Arizona Respiratory Care Practitioner License 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: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Continuing Education.
Who This Guide Is For
- Arizona-licensed Respiratory Care Practitioners tracking their biennial renewal date, CE requirements, and the Board’s approved continuing education providers.
- RCPs who have let CE planning slip and need to understand the 20-hour, 2-year cycle — including the 2-hour ethics minimum, 5-hour live minimum, and category caps.
- Practitioners whose license has lapsed and want to understand Arizona’s renewal vs. reinstatement framework before contacting the Board.
Arizona RCP Renewal — At a Glance
| Renewal Cycle | Biennial (every 2 years) |
| License Expiration | Every other year on the licensee’s birthday (first license expires on the 2nd birthday after issuance) |
| Renewal Fee | $150 |
| Late Renewal Fee | Same $150 — the Board’s fee list does not show a separate late-renewal penalty |
| Grace Period | No formal grace period to practice; renewal/reinstatement framework allows renewal within 7 days of expiration without extra review, or as a “reinstatement” application for up to 2 years after expiration |
| CE Hours Required | 20 hours per 2-year period, including 2 hours ethics and 5 hours live |
| Mandatory CE Topics | 2 hours of ethics within the 20-hour total |
| CE Category Limits | Max 15 hrs online (5 must be live); ACLS/NALS/NRP/PALS combined max 5 hrs; NBRC specialty exam combo max 10 hrs; BLS not accepted; NBRC TMC/CSE for CRT/RRT not accepted |
| Renewal Method | Online via the Board’s Licensee Portal ($3 convenience fee) or paper application mailed/hand-delivered to the Board office |
| Lapsed License | Reinstatement pathway available up to 2 years after expiration; outcome beyond 2 years not explicitly addressed in rule — confirm with Board |
| Compact Renewal | Not applicable — Arizona has not enacted the RCIC |
| Renewal Contact | (602) 542-5995; Licensee Portal |
Arizona Respiratory Care Practitioner licenses run on a two-year cycle tied to the licensee’s birthday: a first license expires on the licensee’s second birthday after it was issued, and every license thereafter expires every other year on the licensee’s birthday. Renewal is conducted primarily through the Board’s online Licensee Portal, and requires both the $150 renewal fee and completion of the Board’s CE requirements.
CE Requirements
Arizona requires 20 hours of approved continuing education for each 2-year renewal period. This requirement — including its specific structure of 2 ethics hours and 5 live hours — took effect April 1, 2022, when the Board ended pandemic-era flexibility that had been in place during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Of the 20 hours, at least 2 must be in ethics, and at least 5 must be completed through live courses or activities (in-person or real-time interactive). Up to 15 hours may be completed online.
All CE must come from one of the Board’s automatically-approved entities. This is an extensive list and includes the American Association for Respiratory Care and its state affiliates, the Arizona Society for Respiratory Care, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and its state affiliates, the American Nurses Association and its state affiliates, the American Osteopathic Association and its state affiliates, the American Thoracic Society and its state affiliates, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Health Care Executives, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and its state affiliates, the Centers for Disease Control, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Joint Commission), the College of American Pathologists, the National Asthma Educator Certification Board, the Society for American Anesthesiology, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine and its state affiliates. Source: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Continuing Education.
CE Category Limits and Exclusions
Within the 20-hour requirement, several category-specific limits apply. No more than 5 hours total may come from any combination of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) — completing more than one of these certifications in a renewal period does not multiply the hours; only one class’s worth of hours counts toward the cap. No more than 10 hours may come from any combination of NBRC specialty examinations. Basic Life Support (BLS) courses are not accepted for CEU credit at all.
Notably, Arizona does not allow the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice or Clinical Simulation Examinations for the CRT or RRT credential itself to count toward CE — passing these exams earns the credential but does not generate CE hours. This differs from some other states, where passing an NBRC exam can substitute for part or all of the CE requirement.
Citizenship Requirement at Renewal
Unlike many states, Arizona requires renewal applicants to again provide evidence of U.S. citizenship, alien status, legal residency, or lawful presence in the U.S. — this is not a one-time initial-application requirement. Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-207(B)(1)(l) lists this documentation as part of the standard renewal application form, alongside other items such as the applicant’s current employer, employment status, and any disciplinary or substance-abuse disclosures.
Lapsed Licenses and Reinstatement
Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-216 establishes a tiered framework for renewals submitted after a license has expired. If a renewal application is submitted (or completed) before the license expires, it is processed as a normal renewal. If it is submitted, or an incomplete application is completed, within 7 days after the license expires, it is still processed as a renewal — but the Executive Director reviews whether the applicant practiced without a license during the lapsed period in violation of A.R.S. § 32-3556, and requires a signed statement addressing this. If the renewal application is submitted (or completed) more than 7 days but less than 2 years after the license expires, the applicant is treated as an “applicant for reinstatement” and goes through the same § 32-3556 compliance review.
