Georgia Respiratory Care Professional Certificate Renewal
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 Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13 — Respiratory Care Professionals.
Who This Guide Is For
- Georgia-certified Respiratory Care Professionals approaching a biennial renewal and confirming CE requirements, the birthday-based expiration date, and the three-month late window before revocation.
- RCPs tracking CE compliance across an approved-sponsor list and confirming which CE categories have percentage caps.
- Travel respiratory therapists maintaining an active Georgia RCP certificate between assignments and managing a birthday-based cycle alongside fixed-date renewals in other states.
Georgia Respiratory Care Professional Renewal — At a Glance
| Renewal Cycle | Biennial (every 2 years) |
| Certificate Expiration | Last day of birth month (biennial) |
| Renewal Fee | $105 |
| Late Renewal Fee | $205 (within 3 months of expiration) |
| Late Window | 3 months — certificate revoked after 3 months |
| CE Hours Required | 30 contact hours (3 CEUs) per 2-year period |
| Mandatory CE Topics | None specified by topic; all courses must be directly related to respiratory care practice |
| CE Category Caps | AHA/AAP programs: max 25% (7.5 hrs); GNA: max 25%; CAP: max 25% |
| Renewal Method | Online via GCMB Licensure Gateway |
| Revocation Rule | Revoked after 3 months past expiration; reinstatement required |
| Compact Renewal | Not applicable — Georgia not an RCIC member |
| Renewal Contact | GCMB NextRequest Portal / (404) 656-3913 |
Georgia RCP certificates expire biennially on the last day of the certificate holder’s birth month. Unlike states that use a fixed calendar date — May 31 in Florida, for example — Georgia’s renewal deadline shifts with each practitioner’s individual birthday. This makes the expiration easy to personalize but easy to lose track of when managing multiple state credentials, particularly if other states use fixed dates.
Renewal is completed online through the GCMB Licensure Gateway, and Georgia uses a self-attestation model for continuing education — practitioners answer CE compliance questions on the renewal form but do not submit certificates to the Board unless selected for a random audit. CE records must be kept for five years and must include provider name, program name, hours or CEUs completed, and the date of completion.
Renewal Requirements
To renew a Georgia RCP certificate, a practitioner must complete 30 contact hours of Board-approved continuing education during the two years before the renewal date and attest to that completion on the renewal form. The Board may send a courtesy email reminder approximately 60 days before the expiration date, but Rule 360-13-.07(3) is explicit that failure to receive that notice does not relieve the obligation to renew on time.
Non-U.S. citizens may be subject to ongoing immigration status verification through the DHS SAVE program as required by the Board under Rule 360-13-.07(8). U.S. citizens who have previously submitted a citizenship affidavit are not required to resubmit at renewal. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.
Late Renewal and Revocation
Georgia’s late renewal window is three months. Practitioners who do not renew by the expiration date may still renew during the three months following expiration by paying the late fee and demonstrating CE compliance. After the three-month window closes, the certificate is revoked for failure to renew — reinstatement, not routine renewal, is then required. Reinstatement involves a separate fee, CE documentation for each biennial period without active certification (up to a maximum of 60 contact hours), and Board discretion. Practitioners whose certificates were revoked for disciplinary reasons rather than failure to renew must wait a minimum of two years before petitioning for reinstatement. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13, Rules 360-13-.07 and 360-13-.09.
Continuing Education Requirements
Georgia requires 30 contact hours (or 3 CEUs) of Board-approved continuing education per biennial period. One CEU equals 10 contact hours. There are no mandatory topic requirements — courses must be relevant to the practice of respiratory care, but the Board does not prescribe specific subject areas as mandatory.
The first renewal exemption: a practitioner who was initially certified by examination for less than two years at the time of the first renewal is not required to complete the full 30-hour CE requirement for that first renewal cycle. At the second renewal, the full 30-hour requirement applies. Source: Rule 360-13-.10(1).
Board-Approved CE Providers
The following are Board-recognized CE providers and program types under Georgia Rule 360-13-.10(9). Other programs may qualify if they meet Board criteria under that rule — contact the GCMB to confirm eligibility for any provider not listed here:
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) or its successor organization
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Thoracic Society (ATS)
- American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
- American Heart Association / American Academy of Pediatrics specific programs — maximum 25% of total CE hours
- American Society for Anesthesia (ASA)
- NBRC Self-Assessment Exams
- NBRC Credential Exams
- American Medical Association (AMA) Category I programs
- College of American Pathologists (pulmonary pathology / acid-base balance courses) — maximum 25% of total CE hours
- Georgia Nursing Association (GNA) — respiratory-specific courses only — maximum 25% of total CE hours
Internet courses approved by AARC are accepted. There is no separate cap on online or self-study hours — the only percentage caps are the provider-specific limits noted above. Source: GCMB RCP CEU Credit Breakout (PDF).
