# Continuing Education Approval Information The APTAKY offers members access to CEU Locker. CEU Locker provides an easy and convenient method for tracking your CEU requirements in our state, searching for approved courses that meet state requirements, and being assured that the courses you are taking provide quality content for our specialty. ![](https://aptaky.org/_resources/images/core/ceulocker-logo.svg)Continued competency is required for renewal and reinstatement of licenses/certificates. All active licenses/certificates expire on March 31 of every uneven year. Continued competency credits for the current biennium must be earned from April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2025. According to state guidelines, physical therapists must complete 30 hours of continued competency activities (20 hours for physical therapist assistants) prior to renewing their credentials. Any courses not designated as approved must be submitted to the APTA-KY Continued Competency Committee for review and approval. These courses can be uploaded and submitted for approval by creating a CEU Holder account in CEU Locker. **The review process can take up to 6 weeks to complete**. Use of the CEU Locker service is an exclusive benefit of your APTAKY Association membership. [Create your account today](https://ceulocker.com/) and thank you for being an APTA-KY member! For additional information, visit the [CEU Locker Support Page](https://ceulocker.com/faq) or [download the FAQ sheet](https://aptaky.org/_resources/documents/education/FAQs-About-CEUs.pdf). ## Licensing Requirements Successful and Safe Practice in Kentucky [ Learn More ](#requirements) ## Track Your Credits Keep Your Licensure Secure and Up-to-Date [ Learn More ](#track) ## Course Approval APTA Kentucky Course Approval and Approval Seals [ Learn More ](#approval) ## Licensing Requirements **Physical Therapists** must complete no fewer than 30 hours of continued competency each biennium. A minimum of 18 hours of continued competency must be in Category 1. Physical Therapists may submit a maximum of 10 hours continued competency in Category 2. All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam on the Board’s website. **Physical Therapist Assistants** are required to complete no fewer than 20 hours of continued competency each biennium. A minimum of 10 hours of continued competency must be in Category 1. Physical Therapist Assistants may submit a maximum of 8 hours of continued competency in Category 2. All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam on the Board’s website. **Recent PT and PTA graduates** (i.e., those who have completed their academic and clinical requirements for their degrees within the current biennium) have met the continued competency requirements for that biennium, per 201 KAR 22:045 Section 2(c). Accordingly, no additional contact hours for this biennium are required in order to renew a PT license or a PTA certificate during the renewal cycle. **Recent PT and PTA graduates must still renew their credentials during the fixed date renewal cycle.** All credential holders must also complete the 2-hour Jurisprudence Exam between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2023. If taken during your academic program, ensure you verify the completion date is within the required timeframe. **WHAT COUNTS FOR CATEGORY 1 CREDIT?** - Completion of courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, or home study courses consisting of at least three contact hours that have been approved by the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy, the Board’s designee (i.e., APTA KY), FSBPT, APTA or its components, or another physical therapy licensing agency. Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.) - Completion of courses, seminars, workshops, symposia, or home study courses produced and developed by APTA or its components, even if consisting of fewer than three hours. Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.) - Completion or auditing of an accredited postsecondary educational institution credit course. Twelve (12) contact hours shall be awarded for each semester credit hour completed; and eight (8) contact hours shall be awarded for each quarter credit hour completed. (Provide copy of transcript.) - Presentation of a continued competency course, workshop, seminar, or symposium that has been approved by **approved by the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy, the Board’s designee (i.e., APTA KY), FSBPT, APTA or its components, or another physical therapy licensing agency.** Contact hours shall be awarded equal to contact hours awarded to a participant, with a maximum of two events of the same course per biennium. - Authorship of a research article, manuscript or scientific paper, published within the biennium and related to physical therapy. Fifteen (15) contact hours per event shall be awarded, with a maximum of two events per biennium. (Provide a copy of the article. Must be in a peer reviewed publication and show published date and author’s name.) - A presented, peer reviewed scientific poster or scientific platform presentation related to physical therapy. Ten (10) contact hours shall be awarded per event, with a maximum of two events per biennium. (Provide proof of event attendance and listing as a presenter.) - Teaching part of a physical therapy or physical therapist assistant credit course, if that teaching is not the primary employment of the credential holder. Twenty (20) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide a letter from the institution verifying hours and that teaching is not the primary employment of the PT/PTA.) - ABPTS certification or recertification – Twenty-eight (28) hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion.) - Completion of the APTA’s PTA Advanced Proficiency Pathways Program (APP). A maximum of ten (10) contact hours shall be awarded in the biennium during which the certification or recertification of the APP is granted; or - Engaging in the practice of physical therapy at least 1,000 hours per biennium. Five (5) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide letter from employer on company letterhead with signature, pay check stubs for biennium showing hours worked per pay period, or copy of W-2. If providing W-2, submit hourly pay rate.) - Engaging in the instruction of a CAPTE- accredited physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program at least 1,000 hours per biennium. Five (5) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide letter from the institution on letterhead with Program Director’s signature.) - Completion of a clinical residency program or clinical fellowship program. Not more than five (5) contact hours shall be awarded for each week of residency for a maximum of 28 contact hours per biennium. (Provide official copy of transcript.) - Member of the APTA. One (1) contact hour shall be awarded per year and a maximum of two (2) contact hours per biennium. See this link for additional Category 1 credits. **WHAT COUNTS FOR CATEGORY 2 CREDIT?