California PT & PTA continuing education requirements

Board-verified details Last checked 2026-10-17

PT hours

30 contact hours

PTA hours

30 contact hours

Renewal cycle

2 years

Ethics, jurisprudence & required topics

2 hours ethics, laws and regulations (the CAL-JAM jurisprudence module can satisfy this); 4 hours life support for health care professionals (comparable to or more advanced than AHA BLS)

Live vs. online limits

The 4 life-support hours must include an in-person, hands-on component.

Rules change. This summary is for orientation only and may be out of date or incomplete. Confirm with your state board. Fields marked “Check with your board” could not be verified.

Full requirements

PT hours required
30 contact hours (CA CCR § 1399.91(a))
Source: [5]
PTA hours required
30 contact hours (CA CCR § 1399.91(a))
Source: [5]
Renewal cycle
2 years
Source: [6]
Deadline pattern (PT)
Every 2 years; license expires the last day of your birth month. Hours must be earned in the 2 years before expiration.
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
Deadline pattern (PTA)
Same as PTs (every 2 years, last day of birth month).
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
Live / in-person / online limits
The 4 life-support hours must include an in-person, hands-on component.
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
Required topics
  • 2 hours ethics, laws and regulations (the CAL-JAM jurisprudence module can satisfy this)
  • 4 hours life support for health care professionals (comparable to or more advanced than AHA BLS)

Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
Course approval rules
Courses must come from a PTBC-recognized approval agency or a provider approved by one. PTBC does not approve individual courses itself.
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
First renewal
First renewal: 15 hours (4 life support + 2 ethics/laws/regs + 9 other) if renewed on time.
Source: [1] [2] [3] [4]
Official state board
Physical Therapy Board of California
(916) 561-8200 · [email protected]

Notes

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Unlimited plans, prices checked

Before buying, check that a course is approved for California (look for the state on the course’s approval statement).

Sources

Numbers next to each field point to the source(s) used for that field.

  1. https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/licensees/continuing_competency/index.shtml
  2. https://ptbc.ca.gov/licensees/license_renewal.shtml
  3. https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/publications/newsletters/progressnotes_summer_2026.pdf
  4. https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/caljam.shtml
  5. https://www.fsbpt.org/lrg/Home/LicenseRenewalUnitsRequired
  6. https://www.fsbpt.org/lrg/Home/LicensureRenewalTerm
  7. https://www.fsbpt.org/lrg/Home/LicensureRenewalRequirement
  8. https://www.fsbpt.org/lrg/Home/LicenseRenewalCourseApproval

Last checked: 2026-10-17. Primary source: https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/licensees/continuing_competency/index.shtml