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Arizona Physical Therapy Continuing Education Requirements

Updated: 10/14/2026

How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

A licensed physical therapist shall earn twenty (20) contact hours of continuing competence for each compliance period to be eligible for license renewal.

A licensed physical therapist assistant shall earn ten (10) contact hours of continuing competence for each compliance period to be eligible for license renewal.

New Licensees

If the licensed PT’s initial license is for one year or less, the licensed PT shall earn ten (10) contact hours from Category A continuing competence activities during the initial compliance period. No more than five (5) of the required contact hours from Category A may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

If the licensed PTA’s initial license is for one year or less, the licensed PTA shall earn six (6) contact hours from Category A continuing competence activities during the initial compliance period. No more than three (3) of the required contact hours from Category A may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

Due Date

The continuing competence compliance period for a licensee begins on September 1 following the issuance of an initial or renewal license and ends on August 31 of even numbered years.

Can credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

No.  A licensee shall not carry over contact hours from one compliance period to another.

Are there any specific courses that must be taken?

N/A

Category A

The licensed PT shall earn at least ten (10) contact hours from Category A continuing competence activities. No more than five (5) of the required contact hours from Category A may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

The licensed PTA shall earn at least six (6) contact hours from Category A continuing competence activities. No more than three (3) of the required contact hours from Category A may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

Category A continuing competence activities shall be approved by:

    • An accredited medical, health care, or physical therapy program;
    • A state or national medical, health care, or physical therapy association, or a component of the association; or
    • A national medical, health care, or physical therapy specialty society.

Category A continuing competence activities include:

    • A physical therapy continuing education course designed to provide necessary understanding of current research, clinical skills, administration, or education related to the practice of physical therapy.  Calculation of contact hours is determined by dividing the total minutes of instruction by sixty (60). Breaks shall not be included as part of instructional time;
    • Coursework towards granting or renewal of a physical therapy clinical specialty certification approved by the Board. Each sixty (60) minutes of instruction equals one contact hour;
    • Coursework in a physical therapy clinical residency program. Each sixty (60) minutes of instruction equals one (1) contact hour; and
    • Coursework in a postgraduate physical therapy education from an accredited college or university. Each sixty (60) minutes of instruction equals one (1) contact hour.

Category B

No more than ten (10) contact hours may be earned by the licensed PT during any compliance period from Categories B and C continuing competence activities. No more than five (5) contact hours from categories B and C may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

No more than four (4) contact hours may be earned by the licensed PTA during any compliance period from Categories B and C continuing competence activities. No more than two (2) contact hours from Categories B and C may be obtained from nonclinical course work.

Category B continuing competence activities include:

Study group: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAs.

    • A study group is a structured meeting designed for the study of a clinical physical therapy topic dealing with current research, clinical skills, procedures, or treatment related to the practice of physical therapy
    • A study group shall have a minimum of three (3) participants and two (2) hours of participation to equal one contact hour.

Self instruction: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAs.

    • Self instruction is a structured course of study relating to one clinical physical therapy topic dealing with current research, clinical skills, procedures, or treatment related to the practice of physical therapy. Self instruction may be directed by a correspondence course, video, internet, or satellite program.
    • Each sixty (60) minutes of self instruction equals one contact hour.

Inservice education: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAs.

    • Inservice education is attendance at a presentation pertaining to current research, clinical skills, procedures, or treatment related to the practice of physical therapy or relating to patient welfare or safety, including CPR certification.
    • Each sixty (60) minutes of in-service education equals one contact hour.

Category C

Category C modes of continuing competence include:

Physical therapy practice management coursework: Maximum of five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAs.

    • Physical therapy practice management course work is course work concerning physical therapy administration, professional responsibility, ethical obligations, or legal requirements applicable to physical therapy practice settings.
    • If the course is graded, a licensee shall receive a “pass” in a pass/fail course or a minimum of a C in a graded course to receive credit.
    • Each sixty (60) minutes of practice management coursework equals one contact hour.

Teaching or lecturing: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAs.

    • Teaching or lecturing is the presentation of an original educational program dealing with current research, clinical skills, procedures, treatment, or practice management related to the practice of physical therapy principally for health care professionals. Credit may be earned for teaching when the presentation is accompanied by written materials prepared, augmented, or updated by the presenter including course objectives and program content.
    • One sixty (60) minute instructional period equals 2.5 contact hours.
    • Credit shall be given only once for a presentation within a compliance period.

Publication: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours PTAs.

    • Publication includes writing for professional publication, platform, or poster presentation abstracts that have direct application to the practice of physical therapy. Credit may be earned for publication of material that is a minimum of 1500 words in length and published by a recognized third party publisher of physical therapy material.
    • Each article published in a refereed journal, book chapter, or book equals five contact hours for PTs and two contact hours for PTAs. Articles published in non refereed journals, magazines, newsletters, or periodicals equal two (2) contact hours for PTs and one (1) contact hour for PTAs.

Clinical instruction: Maximum five (5) contact hours for PTs and two (2) contact hours for PTAS.

    • Clinical instruction involves assisting a student physical therapist or physical therapist assistant or a physical therapist resident or fellow acquire clinical skills required of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.
    • An individual to whom clinical instruction is provided shall be enrolled in:
    • A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education; or
    • A physical therapist residency or fellowship program approved by the American Physical Therapy Association.
    • The program referenced under subsection (D)(4)(b) shall provide the enrolled individual with proof of completing the hours of clinical instruction.
    • Each 120 hours of clinical instruction equals one contact hour.

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

A licensee shall not receive contact hour credit for repetitions of the same activity.

A licensee shall not receive continuing competence credit for the following activities:

    • A regularly scheduled educational opportunity provided within an institution, such as rounds or case conferences;
    • A staff meeting;
    • A publication or presentation by the licensee to a lay or nonprofessional group; and
    • Routine teaching of personnel, students, or staff as part of a job requirement.

What are the reporting requirements?

An applicant for renewal shall submit a signed statement to the Board with the renewal application stating whether continuing competence requirements have been fulfilled for the current compliance period.

How long must continuing education records be retained?

A licensee shall retain evidence of participation in a continuing competence activity for two (2) compliance periods (4 years) after participation.

Waiver

The Board may, at its discretion, waive continuing competence requirements on an individual basis for reasons of extreme hardship such as illness, disability, active service in the military, or other extraordinary circumstance as determined by the Board. A licensee who seeks a waiver of the continuing competence requirements shall provide to the Board, in writing, the specific reasons for requesting the waiver and additional information the Board may request in support of the waiver

Audit

A licensee is subject to Board auditing for continuing competence compliance.

    • Selection for audit shall be random and notice of audit sent within 60 calendar days following the renewal deadline.
    • Within 30 days of receipt of a notice of audit, a licensee shall submit evidence to the Board that shows compliance with the requirements of continuing competence. Documentation of a continuing competence activity shall include:
      • The date, place, course title, sponsor, schedule, and presenter;
      • The number of contact hours received for the activity; and
      • Proof of completion, such as an abstract, certificate of attendance, sign-in log, or other certification of completion.

References

4 AAC 24-401

4 AAC 24-402

About Me

Zachary Edgar JD, LLM is Therapy Comply's managing partner.  Zachary is a healthcare attorney who specializes in federal and state healthcare regulatory issues particularly for physical, occupational, and speech therapy practices.  

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