Physical therapy continuing education requirements are different for every state. They may even differ for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in the same state. Currently there is no national regulating body. Florida PT continuing education requirements are developed by the Florida board of physical therapy.
This guide focuses on the CEU requirements for physical therapists; if you are a PTA, you can find the dedicated page for Florida PTA CEU requirements here.
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Total CEUs Required
Almost all states have continuing education requirements for physical therapists. Generally, PTs are required to complete a specific number of CEUs every one to two years. The CEU due date is often, but not always, the same as the license expiration date.
Total CEUs required: 24
CEU Due Date: Nov. 30, 2027
As a PT in Florida, you need 24 CEUs every two years by November 30th of odd years.
Currently, CEUs need to be completed between Dec. 1, 2025 and Nov. 30, 2027.
First Renewal Rules
CEUs required: Prorated
For physical therapists renewing for the first time, some states require the full number of CEUs, some require a prorated amount and some do not require any continuing education at all.
The rules may depend on whether you were licensed by examination or by endorsement. Generally, if you are newly licensed by examination, the exemption or prorated amount will apply to you. However, if you are newly licensed by endorsement, you will likely be expected to complete the full number of CEUs.
PTs in Florida are required to complete a prorated number of CEUs for their first renewal.
The Florida Board of Physical Therapy website shows: "Licenses issued in the second half of the biennium are exempt from the renewal requirements with the exception of 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS."
Special Requirements
Medical Error - 2 CEUs
HIV/AIDS (one time only) - 1 CEU
Live Hours - 12 CEUs
Some states have requirements regarding specific topics or activity types. There may be a certain number of CEUs required, or you may have to complete a particular course or exam. The CEUs you earn for special requirements can usually be applied toward your total.
Florida requires physical therapists to complete the following as part of their total CEU requirement.
Medical Error - 2 CEUs
2 hours are required. No more than 3 hours may be taken. Per Florida's website: "Medical Error courses approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance are approved by the Board of Physical Therapy"
HIV/AIDS (one time only) - 1 CEU
1 hour is required. No more than 3 hours may be taken. Per Florida's website: "HIV/AIDS course required for first renewal only and are accepted if approved by any Board within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance"
Live Hours - 12 CEUs
Per the Florida administrative code: “A minimum of 12 hours of formal live lecture format or via approved webinar. An approved webinar must meet the following conditions: 1. The webinar must contain specific relevant learning objectives, 2. The webinar must provide for an interactive format, 3. The webinar must provide for a post-course assessment; and, 4. The webinar provider must ensure attendance. Web based, satellite transmitted, video or audio transmitted, or on-line instruction programs offered in real-time which allow participants to communicate with an instructor during the presentation of the program are considered live.”
Special Limitations
Home Study - 12 CEUs
Some states have limitations on how many CEUs you can earn per activity type. Included below is the most common limit for Florida physical therapists. For details on activity types not listed here, visit the Florida physical therapy board website. You can find the link below.
Home Study - 12 CEUs
Per Florida's board website: "No more than 12 hours can be earned by home study." Per the Florida administrative code: “The Board will accept a maximum of twelve (12) contact hours taken via self-paced format during each biennium. Self-paced format is independent study and requires a certificate of completion and an examination. These courses may include, but are not limited to, digital media courses, mail-order courses, courses with pre-recorded video instruction, pre-programmed computer sources, smart phone applications, home study, directed study and other self-education courses.” See the link below for details.
Source: Florida
Clinical Instructor CE Rules
CEUs allowed: Yes
Many states allow physical therapists to earn CEUs for acting as a clinical instructor. For every state that does, there is usually a maximum number of CEUs you can earn this way. In addition, each state has a conversion rate to determine how many hours of supervision equals one CEU.
Florida does allow physical therapists to earn continuing education credit for acting as a clinical instructor.
Per the Florida rules and regulations:
Description
"Clinical instructors must be credentialed by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) to receive clinical continuing education credits."
Conversion
1 contact hour for every 120 of clinical internship
Max CEUs allowed
A PT clinical instructor in Florida can earn a maximum of 8 CEUs during each renewal cycle.
Choosing Courses
To choose the right physical therapy continuing education courses, consider a few key factors. First, choose topics that are interesting to you, applicable to your current clinical setting, or helpful for transitioning to a new role. However, personal interest isn’t the only priority; make sure the course is specifically approved for your state. Finally, consider the cost, especially if your employer doesn’t pay for continuing education.
A subscription site can simplify this process. They provide unlimited access to a wide variety of subjects, with both live and recorded options, all for one reasonable price. Most sites offer courses in every state, though you should always check for individual course approval. Just because one course is approved for PTs in Florida, you shouldn't assume all courses on that site are approved for PTs in Florida. Before signing up for a course, check with the CE provider to see if it is approved.
Discounts on CEUs
To help take the guesswork out of your search, we’ve partnered with a few of our favorite platforms to offer you the best discounts!
Medbridge offers the largest selection with 2,000+ online PT continuing education courses including recorded courses, podcasts and live webinars.
You can read our Medbridge review to learn more about why we love it and continue to use it.
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PhysicalTherapy.com offers a lower-priced option with 500+ evidence-based courses including live webinars, recorded webinars, text courses and audio courses.
Use our promo code CEUKEEPER to get an extra month free - 13 months for the price of 12 - on your PhysicalTherapy.com subscription.
Compact Privileges
Compact privileges: No
Florida does not issue PT Compact privileges.
What is the PT Compact?
The Physical Therapy Compact allows a PT licensed in one state to quickly and easily obtain privileges to practice in another state.
In order to take advantage of compact privileges, both your home state (the state you have your driver’s license in) as well as the state you want to practice in need to be part of the compact.
Compact privileges are intended to be temporary. If you move to a new state and you hold a compact privilege there, you won't be able to continue using that privilege. You'll need to apply for a license by endorsement in your new home state.
The PT Compact and CEU Requirements
Compact privileges have the same expiration date as your home state. You only need to meet the continuing education requirements of your home state, but you may need to complete a jurisprudence exam for certain states.
Sources
CEU Keeper strives to simplify Florida continuing education requirements for physical therapists. We like to say “we read the rules so you don’t have to”. While we do read them often, the rules are subject to change and it’s always best to confirm or clarify directly from the source, the state board website.
Conclusion
Understanding PT continuing education requirements can be confusing. When searching for this information on social media, it’s important to remember requirements can be different for each state and profession. If you ask a question about physical therapy requirements, be sure to specify your state and either PT or PTA. With that said, you can always ask us your questions. We want to help and it's what we do!
Curious how Florida PT CEU requirements compare to other states? Check out our state list of physical therapy CEU requirements.