** - Self-instruction from reading professional literature. One (1) contact hour per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide copy of first page of article.) - Attendance at a scientific poster session, lecture, panel or symposium. One (1) contact hour for each hour of activity, with a maximum of two (2) hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide a copy of the meeting/conference agenda and proof of attendance, i.e., a sign in sheet or an attendance list including the date.) - Clinical instructor for a CAPTE-approved education program or an APTA credentialed residency or fellowship program. One (1) contact hour per 16 hours of student supervision shall be awarded. (Provide a letter from the educational institution on letterhead with a signature from the Program Director or Director of Clinical Education.) - Participation in a physical therapy in-service or study group consisting of two or more physical therapists or physical therapist assistants. Two (2) contact hours per biennium shall be awarded. (Provide sign in sheet showing name of study group and date attended.) - Completion of other healthcare related courses (CPR, Bloodborne pathogens, etc.). One (1) contact hour for each hour of credit for a maximum of three (3) hours per course shall be awarded. (Provide appropriate certificate of completion, showing length of time for each course.) - Participation in community service healthcare. One (1) contact hour for each hour of participation, for a maximum of two (2) hours per biennium. (Provide letter from coordinator of event.) See this link for additional Category 2 credits. **JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION** All credential holders are required to complete Kentucky’s Jurisprudence Examination for the current biennium prior to the end of the renewal cycle, or the 31st day of March in odd numbered years. You may take this exam online at [http://pt.ky.gov](http://pt.ky.gov/). You will receive two (2) hours per biennium for successful completion of the Jurisprudence Examination. These hours will not meet Category 1 requirements, but will count towards your total hours. Be sure to print your completion certificate for your records. **APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION** At the end of each renewal cycle, ten (10) percent of all licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants will be selected for an audit of their continued competency. In the event that a credential holder is selected for audit, the Board will require submission of proof for all items listed on the Continued Competency Tracking Form. As such, all credential holders should maintain copies of their continued competency documentation for three (3) years. Certificates of completion should contain the following information: Name of the PT/PTA, title and date of the course, and hours awarded. Certificates of completion for courses listed under Category 1, must also confirm that the course was approved by an appropriate entity, and the course approval code. (NOTE: It is not the Board’s responsibility to verify that courses listed on the Continued Competency Tracking Form are approved. The responsibility for completing this task lies with the credential holder.) Courses without valid approval codes may be submitted to the Kentucky chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association for approval for Category 1 credit. [Visit their website for more information](https://aptaky.org/). Allow a minimum of six weeks for approval of courses submitted for review. ## Track Your Credits Use CEU Locker to securely track and store your continuing education credits. This free APTA-KY tool helps you stay organized and maintain records for state licensing requirements. To get started, create a free CEU Holder account, verify your email, and enter completed courses in your CEU Locker dashboard. ## Holder Course Approvals 1. **Submit your course to CEU Locker with supporting documentation**, and the non-refundable $15 application fee within 30 days of the program. When approved, APTA-KY will assign a course approval number for the course specific to you. 1. Courses produced and developed by APTA and/or its components and sections are automatically accepted by the APTA Continued Competency Committee and do NOT require an approval application. 3. **Supporting documentation must include:** - Timed outline or agenda (contact hours = timed agenda minus meals & breaks) - Course description | Course objectives | Program evaluation (sample) - Sample certificate of completion — must include APTA-KY approval # and expiration date - Biographical data for each speaker (educational & clinical experience) - Online/home-study: copy of post-test with minimum passing score 4. **Contact Hours** are determined based on the number of instructional hours. Time spent on registration, meals or breaks will not be counted when determining hours. The number of CEUs approved may not equal the number requested by the applicant. Unstructured reading time in preparation for online courses shall not be included in the total approved contact hours. 5. **Minimum requirement for awarding proof of attendance:** Participant attends at least 80% of the program and participates satisfactorily as determined by the program sponsor. ## Provider Course Approvals 1. Submit your course to CEU Locker **with supporting documentation, and the non-refundable application fee (and rush processing fee if applicable) at least 30 days prior to date of program.** When approved, APTA-KY will assign a course approval number for the course. The course approval number is valid for a period of 2 years and 1 day following the initial presentation. 2. **Supporting documentation must include:** - Timed outline or agenda (contact hours = timed agenda minus meals & breaks) - Course description | Course objectives | Program evaluation (sample) - Sample certificate of completion — must include APTA-KY approval # and expiration date - Biographical data for each speaker (educational & clinical experience) - Online/home-study: copy of post-test with minimum passing score 4. **Contact Hours** are determined based on the number of instructional hours. Time spent on registration, meals or breaks will not be counted when determining hours. The number of CEUs approved may not equal the number requested by the applicant. *Unstructured reading time in preparation for online courses shall not be included in the total approved contact hours.* 5. **Minimum requirement for awarding proof of attendance:** Participant attends at least 80% of the program and participates satisfactorily as determined by the program sponsor. 6. **When the course is approved by APTA-KY,** you may issue your own certificates. The certificates should be completed by the course sponsor and contain: - Number of contact hours/CEUs awarded by APTA Kentucky - Participant's name - Title of course - Signature of Instructor or Course Sponsor - Date of course completion If the course is **submitted less than 30 days** prior to the course start date a $50 rush processing fee will apply.