Oregon

United States Physical Therapy Practice Acts

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Temporary License Requirements/Availability[edit | edit source]

  • The board may issue a temporary license or permit upon satisfactory application and payment of a registration fee established by the board by rule. [1]
  • The Physical Therapist Licensing Board, may issue without examination a temporary permit to a person to practice as a physical therapist in this state if the person files an application for license and pays to the board at the time of filing the application the temporary permit fee. [1]
  • A person holding a temporary permit may practice physical therapy only under the direction of a licensed physical therapist. [2]
  • A person with a temporary permit (issued because they graduated from a CAPTE accredited school in a U.S state or territory and are applying to take the licensure exam for the first time or is a foreign educated physical therapist who has
    graduated from a CAPTE accredited physical therapist program) must practice under on-site supervision, which means that at all times a supervising therapist is in the same building and immediately available for consultation.[2]
  • A person who holds a temporary permit issued because they hold a valid current license to practice in another state or territory of the United States must practice under general supervision, which means that at all times a supervising therapist must be readily available for consultation, either in person or by telecommunication.[2]
  • Entries made in the patient record by a temporary permit holder must be authenticated by the permit holder and by a supervising therapist.[2]
  • The temporary permit shall be granted for a period not to exceed three months. The board may renew the temporary permit at its discretion for an additional three months, but no longer.[2]

Requirements for License[edit | edit source]

A license is required to practice physical therapy. Unless a person is a licensed physical therapist or holds a permit issued from the board, a person shall not[1]:

  • Practice physical therapy
  • Use in connection with the name of the person the words or letters, “P.T.”, “R.P.T.”, “L.P.T.”, “physical therapist”, “physiotherapist” or any other letters, words, abbreviations or insignia indicating that the person is a physical therapist, or purports to be a physical therapist.


Each physical therapist shall display a copy of the physical therapist’s license or current renewal verification in a location accessible to public view at the physical therapist’s place of practice or employment.[1]

Renewal requirements[2]:

1) All physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licenses expire on March 31 of each calendar year, regardless of the initial issue date. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants must annually renew their licenses to practice effective April 1 of each year. A license is considered lapsed if a completed renewal application is postmarked or received after March 31. A person whose license has lapsed must immediately stop practicing as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant and shall not practice until the license is renewed.


2) During the first week in January of each year the Board mails a renewal application to each currently licensed physical therapist and physical therapist assistant at the licensee's mailing address on file with the Board.


3) If the completed license renewal application is postmarked or actually received by the Board after March 31, the licensee is subject to a lapsed license renewal.


4) A licensed physical therapist must complete the renewal application form furnished by the Board and pay the annual renewal fee.


5) Each currently licensed physical therapist and physical therapist assistant must complete the continuing education hours by March 31st of each even-numbered year.


Board fees[2]:

  • Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Examination Application Fee of $150.00, plus the actual cost to the
    Board of conducting a nationwide background check.
  • Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Endorsement Application Fee of $150.00, plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background check.
  • Physical Therapist Annual License Renewal Fee of $100.00, plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a statewide law enforcement background check.
  • Lapsed License Renewal Fee of $50.00 for renewal applications postmarked or received by the Board after March 31st.
  • Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Temporary Permits Fee of $50.00.
  • Duplicate License Fee of $25.00.
  • Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Wall Certificate Fee of $15.00.
  • Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant Verification of Oregon Licensure Letters/Forms Fee of $25.00.

Supervision[edit | edit source]

A physical therapist aide must have direct on-site supervision from a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant and perform designated and supervised routine tasks of physical therapy as determined by the physical therapist or assistant.[1]

A physical therapist assistant is supervised and directed by the physical therapist.[1]

A physical therapist may supervise a maximum total of two physical therapist aides, when the aides are performing treatment-related tasks. In addition, a physical therapist may supervise additional aides who are not performing treatment related tasks.[2]

A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall not permit an aide to perform any of the following treatment-related tasks[2]:
(1) Administer iontophoresis. However, an aide who has been trained to do so may assist with iontophoresis by applying the medication to the electrode so long as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant administers it to the patient.
(2) Administer phonophoresis. However, an aide may operate the sound head if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has applied the medication to the patient, determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(3) Administer electrotherapy. However an aide may perform this task if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the electrode placements, treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to
provide the treatment.
(4) Administer ultrasound. However an aide may perform this task if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(5) Administer mechanized or manual traction.
(6) Perform manual stretching with the goal of increasing range of motion, neuro-facilitation or cardiac therapeutic exercise.
(7) Perform soft tissue mobilization or massage (other than effleurage and petrissage). However, an aide who is separately
licensed or registered under another Oregon statute to do so may perform these tasks if done under the direction and on-site supervision.
(8) Wound debridement.
(9) Administer tilt table or standing frame. However an aide may perform these tasks if the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant has examined the patient in person on the day of treatment and determined the treatment protocols and parameters, as provided in the plan of care, and authorizes the aide to provide the treatment.
(10) Joint mobilization or manipulation.
(11) Determine or modify a plan of care.
(12) Initiate or administer a physical therapy intervention the first time that intervention is administered or provided to a patient. This prohibition means that a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant must provide or administer the entire specific intervention before delegating that task to an aide.
(13) Independently make entries in a patient record, except for objective information about the treatment provided by the aide. The aide shall authenticate the record entry. A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant may also
dictate information to an aide for entry into a patient medical record, so long as the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant authenticates such entries.
(14) Instruct a patient or a patient's caregiver in the application of any treatment.
(15) Except as required to respond to an inquiry by the Board or other person authorized to receive the information, answer or discuss any questions regarding a patient's status or treatment with anyone other than the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.


