Utah Physical Therapist Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Utah physical therapist assistants must complete 20 CEUs every two years to renew their license with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Division of Professional Licensing).
The physical therapist assistant license expires on May 31 of odd-numbered years, and the two-year continuing education cycle commences on June 1 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal fee is $47.
Summary
Requirements are changing. Utah states this requirement two ways. The rule requires 20 continuing education units for a physical therapist assistant, and units are weighted by category, so one contact hour can count as two units for Category I activities and as one unit for Category III. DOPL's renewal page words the same requirement as 20 contact hours. Depending on which categories you use, those are not the same amount of coursework, so confirm with DOPL or the board before you rely on a count.
Utah physical therapist assistants must complete 20 CEUs every two years to renew their license with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Division of Professional Licensing). The physical therapist assistant license expires on May 31 of odd-numbered years, and the two-year continuing education cycle commences on June 1 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal fee is $47. Utah also mandates specific subjects. Ethics or law: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. Up to 5 excess CEUs carry over to the next cycle.
Utah 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, 05/31 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 20 CEUs |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Yes, up to 5 CEUs |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Clinical instructor supervision (Category II); Teaching a physical therapy education course (Category II); Volunteer service (Category II); Licensed practice by a physical therapist assistant (Category IV, 50 practice hours equals 1 CEU, up to 500 practice hours); In-service presentations, self-study, and journal clubs (Category III) |
R156-24b-303b requires a physical therapist assistant to complete at least 20 CEUs during each two-year renewal cycle, of which at least two CEUs must be in ethics or law. Physical therapists complete 40. Utah weights units by category rather than counting contact hours one for one: a contact hour is 50 continuous minutes, and one contact hour equals two units in Category I (fellowship, residency, specialty certification, degree awarding education program, or in-person attendance at a live event with real-time interaction), one and a half units in Category II (live coursework in a school setting, an electronic course with assessment, volunteer service, clinical instructor supervision, or teaching), and one unit in Category III (electronic coursework without assessment, in-service presentations, self-study, journal clubs, or ethics or law coursework). Category IV is licensed practice, where 50 practice hours equal one CEU up to 500 hours. A physical therapist assistant who completes more than the required number may carry over up to five excess CEUs to the next two-year renewal cycle, half the ten unit carryover allowed a physical therapist. A licensee first licensed during a cycle has the required number of CEUs decreased proportionately according to the date of licensure.
Required CE topics for Utah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethics or lawAt least two of the 20 units each cycle must be in ethics or law. DOPL's renewal page states the same requirement for PTAs as at least 2 hours of the total in topics relating to ethics. Ethics and law coursework falls in Category III, where one contact hour equals one unit. | 2 CEUs | Every renewal | All licensees | Utah Admin. Code R156-24b-303b |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 2 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | A licensee keeps documentation proving compliance for two years after the end of the renewal cycle for which the continuing education is due. The rule names no single approving body; documentation must establish the activity and the contact hours claimed. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Utah PTA need to renew?
- Utah physical therapist assistants must complete 20 CEUs every two years to renew their license with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Division of Professional Licensing). R156-24b-303b requires a physical therapist assistant to complete at least 20 CEUs during each two-year renewal cycle, of which at least two CEUs must be in ethics or law. Physical therapists complete 40. Utah weights units by category rather than counting contact hours one for one: a contact hour is 50 continuous minutes, and one contact hour equals two units in Category I (fellowship, residency, specialty certification, degree awarding education program, or in-person attendance at a live event with real-time interaction), one and a half units in Category II (live coursework in a school setting, an electronic course with assessment, volunteer service, clinical instructor supervision, or teaching), and one unit in Category III (electronic coursework without assessment, in-service presentations, self-study, journal clubs, or ethics or law coursework). Category IV is licensed practice, where 50 practice hours equal one CEU up to 500 hours. A physical therapist assistant who completes more than the required number may carry over up to five excess CEUs to the next two-year renewal cycle, half the ten unit carryover allowed a physical therapist. A licensee first licensed during a cycle has the required number of CEUs decreased proportionately according to the date of licensure.
- How often does a Utah PTA license need to be renewed?
- Physical Therapist Assistant licenses in Utah renew every two years. The physical therapist assistant license expires on May 31 of odd-numbered years, and the two-year continuing education cycle commences on June 1 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal fee is $47.
- What specific CE topics are required for Utah physical therapist assistants?
- Ethics or law: 2 CEUs every renewal cycle. Citations: ethics or law (Utah Admin. Code R156-24b-303b).
- Do Utah physical therapist assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 2 years. A licensee keeps documentation proving compliance for two years after the end of the renewal cycle for which the continuing education is due. The rule names no single approving body; documentation must establish the activity and the contact hours claimed.
- Is the first Utah PTA renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Utah applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 8, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Renew a Physical Therapy License (PTA expiration date, 20 contact hours, 2 ethics hours, fee), Utah Division of Professional LicensingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
- Utah Admin. Code R156-24b-303b Continuing Education (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Utah Admin. Code R156-24b-303a Renewal Cycle, Procedures (Cornell LII mirror)Third-party summary, accessed September 8, 2026
- Physical Therapy, Utah Division of Professional LicensingState board page, accessed September 8, 2026
The 20 unit total, the two unit ethics or law minimum, and the five unit carryover were all read as physical therapist assistant figures, distinct from the 40 units and ten unit carryover the same rule sets for physical therapists. DOPL's renewal page independently states 20 for PTAs against 40 for PTs, plus the May 31 odd-year expiration and the $47 fee. The adminrules.utah.gov page for R156-24b at https://adminrules.utah.gov/public/rule/R156-24b/Current%20Rules returned HTTP 404 to every automated request tried, so the rule text was read on the Cornell LII mirror, which reports the section as amended effective 3/27/2023. R156-24b-303a defers the actual expiration date to R156-1-308a, which was not read; the May 31 odd-year date comes from the DOPL renewal page. The rule does not state whether the Division audits continuing education, so audited is null. The unit mismatch between the rule and the DOPL page is recorded in the advisory rather than as a source conflict, because both are Utah's own wording of one requirement.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Division of Professional Licensing) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.