Georgia Respiratory Care Professional Certification Requirements

ByAllied License Guide Editorial Team

Editorial Note: This page is editorially reviewed by an ARDMS-credentialed sonographer as part of AlliedLicenseGuide.com’s allied health licensing database. Primary source: Georgia Composite Medical Board — Respiratory Care Professional.

Who This Guide Is For

  • NBRC RRT holders applying for initial certification as a Respiratory Care Professional in Georgia, including those holding only the CRT who need to understand that Georgia’s CRT pathway closed in 2020.
  • Respiratory care professionals licensed in other states exploring Georgia reciprocity certification.
  • Travel respiratory therapists evaluating Georgia as a destination state, including those researching Georgia’s compact status and birthday-based biennial renewal cycle.

Georgia Respiratory Care Professional Certificate — At a Glance

Certification Required Yes — certificate required to practice or use the RCP title
Credential Name Respiratory Care Professional (RCP)
Governing Board Georgia Composite Medical Board (GCMB)
Certification Pathways Examination (NBRC RRT); reciprocity (other-state certificate holders)
NBRC Credential Required RRT required — CRT pathway closed March 15, 2020
Georgia State Exam None required
Initial Application Fee $150 (confirm current fee at time of application)
Application Method Online via GCMB Licensure Gateway
Background Check Yes — fingerprint-based background check required
Jurisprudence Exam Not identified on official GCMB pages
Interstate Compact (RCIC) Not enacted; no active legislation found at time of last review
Governing Law O.C.G.A. Title 43, Ch. 34, Art. 6; GA Admin. Rules Ch. 360-13

Georgia requires certification to practice respiratory care in the state — no person may practice or represent themselves as a Respiratory Care Professional without a valid certificate from the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Unlike most states, where this credential is called a license, Georgia issues a certificate; the terminology flows through every rule and form in the system. The requirement is functionally equivalent, but practitioners used to other states’ language should note it when reading Georgia documentation.

Certification is administered by the GCMB, a composite board that also oversees physicians, physician assistants, and other medical professionals. The RCP certification process runs through the Board’s Licensure Gateway, and all primary documentation — education verification, NBRC exam results, and affidavit forms — must be submitted as part of the online application package.

What Makes Georgia Different

The most important credential-level distinction in Georgia is that the RRT is required for all current applicants. Georgia Administrative Rule 360-13-.01(4) requires applicants to submit evidence of an active RRT credential from the NBRC. The CRT pathway was grandfathered and formally closed on March 15, 2020 — any CRT credential issued after that date does not qualify for Georgia certification. Respiratory therapists who hold only the CRT must pass the NBRC Registry Examination (RRT) before applying. This is among the stricter NBRC requirements in this series.

Georgia’s biennial certification expires on the last day of the applicant’s birth month — making it birthday-based, not a fixed calendar date. This affects renewal planning, particularly for travel RTs managing Georgia certification alongside other state licenses on fixed-date cycles. The Board may send a courtesy email approximately 60 days before expiration, but receipt of that notice is not required and does not satisfy the obligation to renew on time.

Georgia also takes a firm approach to lapsed certifications: practitioners who do not renew within three months of the expiration date have their certificate revoked for failure to renew. Reinstatement — not routine renewal — is then required to practice again, involving a separate fee and CE verification for any biennial period without active certification.

Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC)

As of this page’s last verification date, Georgia has not enacted the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact. No active Georgia legislation to join the RCIC was found on the Georgia Composite Medical Board’s official pages at the time of last review. The RCIC Commission was formally established in April 2026, but Georgia is not among the current member states. Travel respiratory therapists working in Georgia must hold a standard Georgia RCP certificate. Verify current compact status at respiratorycarecompact.org or with the GCMB.

Certification Requirements

To be certified as a Respiratory Care Professional in Georgia, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age, hold an active RRT credential from the NBRC, and meet Georgia’s lawful presence requirements. All applicants must provide a citizenship affidavit and a secure, verifiable identity document in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1(f). Non-U.S. citizens must have their immigration status verified through the DHS SAVE program.

Education must come from a respiratory care program accredited by CoARC or CAAHEP, documented through Form A submitted directly by the applicant’s school. NBRC exam results must be submitted via Form D — NBRC Verification — sent directly from NBRC to the GCMB. A fingerprint-based criminal background check is required for all initial applicants.

Reciprocity

Georgia offers a reciprocity pathway for practitioners who hold a certificate, registration, or license to practice respiratory care in another state. Under Rule 360-13-.04, the other state’s authority must send verification directly to the GCMB confirming the applicant is currently certified or licensed to practice there. Reciprocity applicants must also provide verification of continuing education compliance per Rule 360-13-.10. Applicants who have not been actively practicing in another state for 12 or more months must provide CE documentation for each biennial period of non-practice, up to a maximum of 60 contact hours. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.