NBRC Exam CE Credits
Sitting for NBRC exams counts toward CE. Self-assessment exam CE values: Therapist Multiple-Choice 3.0 hours; Clinical Simulation Exam 4.0 hours. NBRC credential exam CE values: Therapist Multiple-Choice 3.0 hours; Clinical Simulation Exam 4.0 hours; Advanced Critical Care Specialty Exam 4.0 hours; CPFT 2.0 hours; RPFT 2.0 hours; Sleep Disorder Specialty Exam 4.0 hours; NPS Exam 2.0 hours. Source: GCMB RCP CEU Credit Breakout (PDF).
How to Renew
- Complete 30 hours of Board-approved CE during the two years before your renewal deadline. Ensure all courses are from approved sponsors and relevant to respiratory care practice.
- Log in to the GCMB Licensure Gateway at gateway.medicalboard.georgia.gov. Note: the Gateway requires a new account registration if you have not used the updated system.
- Attest to CE completion by answering the CE compliance questions on the renewal form. Do not attest unless you have completed the required hours — false attestation is grounds for disciplinary action.
- Complete lawful presence documentation if required (non-U.S. citizens must provide immigration documentation at every renewal).
- Pay the renewal fee (see table above). Contact the GCMB at (404) 656-3913 or via the NextRequest portal for payment method questions.
- Retain CE records for five years from the date each course was completed. Keep documentation of provider name, program name, hours or CEUs, and completion date — you may be selected for a random audit.
Practical Notes
- Birthday-based means your deadline moves. Your certificate expires the last day of your birth month, biennially. If you’re tracking renewals across multiple states, add a calendar reminder for 60–90 days before your Georgia birth month expiration — that’s before the GCMB’s optional courtesy email.
- The three-month window is firm. After three months past the expiration date, the certificate is subject to revocation and reinstatement requirements apply — not routine renewal. Reinstatement involves a separate fee, CE documentation for lapsed periods, and Board discretion. Don’t rely on the courtesy email as a deadline reminder.
- Watch the 25% caps on AHA and GNA courses. If you’re using BLS, ACLS, or Georgia Nursing Association CE courses to fill hours, each of those categories is capped at 25% (7.5 of 30 hours). Exceeding the cap means those hours won’t count toward the renewal requirement.
- Self-attestation means audit risk. Georgia does not use a CE broker system — you attest and keep records yourself. The Board audits randomly. Keep all sponsor-issued documentation for five years.
Related Pages
- Georgia Respiratory Care Professional Initial Certification
- Florida Respiratory Therapist License Renewal
- Respiratory Care Licensing Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE hours does Georgia require per renewal period?
Georgia requires 30 contact hours, or 3 continuing education units (CEUs), of Board-approved continuing education during the two years preceding each renewal. One CEU equals 10 contact hours. Practitioners first certified by examination for less than two years are exempt from CE for the first renewal cycle. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13, Rule 360-13-.10.
Are AARC and NBRC CE courses accepted in Georgia?
Yes. AARC courses and NBRC exams are both specifically approved under Georgia Rule 360-13-.10(9). AARC internet courses are also accepted. NBRC self-assessment and credential exams count toward CE at specified hour values. There is no percentage cap on AARC or NBRC CE hours — the caps apply to AHA/AAP programs, GNA courses, and College of American Pathologists courses (each capped at 25% of total hours). Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13.
When does my Georgia RCP certificate expire?
Georgia RCP certificates expire on the last day of the month in which the certificate holder was born, on a biennial basis. This is a birthday-based expiration rather than a fixed calendar date, so each practitioner’s renewal deadline is individual. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13, Rule 360-13-.07(1).
What happens if I miss my Georgia renewal deadline?
You may renew late for up to three months after the expiration date by paying the late renewal fee and demonstrating CE compliance. After three months, the certificate is revoked for failure to renew. Reinstatement is then required — a separate process involving a reinstatement application, a higher fee, CE documentation for any biennial period without active certification, and Board discretion. An expired certificate holder may not practice respiratory care or use the RCP title until reinstatement is approved. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13, Rules 360-13-.07 and 360-13-.10.
How long must I keep CE documentation in Georgia?
Georgia requires CE records to be kept for five years. At minimum, records must include the provider’s name, the program name, the number of hours or CEUs completed, and the date of completion. Records are not submitted to the Board at renewal — only self-attestation is required — but must be produced if selected for a random Board audit. Source: Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13, Rule 360-13-.10(4).
Fees and CE 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. Requirements are subject to change — confirm current details with the Georgia Composite Medical Board before your renewal deadline.
Change Log
2026-06-12 — Page created. CE requirements, renewal cycle, late fee, and expiration rule verified from Georgia Administrative Rules Chapter 360-13. CE provider list verified from GCMB RCP CEU Credit Breakout PDF. Compact status: Georgia not an RCIC member as of verification date.