Michigan Respiratory Therapist License 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: Michigan LARA — Respiratory Care (Board of Respiratory Care).

Who This Guide Is For

  • New graduates and NBRC credential holders (CRT or RRT) applying for an initial Michigan Respiratory Therapist license by examination.
  • Out-of-state and travel respiratory therapists pursuing licensure by endorsement, including those weighing how Michigan’s 5-year licensure tenure threshold affects which documents they’ll need to submit.
  • Michigan respiratory therapists whose license has lapsed and want to understand the difference between a standard renewal, a late renewal within the grace period, and relicensure.

Michigan Respiratory Therapist — At a Glance

License Required Yes
Credential Name Respiratory Therapist (LRT)
Governing Body Michigan Board of Respiratory Care, under LARA’s Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL)
Licensing Pathways Examination (new graduate); Endorsement (out-of-state/Canada); Relicensure (lapsed Michigan license)
NBRC Credential Required NBRC credential required; CRT and RRT are not distinguished for Examination/Endorsement — either appears to satisfy the requirement
Michigan State Exam None required
Education Requirement 2-year CHEA-recognized associate’s degree AND a CoARC-accredited respiratory therapist training program
Application Fee $270.10 (Exam or Endorsement), by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover
Application Method Online via MiPLUS (michigan.gov/miplus)
Processing Time ~4-6 weeks for application review; ~7-10 business days for a mailed license after approval (PDF emailed immediately)
Background Check Yes — instructions emailed after application submission
Social Security Number Required at application — an SSN exemption affidavit may be submitted instead if the applicant is exempt from or does not have an SSN
Jurisprudence Exam None identified
Interstate Compact (RCIC) Not currently a member, as of this page’s verification date
Governing Law Michigan Public Health Code, Part 187 (MCL 333.18701-333.18713); Respiratory Care General Rules (R 338.2201 et seq.)

Michigan licenses respiratory therapists through the Michigan Board of Respiratory Care, a profession-specific board created under MCL 333.18705 and administered within LARA’s Bureau of Professional Licensing.

Michigan respiratory therapist licenses renew every 3 years under the Board’s current renewal schedule, and both initial applications and renewals are processed online through the state’s MiPLUS portal.

What Makes Michigan Different

The most distinctive feature of Michigan’s program is what it does not require: Michigan does not impose a traditional respiratory-care CE-hour requirement comparable to states that require 20-30 hours of profession-specific continuing education each renewal cycle. Instead of an AARC-approved CE hour count like many other states use, Michigan requires two specific trainings. A one-time Human Trafficking Identification training (meeting the standards of Administrative Rule 338.2201a) must be completed before initial licensure, and the Board’s renewal checklist confirms it remains a one-time requirement rather than something repeated each cycle. Separately, Implicit Bias training is required in different amounts depending on context: at least 2 hours within the five years immediately preceding initial license issuance, and then 1 hour for each year of the 3-year renewal cycle (effectively 3 hours per renewal) — and unlike the human trafficking training, this one repeats every cycle.

Michigan law and administrative rules require an NBRC credential for respiratory therapists but do not distinguish between CRT and RRT for Examination or Endorsement applicants — the Licensing Guide simply requires an official NBRC report confirming the applicant holds “a credential for respiratory therapists.” Accordingly, this requirement appears satisfied by either credential (CRT being the entry-level designation and RRT the advanced-level designation, per the Board’s own FAQ). The CRT-vs-RRT distinction becomes specifically relevant only for Relicensure applicants without a current out-of-state license, who must show they passed either the CRT or RRT exam within the prior 2 years.

Finally, Michigan’s 3-year renewal cycle is longer than many states in this series (North Carolina renews annually, Arizona and Illinois biennially), and Michigan requires a Social Security Number — or an SSN exemption affidavit — at application, alongside an English language proficiency requirement that can be satisfied through an English-language education program, sufficient English-language college credits, or an approved English proficiency exam under Administrative Rule 338.7002b.

Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC)

Michigan is not currently a member of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC), as of this page’s verification date. The RCIC formally established its governing Commission on April 7, 2026, after eight states enacted the compact’s model legislation. Because compact membership has been expanding quickly since then, verify current status at respiratorycarecompact.org or directly with the Michigan Board of Respiratory Care.

Licensing Requirements

To be licensed as a Respiratory Therapist in Michigan by examination, an applicant must hold at least a 2-year associate’s degree from a college or university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and must have completed a respiratory therapist training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) — both per MCL 333.18709(a)-(b) and confirmed in the Board’s Licensing Guide. Applicants must also arrange for an official report from the NBRC confirming they hold a credential for respiratory therapists (either CRT or RRT satisfies this).

All applicants — regardless of pathway — must also satisfy several requirements that apply across Michigan’s health professions generally. A Social Security Number is required at application, or an SSN exemption affidavit if the applicant is exempt from or does not have one. Applicants must answer Good Moral Character questions, with documentation required for any “yes” answer. A criminal background check is required, with instructions emailed after the online application is submitted (relicensure applicants are exempt if their license expired within the last 3 years). Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency, which can be shown if their respiratory therapy education was taught in English, if their transcript shows at least 60 college-level credits from an English-speaking school, or by passing an approved English proficiency exam under Administrative Rule 338.7002b. And applicants must complete a one-time Human Trafficking Identification training meeting Administrative Rule 338.2201a standards, plus at least 2 hours of Implicit Bias training within the 5 years before the license is issued.

For Endorsement applicants — those licensed or registered as a respiratory therapist in another U.S. state, or licensed as a respiratory therapist in a Canadian province — the documentation required depends on how long they’ve held that license. Those licensed 5 years or more need only submit Verification of Licensure from every state or country where they have ever held a license. Those licensed less than 5 years must, in addition to that verification, also submit the same education transcripts and NBRC credential report required of Examination applicants.

