CE topics are required for Pennsylvania physical therapists?: Law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapy: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: law or ethics applicable to the practice of physical therapy (49 Pa. Code 40.67) and child abuse recognition and reporting (49 Pa. Code 40.19(c) and 40.67; 40.208(b)).
Do Pennsylvania physical therapists 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 5 years. Courses from preapproved providers (APTA, FSBPT, CAPTE accredited programs, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, APTA credentialed residency and fellowship organizations, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties) and providers preapproved by the Board qualify; the Board posts a list of approved CE programs. At renewal the licensee verifies compliance; proof of completion is retained for 5 years after completion. The Board audits licensees and an audit notice must be answered fully within 30 days.
Is the first Pennsylvania PT renewal exempt from CE?: Yes. Pennsylvania 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.

49 Pa. Code 40.67, Continuing education for licensed physical therapistStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
49 Pa. Code 40.19, Renewal of physical therapist licenseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
49 Pa. Code Chapter 40, State Board of Physical Therapy, table of contentsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 7, 2026
Renewal Information, Pennsylvania State Board of Physical TherapyState board page, accessed September 7, 2026
State Board of Physical Therapy, Pennsylvania Department of StateState board page, accessed September 7, 2026

30 contact hours, 2 hours law or ethics, 2 hours child abuse recognition and reporting, first-renewal exemption, single-biennium use of hours, 5-year retention, 30-day audit response, preapproved providers, and alternative credit caps read from 49 Pa. Code 40.67. December 31 even-year expiration and the child abuse requirement at renewal read from 49 Pa. Code 40.19 and the board's renewal page. Section 40.208 (child abuse course approval) was not read directly; it is cited because 40.19 and 40.67 reference it. No distance-learning cap appears in 40.67. The 'law or ethics' mandate is recorded under the ethics topic key because the regulation treats law and ethics as one 2-hour requirement.

Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.