In either case, if the Board finds the applicant did not knowingly violate § 32-3556 during the lapse, the Board renews or reinstates the license (potentially with a letter of concern). If the Board finds a knowing violation, it may deny the renewal/reinstatement unless the applicant can show no one was harmed, or require the applicant to appear before the Board and enter into a discipline agreement as a condition of renewal/reinstatement.
Separately, the Board’s own FAQ describes a simpler category: a license expired less than 90 days is eligible for “late renewal,” which only requires the Biennial Renewal form and an affidavit rather than a full application packet. Notably, the Board’s fee list shows a single “$150.00 fee for Renewal or Late Renewal of Licensure” — there does not appear to be an additional late-penalty fee on top of the standard $150 renewal fee. This page presents both lapse descriptions as found — the FAQ’s 90-day framing may describe a paperwork shortcut within the broader 7-day/2-year framework above, but the exact relationship between the two was not independently confirmed from a single authoritative source. The rules also do not explicitly state what happens to a license lapsed more than 2 years; if you are in this situation, contact the Board directly to confirm whether reinstatement remains available or a new application is required.
If you have not practiced respiratory care or held a license in any state during the 3 years immediately preceding a reinstatement or renewal application, Arizona’s rules and the Board’s FAQ indicate you will need to submit documentation of 20 approved CEUs completed within the past year, per A.R.S. § 32-3523(B).
CE Audits
The Board performs continuing education audits on a random, ongoing basis throughout the year. If selected, you will be notified by both email and mail, and must submit documentation demonstrating compliance by the date specified in the audit notice. The Board’s FAQ states that failure to do so results in your license being administratively suspended, with suspension potentially continuing until an investigation and Board action conclude; separately, Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-211 describes noncompliance as resulting in a written notice of intent to revoke the license. Both descriptions are presented here as the Board states them — the precise relationship between an administrative suspension and a notice of intent to revoke was not independently confirmed. The Board recommends keeping CEU records for at least two renewal cycles (4 years). Source: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Frequently Asked Questions and Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-211.
How to Renew
- Track your birthday-based expiration date. Arizona licenses expire every other year on your birthday — there is no single statewide renewal season, so this date is specific to you.
- Complete your CE requirement — 20 hours total, including at least 2 hours of ethics and at least 5 live hours, from one of the Board’s automatically-approved providers, before submitting your renewal.
- Renew online through the Board’s Licensee Portal (a $3 convenience fee applies), or by mailing/hand-delivering a paper renewal to the Board office, and pay the $150 renewal fee.
- Provide evidence of citizenship, alien status, legal residency, or lawful presence again as part of the renewal application — this is required at every renewal, not just your initial application.
- Retain your CE documentation for at least two renewal cycles (4 years) in case you are selected for a random CE audit.
Practical Notes
- Your renewal date is your birthday, not a fixed calendar date. Because Arizona ties expiration to your birthday on a 2-year cycle, mark this on a personal calendar — there’s no statewide renewal season to rely on as a backup reminder.
- Don’t assume an NBRC exam will cover your CE — in Arizona, it won’t. Some states let a passing NBRC exam substitute for some or all of your CE hours. Arizona explicitly excludes the CRT/RRT Therapist Multiple Choice and Clinical Simulation Exams from counting as CE at all, so plan your 20 hours independently of any credentialing exams you take.
- The ACLS/NALS/NRP/PALS cap is a combined cap, not per-class. If you complete more than one of these certifications in a renewal period, you still only get credit toward the 5-hour cap once — don’t expect to stack hours across multiple certifications.
- If your license has lapsed, read the renewal/reinstatement framework carefully — and don’t wait. Whether your situation falls under the 7-day window, the up-to-2-year reinstatement pathway, or the FAQ’s 90-day “late renewal” description, every path involves a review of whether you practiced during the lapse. The longer a lapse continues, the more complicated reinstatement is likely to become — contact the Board promptly if you’re unsure where you stand.
Related Pages
- Arizona Respiratory Care Practitioner Initial License Requirements
- North Carolina Respiratory Care Practitioner License Renewal
- Respiratory Care Licensing Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE hours does Arizona require for respiratory care license renewal?
Arizona requires 20 hours of approved continuing education for each 2-year renewal period, including at least 2 hours of ethics and at least 5 hours completed live (in-person or real-time interactive). Up to 15 hours may be completed online. All CE must come from one of the Board’s automatically-approved entities, which include AARC and its state affiliates, the Arizona Society for Respiratory Care, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and numerous other national medical and nursing associations. Source: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Continuing Education.