Grounds exist for the imposition of sanctions when a person[1]:

  • Fails as a physical therapist to supervise physical therapist assistants in accordance with board rules.
  • Fails as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant to supervise physical therapist aides in accordance with board rules.

Physical Therapy Students[edit | edit source]

  • A physical therapist may allow a student physical therapist (SPT) to provide treatment consistent with the individual student's education, experience and skills. [2]
  • At all times, a supervising physical therapist must provide onsite supervision of an SPT who provides treatment to a patient. [2]
  • For purposes of this rule "supervising physical therapist" means the physical therapist who is responsible for that patient's treatment on the day the SPT or SPTA provides treatment. [2]
  • For purposes of this rule "on-site supervision" means that at all times the supervising physical therapist is in the same building and immediately available to provide in person direction, assistance, advice or instruction to the student.[2]
  • Documentation by a student physical therapist SPT shall be authenticated on the same day by the student and by a supervising physical therapist. [2]

Continued Competence[edit | edit source]

Terms[2]:

  • Certification period: 24 month continuing education certification period which runs from April 1st of each even numbered
    year, through March 31st of the next even numbered year, i.e. April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2010
  • Initial Certification Period: January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2008
  • Hours: contact hours

A licensed physical therapist is required within each certification period to complete 24 hours of continuing education relating to the delivery or provision of physical therapy services.[2]

Any person who is first issued an Oregon physical therapist license through examination, or through endorsement, anytime during the first year of a certification period (April 1st of an even numbered year through March 31st of an odd numbered year), must complete the full 24 hours of continuing education required for that certificationperiod. A person who is first issued an Oregon physical therapist license anytime during the second year of a certification period (April 1st of an odd numbered year through March 31st of an even numbered year), must complete one-half (12 hours) of the continuing education required for that certification period. Thereafter, such licensees must complete the same continuing education requirements as other licensees who hold the same license.[2]

A physical therapist whose Oregon license has lapsed, and who subsequently renews the lapsed license pursuant to, anytime during the first year of a new certification period (April 1st of an even numbered year through March 31st of an odd numbered year), must complete the full 24 hours of continuing education required for that certification period. A person whose lapsed physical therapist license is renewed anytime during the second year of a certification period (April 1st of an odd numbered year through March 31st of an even numbered year), must complete one-half (12 hours) of the continuing education required for that certification period. However, if a person who is renewing a lapsed license practiced in Oregon at any time while the person's license was lapsed, the person must complete the full 24 hours of continuing education required for the certification period. Thereafter, such licensees must complete the same continuing education requirements as other licensees who hold the same license.[2]

Any licensee whose license lapses on April 1st of an even numbered year, regardless of the reason, and who subsequently renews the lapsed license during the first 12 months of a new certification period, shall provide documentation of completion of the continuing education requirements for the immediately prior certification period before the license will be renewed.[2]

For purposes of determining whether a licensee has satisfied the continuing education requirement, the Licensing Board will accept all qualifying continuing education hours completed from the beginning date of the 24 month certification period in which the license was issued or renewed, regardless of the specific date the license was issued or renewed. For example, a person whose license is issued or renewed on June 15, 2009 will receive credit for all qualifying continuing education hours completed at any time during the certification period of April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2010. This includes continuing education taken by student physical therapists or student physical therapist assistants, outside their program requirements, while they are enrolled in a physical therapy program.[2]

The initial certification period for a licensee to complete the required hours shall be January 1, 2006, through and including March 31, 2008. Thereafter, each twenty-four month period for completion of the required hours shall be April 1st of the even numbered year through March 31st of the next even numbered year. For example, the second twenty-four month period will be from April 1, 2008, through March 31, 2010. [2]

Failure to complete the required continuing education by March 31st of an even-numbered year shall constitute as a violation.[2]


Does the Act appear restrictive? Why/Why not?[edit | edit source]

Throughout the entire document, phrasing such as “shall” and “must” are used. This indicates that the act is restrictive. The guidance is more definitive and disruption of that guidance indicates a penalty.

Is there anything unusual about this act?[edit | edit source]

A licensed physical therapist is not prohibited from accepting a referral from a licensed veterinarian. The referral must be in writing and specify the treatment or therapy to be provided. A physical therapist practicing under this subsection shall be held to the standard of care for veterinarians.[1]


References[edit | edit source]

References will automatically be added here, see adding references tutorial.

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 American Physical Therapy Association. Practice Acts by State. http://www.apta.org/Licensure/StatePracticeActs/ (accessed 21 Apr 2012).
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board Administrative Rules Chapter 848 January 2009. http://www.oregon.gov/PTBrd/docs/Proposed.Rule.Changes/OAR.Compilation.Version.01.02.09.pdf?ga=t (accessed 21 Apr 2012).

Disclaimer:   Informational Content is assimilated from the state practice act is a resource only and should not be considered a  substitute for the content within the state practice act.  All state practice acts can change and it is recommended that you refer to the original resource in the link above.