Rhode Island Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Rhode Island physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy.
A physical therapist assistant license expires on the first day of May of the next even year following the date the original license was issued (section 13.5.5(A)). The license lapses if it is not renewed on or before the thirty first day of March of that even year; a lapsed license may be renewed on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee.
Summary
Rhode Island physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy. A physical therapist assistant license expires on the first day of May of the next even year following the date the original license was issued (section 13.5.5(A)). The license lapses if it is not renewed on or before the thirty first day of March of that even year; a lapsed license may be renewed on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee. The first renewal is exempt.
Rhode Island 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, 05/01 each cycle |
| 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 | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Teaching or clinical supervision of student affiliates by licensed physical therapist assistants in APTA approved programs (maximum 3 hours per licensure cycle); Formal presentations and conferences; Coursework from a regionally accredited institution; Self-study courses |
216-RICR-40-05-13 section 13.5.5(D)(2) states that physical therapist assistants shall attest to completion of twenty four hours biennially in scope of practice specific offerings. The PTA requirement is written in its own section, 13.5.5(D), separate from the physical therapist requirement in 13.4.5(D), and the hour total is the same twenty four hours for both. The PTA teaching and clinical supervision cap is stated as three hours per licensure cycle. The regulation states no cap on self study hours for PTAs and does not address carryover.
Required CE topics for Rhode Island physical therapist assistants
The Rhode Island Department of Health, 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 | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Continuing education must come from the board approved organizations listed for physical therapy licensees in 216-RICR-40-05-13, which include the American Physical Therapy Association and its components, ACCME accredited providers, and programs presented, accepted, or approved by other state physical therapy licensing boards. Documentation is retained by the licensee for no less than four years and is subject to random audit by the Department. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Rhode Island PTA need to renew?
- Rhode Island physical therapist assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy. 216-RICR-40-05-13 section 13.5.5(D)(2) states that physical therapist assistants shall attest to completion of twenty four hours biennially in scope of practice specific offerings. The PTA requirement is written in its own section, 13.5.5(D), separate from the physical therapist requirement in 13.4.5(D), and the hour total is the same twenty four hours for both. The PTA teaching and clinical supervision cap is stated as three hours per licensure cycle. The regulation states no cap on self study hours for PTAs and does not address carryover.
- How often does a Rhode Island PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Rhode Island renew every two years. A physical therapist assistant license expires on the first day of May of the next even year following the date the original license was issued (section 13.5.5(A)). The license lapses if it is not renewed on or before the thirty first day of March of that even year; a lapsed license may be renewed on payment of the current renewal fee plus an additional fee.
- Does Rhode Island require specific CE topics for physical therapist assistants?
- The Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy does not list mandated subject areas for PTA renewal on the pages we verified; the 24 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Rhode Island physical therapist assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- The board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation and records must be kept for 4 years. Continuing education must come from the board approved organizations listed for physical therapy licensees in 216-RICR-40-05-13, which include the American Physical Therapy Association and its components, ACCME accredited providers, and programs presented, accepted, or approved by other state physical therapy licensing boards. Documentation is retained by the licensee for no less than four years and is subject to random audit by the Department.
- Is the first Rhode Island PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Rhode Island 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.
- 216-RICR-40-05-13, Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants (Rhode Island Code of Regulations), section 13.5.5 Physical Therapist Assistant renewal and continuing educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 8, 2026
- Physical Therapists licensing, Rhode Island Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
Every PTA value was read in section 13.5.5 of 216-RICR-40-05-13, which sets out the physical therapist assistant requirements separately from the physical therapist requirements in 13.4.5. Rhode Island licenses physical therapist assistants; the regulation uses the word license throughout. The PTA renewal date, May 1 of the next even year, and the March 31 renewal deadline match the physical therapist dates, and the twenty four hour continuing education total is the same for both. The Department of Health licensing page that was fetched covers physical therapists only and has no separate PTA renewal page, so renewal_url is null. The regulation states no mandated subject for PTAs, so mandatory_topics is empty.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.