How to Apply

  1. Earn the RRT credential from NBRC. Georgia requires the RRT — both the Therapist Multiple-Choice exam and the Clinical Simulation Exam. The CRT pathway closed March 15, 2020. Contact NBRC at nbrc.org or 888-341-4811.
  2. Register with the GCMB Licensure Gateway at gateway.medicalboard.georgia.gov. Note: existing credentials from the old system do not transfer — you must register fresh.
  3. Submit Form A (Education Verification) — your school’s registrar must complete and return this form directly to the GCMB.
  4. Submit Form D (NBRC Verification) — NBRC sends your credential verification directly to the GCMB.
  5. Complete the fingerprint background check. Instructions are available at the GCMB background check guidance page.
  6. Submit Form F (Affidavit of Applicant) and the Citizenship Affidavit with your application. Non-U.S. citizens must include immigration status documentation for SAVE verification.
  7. Pay the initial application fee (see table above) through the Licensure Gateway.

Practical Notes

  • CRT holders cannot certify in Georgia under current rules. The CRT pathway closed March 15, 2020. If you passed the TMC (Therapist Multiple-Choice) but not the CSE (Clinical Simulation Exam), you hold a CRT and cannot yet apply for a Georgia RCP certificate — you must first earn the RRT.
  • “Certificate” not “license” — but the requirement is the same. Georgia’s system uses certificate/certified throughout. When filling out forms, applications from other states, or travel company paperwork, confirm they recognize Georgia’s terminology.
  • Renewal is birthday-based. Unlike fixed-date states, your Georgia certificate expires the last day of your birth month, biennially. This is easy to lose track of when managing licenses in multiple states.
  • Contact for RCP applications: Licensure Specialist Dominique White via the GCMB NextRequest portal at gcmb.nextrequest.com. Phone: (404) 656-3913.

Relevant Statutes and Rules

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Georgia require the RRT, or is the CRT sufficient for certification?

Georgia requires the RRT for all current applicants. Georgia Administrative Rule 360-13-.01(4) states that applicants must submit evidence of an active Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential from the NBRC. The CRT pathway was grandfathered and closed March 15, 2020 — a CRT credential issued after that date does not qualify for Georgia certification. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.

Why does Georgia call it a “certificate” instead of a “license”?

Georgia’s Respiratory Care Practices Act and administrative rules consistently use “certificate” and “certified” to describe the credential. This is the statutory terminology in O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 34, Article 6 — it is not a lower level of authorization than a license in other states; it is simply how Georgia’s law names the credential. The approved public title is “Respiratory Care Professional” or the initials “RCP.” Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.

Can I get a Georgia RCP certificate through reciprocity if I’m licensed in another state?

Yes. Georgia Rule 360-13-.04 provides a reciprocity pathway for practitioners certified, registered, or licensed to practice respiratory care in another state. The other state’s authority must send verification directly to the GCMB, and the applicant must provide evidence of meeting CE requirements. If you have not been actively practicing in the other state for 12 or more months, CE for each non-practice biennial period is also required. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.

Is Georgia part of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact?

Not as of this page’s last verification. Georgia has not enacted the RCIC, and no active Georgia legislation to join was identified on the GCMB’s official pages. Travel RTs working in Georgia must hold a standard Georgia RCP certificate. Verify current status at respiratorycarecompact.org.

What happens if my Georgia RCP certificate lapses?

Georgia Rule 360-13-.07(5) provides a three-month window after the expiration date during which a late renewal is possible with a penalty fee. After three months, the certificate is revoked for failure to renew. Reinstatement — not routine renewal — is then required to practice, and involves a separate fee, CE documentation for each biennial period without certification, and Board discretion. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.

What education is required for a Georgia RCP certificate?

Georgia requires graduation from a respiratory care program accredited by CoARC or CAAHEP, or an equivalent program recognized by the Board. This is documented through Form A — Education Verification, which the applicant’s school must complete and send directly to the GCMB. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13 and GCMB — Respiratory Care Professional.

Fees and requirements listed on this page are based on information published by the Georgia Composite Medical Board and verified on the date shown in the change log below. Fees and certification requirements are subject to change — confirm current details with the Georgia Composite Medical Board before submitting an application.

Change Log
2026-06-12 — Page created. Data verified from GCMB official pages and Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13. Key finding: RRT required for all current applicants; CRT pathway closed March 15, 2020. Compact status: Georgia not an RCIC member as of verification date.

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