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New Jersey Physical Therapy Continuing Education Requirements 

Updated 8/19/2024

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

Physical therapists licensed in New Jersey must complete thirty (30) credits of continuing education every two (2) years.

Physical therapy assistants licensed in New Jersey must complete thirty (30) credits of continuing education every two (2) years.

New Licensees

An applicant for license renewal as a licensed PT or as a licensed PTA who receives an initial license in the first year of a period shall complete a minimum of fifteen (15) of the thirty (30) required credits of continuing education during that renewal period.

An applicant for license renewal as a licensed PT or as a licensed PTA who receives an initial license in the second year of a period shall be exempt from completing continuing education credits during that renewal period.

How is credit hour defined?

An hour of continuing education means sixty (60) minutes of instructional time spent in learning activities, exclusive of breaks, meals, pre-tests, or vendor exhibits.

Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?

Unclear.  “A licensee applying for biennial licensure renewal shall complete, during the preceding biennial period, the continuing education requirement”.

Are there any specific requirements for continuing education?

Four (4) hours of jurisprudence and professional ethics.

Licensees must complete a 1.5-credit Jurisprudence Assessment Module offered by one of the sponsors listed on the New Jersey State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners’ website for the jurisprudence portion of the requirement. Licensees can complete any ethics course (distance learning or live) of 2.5 credits or more to meet the four-credit jurisprudence and professional ethics requirement.

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Activity

Description

Hours

Completion of a Post-Graduate Courses

Successful completion of a post-graduate course in a physical therapy program leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree for the licensed PT or a three (3) credit course in an entry level physical therapy program for the licensed PTA Such programs must be in institutions of higher learning, which are accredited by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education or their approved agencies.

Fifteen (15) credits for each course credit awarded.

Academic Courses

Successful completion of a course in an academic program related to the practice of physical therapy provided that such course is not part of the physical therapy program completed by the licensee to meet the educational requirements for initial licensure.

Fifteen (15) credits for each course credit awarded.

Continuing Education Courses

Successful completion of a continuing education course sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), or the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey (APTANJ).

One (1) credit for each hour of the course.

Limited Courses

The Board shall grant a maximum of ten (10) of the mandatory thirty (30) continuing education credits required in a biennial renewal period of licensed PTs and licensed PTAs any or all of the following:

Activity

Description

Hours

Correspondence Course

Successful completion of videotape, audiotape, computer media, Internet, journal, or correspondence courses, programs or seminars.  Credit for correspondence and other individual study courses or programs shall be provided only in the renewal period in which the course is completed with a successful final examination.

One (1) credit for each hour of the course.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Courses Consisting of Hands-on Demonstrations of Instrumentation

Successful completion of courses, programs or seminars consisting of hands-on demonstrations of instrumentation when accompanied by didactic lectures.

One-half (0.5) credit for each hour of attendance.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Presentation of a Board-approved Continuing Professional Education Course

Preparation and presentation of a Board-approved continuing professional education course, program or seminar.  For purposes of this subsection, "new" means a course, program or seminar that the licensee has not taught previously in any educational setting.

Two (2) credits for each hour of a new presentation.

One (1) credit for each hour of a presentation shall be given for subsequent sessions involving substantially identical subject matter.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Preparation of an Educational or Scientific Article

Preparation of an educational or scientific article authored and published in a professional refereed journal.

Three (3) credits per article as approved by the Board.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

PT Practice Management

Courses, programs or seminars in physical therapy practice management.

One (1) credit for each hour of attendance.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Writing a Chapter is a Textbook

Writing a chapter of a published textbook related to physical therapy.

Three (3) credits per chapter.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Editing a Published Textbook

Editing a published textbook related to physical therapy.

Five (5) credits per book.

Maximum: Ten (10) credit hours.

Certification in a Clinical Specialty

A licensed PT who becomes certified or recertified in a clinical specialty by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

Fifteen (15) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which it takes place.

Residency or Fellowship

A licensed PT who successfully completes a residency or fellowship approved by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Fifteen (15) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which the residency takes place.

Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Practice Review Tool

A licensed PT who completes the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) Practice Review Tool (PRT).

Ten (10) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which the PRT is taken.

Clinical Instruction

A licensed PT or licensed PTA who provides clinical instruction to a student in a clinical facility that is affiliated with a physical therapy program that is approved for the education and training of PTs or licensed PTAs by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education.

One (1) credit for each forty (40) hours of clinical instruction.

Maximum: Four (4) credits per biennial period.

What type of approval is needed for the courses?

Courses offered by the APTA or the APTANJ are automatically preapproved.  All other courses must be preapproved by the board.

What type of courses or activities are not allowed?

Not Specified.

What are the reporting requirements?

Each licensee shall maintain a record of all continuing education activity completed and shall submit evidence of completion of the credit requirements to the Board upon request.

What documentation needs to be retained?

Each licensee shall obtain from the continuing education course, program or seminar provider and retain for a period of at least four (4) years following the license renewal a record of attendance which shall include, at a minimum, the following:

    • The participant's name and State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners' license number;
    • The title and, if the title does not adequately describe the educational content, subject matter of the course, program or seminar;
    • The name of the instructor;
    • The course, program or seminar provider;
    • The date and location of the course, program or seminar;
    • The number of continuing education credits awarded; and
    • The signature of a course, program or seminar official or other verification of successful completion by the course, program or seminar provider.

Can I get a waiver or extension on my CE requirements?

The Board may waive, extend or otherwise modify the time period for completion of the continuing education requirements on an individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as illness, disability or active service in the military.

A licensee who seeks a waiver, extension or modification of the time period for the completion of the continuing education requirements shall provide to the Board in writing, no less than two (2) months prior to the end of the licensure period, the specific reasons for requesting the waiver, extension or modification and such additional information as the Board may require in support of the request.

What happens if I am audited?

The Board shall monitor compliance with the mandatory continuing education requirement by conducting a random audit of licensees, who, upon request, shall provide proof of successful completion of continuing education credits.

References

NJAC 13:39A-9.1

NJAC 13:39A-9.2

NJAC 13:39A-9.3

NJAC 13:39A-9.4

NJAC 13:39A-9.5

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