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         Respiratory Therapy Licensing in PA

 Welcome to the PSRC Legal Licenseing webpage! On this page you will find information on how to legally practice Respiratory Care in Pennsylvania.  Please note that laws and regulations are subject to change so keep an eye on this page and the Governmental Affairs page on a regular basis for updates and the latest information.

Click on the following links to be taken directly to the sections related to this information below:

1.  Who Is Eligible To Obtain A License To Practice Respiratory Care In Pennsylvania?

 2.  Temporary Permit To Practice (explains what a Temporary Permit is and how to get one)

3.  Continuing Education Requirement for Respiratory Therapists in Pennsylvania

4.  How To Obtain A License To Practice Respiratory Care In Pennsylvania

 5.  How do I contact the PA State Board of Medicine or Board of Osteopathic Medicine?


 NOTE:  The information contained on this page has been gathered from multiple sources including
             the Pennsylvania Code, the Bureau of Professional Affairs, the State Board of Medicine and
             more.  While the PSRC makes every attempt to assure the accuracy of the information
             contained on this page, we encourage viewers to contact these agencies for the most up  
             to date information. 
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Who Is Eligible To Obtain A License To Practice Respiratory Care In Pennsylvania?
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania licenses Respiratory Therapists through either the State Board of Medicine or the Osteopathic Board of Medicine.  Respiratory Care practitioners must document competence by successfully completing the NBRC's Entry Level Exam (CRT). There are also additional qualifications related to abuse, drug and alcohol, and felony convictions that must be met.  Applicants for state licensure fall into one of two main categories including:

 1.  A student who has graduated or who is expected to graduate within 30 days from a CoARC approved Respiratory Care Program and who has not yet taken the NBRC's Entry Level Exam (CRT).

2.  A respiratory therapist who already holds the NBRC's CRT license.  This includes those who have moved to Pennsylvania from another state. 
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 Temporary Permit To Practice
Both the State Board of Medicine & the Osteopathic Board of Medicine offer a "Temporary Permit" to practice to individuals who have graduated from a CoARC accredited entry level Respiratory Care Program and who have not yet taken the NBRC's Entry Level (CRT) exam. In addition, students who are expected to graduate within 30 days from one of these educational programs may also apply for a temporary permit.

A graduate therapist who obtains a temporary permit to practice may legally practice as a Respiratory Therapist in the state without restriction.  However, temporary permits expire 12 months after issuance.  In addition, temporary permits immediately expire upon failure of the NBRC Entry Level exam (CRT). Temporary permits cannot be renewed and no additional permits will be issued once the initial permit has expired.  It is unlawful to continue practicing as a Respiratory Therapist on an expired temporary permit.

(NOTE:  Individuals who have already earned the NBRC's Entry Level license (CRT) are not eligible to receive a temporary permit and must apply for state license.)

To apply for a temporary permit to practice RT in Pennsylvania, you must be a graduate (or expected to graduate within 30 days) from a CoARC accredited entry level Respiratory Care Program and have not yet taken the NBRC's Entry Level (CRT) exam.

Choose which of the two Boards of Medicine through which you wish to ultimately be licenseed.  Pennsylvania law allows for two licenseing boards including the PA State Board of Medicine and the PA State Board of Osteopathic Medicine to license respiratory therapists. The majority of therapists in the state are licensed through the State Board of Medicine (about 95%). The licenseing fees, rules and processes are similar. However, your license will be governed by whichever Board you choose. The Board you choose for your Temporary Permit will also be the Board that ultimately issues you a license to practice. The total fee required for a temporary permit and certification is $60. 

Download an application to obtain a license by clicking here. This application can be used to apply for a license from either the State Board of Medicine or Osteopathic Board of Medicine.  Note that those individuals who have not yet graduated, please note that the form may not be completed or submitted more than 30 days prior to graduation.

Carefully follow the instructions on page 2 of the application document.  Be sure to check the box to indicate under which Board of Medicine you would like to be certified. In addition, be sure to check the box indicating you desire a Temporary Permit. Note that the process is different for someone who is expecting to graduate within 30 days versus someone who has already graduated.

Once you receive your temporary permit in the mail, and not before, you may begin practicing as a respiratory therapist.  Remember the permit expires upon failure of the NBRC Entry Level (CRT) exam or 12 months from the date it is issued, whichever comes first! 

