Are you a PT in Arizona? In this article I’ll walk you through what you need to know to renew your license, from fees and deadlines to Arizona physical therapy continuing education. So let’s jump in.
As a Physical Therapist in Arizona, you must complete 20 continuing education hours every two years by August 31st of even-numbered years. Physical Therapist Assistants need to complete just 10 hours of continuing education.
There are 3 categories of activities that qualify for continuing education. If you’re a PT, Category A activities should make up at least 10 of your total contact hours, or 6 if you’re a PTA.
At a glance:
| Arizona – 20 PT CEU hours every 2 years by August 31st of even years. |
Arizona Physical Therapy CEU Requirements
From the Arizona Physical Therapy Practice Act Website:
“The rules that describe continuing competence activities…establish 3 categories of activities that can fulfill the requirement for license renewal, which is 20 hours during each 2 year compliance period. A compliance period begins on September 1st of even-numbered years and ends on August 31st of the following even-numbered year. At least 10 contact hours must be from Category A, up to the entire 20 contact hour requirement. No more than 10 hours may be utilized from a combination of Category B and/or Category C activities. Because of the variety of conversions used to determine CEU’s by different organizations, the rules require ‘contact hours’ rather than ‘CEUs’ as the measurement of continuing competence activities.”
What CEU Courses are Allowed in Arizona?
The Arizona Board of PT classifies qualifying continuing education into three categories: A, B, and C. In order to count as Category A, courses must be approved by one of the following entities:
- an accredited medical, PT or health care education program
- a national or state medical, PT or healthcare association
- a national medical, PT or health care specialty society
You don’t need these organizations’ approval for Category B or C activities.
Category B courses are generally self-study, study group, or in-service attendance. These activities should relate directly to physical therapy and reflect a variety of sub-categories.
Category C activities include instruction, publication, and courses on practice management.
No more than half of the hours obtained from each set of categories (A or B/C) may be from nonclinical work. Here’s the breakdown of limits for each of these categories for PTs and PTAs:
| CEU type | PTs’ requirement | PTAs’ requirement |
| Category A | at least 10 total | at least 6 total |
| Category A (nonclinical) | no more than 5 total | no more than 3 total |
| Category B and C combined | no more than 10 total | no more than 4 total |
| Categories B and C (nonclinical) | no more than 5 total | no more than 2 total |
| Total required | 20 hours | 10 hours |
If you’re unsure whether a course or activity qualifies for continuing education, contact the Board.
Can I Use MedBridge in Arizona?
Yes, you can use an online CEU company like MedBridge to complete required CEUs for your Arizona Physical Therapy license renewal. A quick check on the MedBridge website shows hundreds of approved courses for Arizona PTs looking to renew their license.
Whether you’re a PT or a PTA, you can find plenty of eligible courses on MedBridge. Use the MedBridge promo code PTProgress to save 40% on unlimited CEUs.
Do I need to submit proof of my completed CEUs?
Every approved CEU provider, including MedBridge, will give you a certificate of completion when you finish a CEU course or activity. The Arizona Board of Physical Therapy does not require that you submit this document or any other proof of your CEU completion with your license renewal.
Instead, you will simply report the CEU information on your application and retain the records for 4 years after your license renewal period ends. Be sure to store these documents safely in case you are selected by the board for a continuing competency audit.
How much is the renewal fee?
It costs $160 to renew a PT license and $55 to renew a PTA license.
When does my Arizona Physical Therapy license expire?
All Physical Therapy licenses expire on August 31st of even-numbered years.
How long does it take to renew a Arizona Physical Therapy license?
For many states, it can take 4-8 weeks to process your request, so start the process early!
Compare Physical Therapy CEUs by State
Take a look at all of the requirements for CEUs based on your state in this comprehensive article.
