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. New Jersey PT continuing education requirements are developed by the New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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: 30
CEU Due Date: Jan. 31, 2028
As a PT in New Jersey, you need 30 CEUs every two years by January 31st of even years.
Currently, CEUs need to be completed between Feb. 1, 2026 and Jan. 31, 2028.
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 New Jersey are required to complete a prorated number of CEUs for their first renewal.
The New Jersey Administrative Code and the FAQ section of the NJ PT Board website indicates the following. If you are licensed in the first year of a biennial period you must complete a minimum of 15 of the 30 required credits of continuing education and competency including the 2.5 hours of ethics. If you are licensed in the second year of a biennial period you are exempt from completing continuing education and competency credits.
Special Requirements
Jurisprudence Assessment Module - 1.5 CEUs
Ethics - 2.5 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.
New Jersey requires physical therapists to complete the following as part of their total CEU requirement.
Jurisprudence Assessment Module - 1.5 CEUs
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.
Source: New Jersey
Ethics - 2.5 CEUs
Licensees can complete any ethics course (distance learning or live) of 2.5 credits or more.
Source: New Jersey
Special Limitations
Home Study/Online Limit - 10 CEUs
Some states have limitations on how many CEUs you can earn per activity type. Included below is the most common limit for New Jersey physical therapists. For details on activity types not listed here, visit the New Jersey physical therapy board website. You can find the link below.
Home Study/Online Limit - 10 CEUs
Per the NJ Physical Therapy Board website: ”A maximum of 10 of the mandatory 30 continuing education credits may be obtained from distance learning courses such as home study or Internet courses." NOTE: The Board also states: ”Live webinars are not considered distance-learning courses. Live webinars are considered contact courses (synchronous distance-learning activities) if they are a live, didactic-learning experience where the instructor and learner are in direct live communication during the course". So if your course was live, in real time but online, it is NOT subject to this limit. Find more details at the link below.
Source: New Jersey
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.
New Jersey does allow physical therapists to earn continuing education credit for acting as a clinical instructor.
Per the New Jersey rules and regulations:
Description
A licensed physical therapist or licensed physical therapist assistant 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 physical therapists or licensed physical therapist assistants by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education.
Conversion
one credit for each 40 hours of clinical instruction
Max CEUs allowed
A PT clinical instructor in New Jersey can earn a maximum of 4 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 New Jersey, you shouldn't assume all courses on that site are approved for PTs in New Jersey. 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.
Use April's best Medbridge promo code CEUKEEPER to save $106 on your Medbridge subscription.
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: Yes
New Jersey is actively issuing 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey PT CEU requirements compare to other states? Check out our state list of physical therapy CEU requirements.