When you attempt the NBRC's Entry Level (CRT) exam, you have two possible outcomes:

     A)  If you PASS the exam, contact the NBRC at 8310 Nieman Road, Lenexa, KS 66214 or by
          phone at (913) 599-4200 and arrange for your exam scores to be sent directly to the Board
          in an official envelope.  When the Board receives your passing exam scores, your
          temporary permit will automatically be transferred to a certification.  You may continue
          practicing on your temporary permit while you await receipt of your state license 
          providing it has not expired due to the expiration date.  However, if your permit has expired
          you may NOT continue to practice until you receive your state license.

    B)   If you FAIL the exam, your temporary permit immediately expires and you may no longer
          practice as a Respiratory Therapist until you successfully pass the examination. 
          Practicing with an expired permit is unlawful and can result in severe disciplinary action.
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 Continuing Education Requirements For PA Respiratory Therapists

Over the past 6-8 years, the continuing education requirement for Respiratory Therapists in Pennsylvania has dramatically changed.  In 2004, a requirement for continuing education was added to the licenseing legislation for RTs.  At the time, RTs were not "licensed" but were "certified" by the state to practice.  The new requirment went into effect for the 2005-2006 "certification" period and included a number of specific requirements.  The main requirements of the law included:

1.  20 hours of accredited continuing education every two years.
2.  At least 10 hours of continuing education must be completed at "traditional" (i.e. LIVE) events.
3.  All courses must be accredited by either the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC),
     the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or the  
     Canadian Society for Respiratory Therapy (CSRT) to be eligible to count towards the required
     hours.
4.  At least one hour must be completed in a topic related to patient safety.
5.  At least one hour must be completed in a topic related to medical ethics.

 (To view the full document from the State Board of Medicine, click here!)
In 2008, legislation was signed into law that changed the state "certification" of Respiratory Therapists to full licensure.  As such, the PA Governor mandated that the continuing education requirement for all licensed practitioners in the state (now including Respiratory Therapists) be at least 30 hours bi-annually.  These changes have been signed into law and will go into effect as soon as the regulations that govern the law are re-written.  As of January, 2011, the regulations are not yet complete but are expected to be in 2011.  Therefore, RTs are urged to plan on completing 30 hours of continuing education for the 2011-2012 licensing period.  However, the number of hours that will be required at traditional "live" events will not be known until the regulations are finalized.

We receive a LOT of questions about the continuing education requirement for RTs in Pennsylvania.  In fact, there's so much information, we've created a whole page dedicated to it.  CLICK HERE to view our "Frequently Asked Questions" regarding this topic!
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 How To Obtain A License To Practice Respiratory Care In Pennsylvania
1.  Choose which of the two Boards of Medicine through which you wish to ultimately be
     licensed.  Pennsylvania law allows for two licenseing boards including the PA State Board
     of Medicine and the PA State Board of Osteopathic Medicine to license respiratory therapists.
     The majority of therapists in the state are licensed through the State Board of Medicine (about
     95%). The licensing fees, rules and processes are similar. However, your license will be
     governed by whichever Board you choose.

2.   Download an application to obtain a license by clicking here. This application can be used to apply
      for a license from either Board of Medicine.

3.   Carefully follow the instructions on the application document.  Be sure to check the box to indicate
      under which Board of Medicine you would like to be certified and be sure to sign and date
     where indicated.

 4.  Complete the Verification of Education on page 3 of the application and send to the respiratory
     care program where you graduated. The program must send the completed form directly to the
     Board office in an official school envelope.

 5.  The page entitled "Affidavit of Employment for Grandfather Applicants" may be discarded.

6.  Contact the NBRC at 8310 Nieman Road, Lenexa, KS 66214 or by phone at (913) 599-4200
     and arrange for your exam scores to be sent directly to the Board in an official envelope. The
     NBRC may charge for verification of your license.

7.  Request letters of good standing from every state licensing Board where you have ever held a
     license/certificate to practice respiratory care. Letters must come directly from the licensing agency
     to the Board office.

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For More Information....
To visit the PA State Board of Medicine, click here

 To visit the Osteopathic Board of Medicine, click here