When does an Arizona respiratory care license expire?
An Arizona Respiratory Care Practitioner’s first license expires on the licensee’s second birthday after it is issued. After that, the license expires every other year on the licensee’s birthday — Arizona uses a personal, birthday-based expiration date rather than a single statewide expiration date. Source: Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-207(A).
What happens if my Arizona respiratory care license expires?
Arizona does not provide a formal grace period to practice on a lapsed license. Under Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-216, a renewal completed within 7 days of expiration is still processed as a renewal (with a review of whether you practiced during the lapse), and a renewal completed more than 7 days but less than 2 years after expiration is processed as a “reinstatement” application, subject to the same review. In either case, the Board checks compliance with A.R.S. § 32-3556 (practicing without a license) during the lapsed period. The Board’s FAQ separately describes licenses expired less than 90 days as eligible for simplified “late renewal” paperwork. The rules do not explicitly address what happens to a license lapsed more than 2 years — contact the Board directly if this applies to you.
Can I renew my Arizona respiratory care license by mail or paper form?
The Board’s Frequently Asked Questions page states that applications and renewals can be done online or by a physical form mailed or hand-delivered to the Board office, and that the Board will mail you an application or form on request. Submitting online adds a $3 convenience fee. A separate Board services page describes renewals as online-only through the Licensee Portal — this appears to be an outlier among the Board’s own pages. Plan to renew through the Licensee Portal for convenience, but a paper renewal option appears to remain available if needed; confirm with the Board directly if in doubt. Source: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Frequently Asked Questions.
Does passing an NBRC exam count toward Arizona’s CE requirement?
Not for the CRT or RRT credential itself — Arizona’s CE rules specifically state that no CEU is accepted for the NBRC Therapist Multiple Choice or Clinical Simulation Examinations for the CRT or RRT credential. Passing other NBRC specialty examinations can contribute CE hours, but only up to a combined maximum of 10 hours within the 20-hour requirement. This is more restrictive than some other states, where an NBRC exam can substitute for some or all of the CE requirement. Source: Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners — Continuing Education.
Is proof of citizenship required again when renewing an Arizona respiratory care license?
Yes. Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-207(B)(1)(l) requires renewal applicants to provide evidence of U.S. citizenship, alien status, legal residency, or lawful presence in the U.S. as part of the renewal application — this requirement applies at every renewal, not only at initial licensure. Source: Arizona Administrative Code R4-45-207(B)(1)(l).
Fees and CE requirements listed on this page are based on information from the Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners and Arizona Administrative Code R4-45, verified on the date shown in the change log below. Requirements are subject to change — confirm current details with the Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners before your renewal deadline.
Change Log
2026-06-14 — Page created. CE requirements, fee schedule, renewal/reinstatement framework, and citizenship requirements verified directly from the Arizona State Board of Respiratory Care Examiners’ Continuing Education and Frequently Asked Questions pages, and Arizona Administrative Code R4-45 (sections 102, 207, 211, 216) and A.R.S. §§ 32-3523, 32-3556. Key findings: $150 renewal fee confirmed via R4-45-102(A)(4); the Board’s FAQ fee list shows the same $150 fee for “Renewal or Late Renewal of Licensure,” indicating no separate late-penalty fee (this corrects one Step 1/2 source’s claim that a late fee “applies” with an unconfirmed amount). 20-hour/2-year CE requirement with 2 ethics hours and 5 live hours confirmed effective April 1, 2022; full 23-entity approved CE provider list and category limits (15-hour online cap, 5-hour ACLS/NALS/NRP/PALS combined cap, 10-hour NBRC specialty exam cap, BLS exclusion, and exclusion of the CRT/RRT credentialing exams themselves from CE) confirmed from the Board’s CE page; citizenship/lawful presence requirement at every renewal confirmed via R4-45-207(B)(1)(l). The Board’s FAQ confirms both online (with $3 convenience fee) and paper/mail-in renewals are accepted — one separate Board services page states renewals are online-only, treated as an outlier consistent with the same pattern on the initial-licensing page. The renewal/reinstatement framework (7 days / 2 years per R4-45-216) was confirmed at the regulation level and is presented alongside the Board FAQ’s separate “90 days = late renewal” description, since the relationship between the two was not independently confirmed from a single authoritative source — flagged for Kenneth’s review. The rule’s silence on licenses lapsed more than 2 years is also flagged. CEU audit noncompliance is described by the FAQ as resulting in “Administrative Suspension” pending investigation, while R4-45-211 describes a “notice of intent to revoke” — both presented, relationship not independently confirmed. Compact status: not enacted, no active legislation identified for Arizona as of verification date.