Iowa PT and PTA license renewal and continuing education
Iowa rule 481—803.2 requires each physical therapist “to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education approved by the board” each biennium, and each physical therapist assistant “a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education approved by the board.”
Quoted from official pages checked November 12, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Source read on November 12, 2026: Iowa Administrative Code 481—Chapter 803, Continuing Education for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants (PDF) on the Iowa Legislature site.
Cycle
The compliance period is two years and runs from the middle of the birth month to the middle of the same month two years later (paraphrased).
First renewal
“Those persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses.”
Carryover
Licensees with extra hours “may apply up to 50 percent of the required hours to the following renewal period.” That is a maximum of 20 hours for PTs and 10 for PTAs (paraphrased).
Credit
An hour of continuing education “means at least 50 minutes spent by a licensee completing an approved continuing education activity”. Business, personal skills, and general health topics together are capped at 10 hours for PTs and 5 for PTAs (paraphrased).
What the chapter read does not say
The chapter read does not set a record retention period for licensees.
What this page does not do
It covers the state physical therapy license only, and only what the official page or pages named above say. It does not list fees and does not replace the board’s own instructions. Rules change; check the board before you renew.