Temporary License

Michigan’s Public Health Code contains temporary respiratory therapist license provisions under MCL 333.18709(3) and 333.18711(2): a temporary license expires within the same time period as a standard license, and its holder becomes eligible for a full license by applying before the temporary license expires and providing proof of passing the NBRC credentialing exam, with fees set under MCL 333.16344. However, the Board’s current Licensing Guide (rev. 1/26/2026) does not describe an active application pathway for a temporary license alongside its Examination, Endorsement, Relicensure, and Foreign-Educated pathways — it’s unclear whether this provision reflects a routinely available modern option or a transitional mechanism from when respiratory care licensure was first implemented. A secondary source reproducing MCL 333.16344 reports a $75 temporary license fee, but ALG could not independently confirm this figure against the Michigan Legislature’s text of that section. Applicants interested in this pathway should contact LARA’s Bureau of Professional Licensing directly to confirm current availability and fees.

How to Apply

  1. Confirm your NBRC credential. Either CRT or RRT satisfies Michigan’s requirement for “a credential for respiratory therapists” — arrange for NBRC to send an official report to LARA confirming your credential.
  2. Arrange official transcripts showing your 2-year CHEA-recognized associate’s degree and your completion of a CoARC-accredited respiratory therapist training program, sent directly to LARA’s Bureau of Professional Licensing.
  3. Complete your Human Trafficking Identification training (meeting Administrative Rule 338.2201a standards) and at least 2 hours of Implicit Bias training within the past 5 years, if you haven’t already.
  4. Apply online through MiPLUS (michigan.gov/miplus), providing your SSN (or SSN exemption affidavit), answering the Good Moral Character questions, and demonstrating English language proficiency.
  5. Pay the $270.10 application fee by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover credit or debit card.
  6. Complete the criminal background check using the instructions emailed to you after your online application is submitted.
  7. If applying by endorsement, arrange for Verification of Licensure from every state or country where you have ever held a respiratory therapist license — and if you’ve held that license less than 5 years, also submit the same transcripts and NBRC report required for examination applicants.
  8. Allow 4-6 weeks for application review, plus 7-10 business days for a mailed license after approval (a PDF is emailed immediately upon issuance).

Practical Notes

  • Don’t go looking for a traditional CE-hour requirement — Michigan structures this differently. If you’re coming from a state with an AARC-approved CE structure, Michigan’s renewal checklist will look unfamiliar: there’s no respiratory-care CE-hour count to track in the way other states use. What you do need to track are the one-time Human Trafficking training and the Implicit Bias training (2 hours before initial issuance, then 3 hours — 1 hour per year — each 3-year renewal cycle).
  • Either CRT or RRT appears to work for Examination and Endorsement. If you’ve seen other states require RRT specifically, don’t assume that’s the case here — Michigan’s own materials just ask for “a credential for respiratory therapists” from NBRC, without distinguishing the two.
  • Your application and fee are only good for 2 years. If you start the process and don’t complete all licensure requirements within 2 years, you’ll need to reapply and pay again — worth keeping in mind if you’re waiting on transcripts or an NBRC report.
  • Endorsement documentation depends on your years licensed elsewhere. If you’ve been licensed as an RT in another state or Canadian province for 5+ years, you may only need a license verification — but under 5 years, plan to also gather the same transcripts and NBRC report a brand-new applicant would need.

Relevant Statutes and Rules

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan require the RRT credential, or is CRT sufficient for a respiratory therapist license?

Michigan law and administrative rules require an NBRC credential for respiratory therapists but do not distinguish between CRT and RRT for Examination or Endorsement applicants. Accordingly, this requirement appears satisfied by either credential — CRT is the entry-level designation and RRT the advanced-level designation, per the Board’s own FAQ. The distinction matters only for Relicensure applicants without a current out-of-state license, who must show they passed either the CRT or RRT exam within the prior 2 years. Source: Michigan Respiratory Therapy Licensing Guide.

How much does it cost to get an initial respiratory therapist license in Michigan?

$270.10 for Respiratory Therapist by Exam or Endorsement, paid by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover credit or debit card. Note that Michigan’s Licensing Guide labels this an “Application Fee + 2 year license fee,” even though license validity and the renewal cycle are stated elsewhere in the same guide as 3 years — an apparent internal inconsistency in the source document. Source: Michigan Respiratory Therapy Licensing Guide.

How long does it take to get a Michigan respiratory therapist license?

The Board’s FAQ states application review “typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks from the date your application is received.” Once approved, it takes approximately 7 to 10 business days to receive a mailed license, though a PDF of the license is emailed immediately upon issuance. Source: Michigan Respiratory Therapy Licensing Guide.

Does Michigan require continuing education for respiratory therapists?

Not in the form of a traditional respiratory-care CE-hour count comparable to states that require 20-30 hours per renewal cycle. Instead, Michigan requires a one-time Human Trafficking Identification training (meeting Administrative Rule 338.2201a standards) before initial licensure, and Implicit Bias training — at least 2 hours within the 5 years before initial licensure, then 1 hour for each year of the 3-year renewal cycle (3 hours per cycle) at every renewal. Source: Michigan Respiratory Therapy Licensing Guide.

Is Michigan part of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact?

No, Michigan is not currently a member of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC), as of this page’s verification date. The RCIC formally established its governing Commission on April 7, 2026 after eight states enacted the compact. Because compact membership has been expanding quickly since then, verify current status at respiratorycarecompact.org or directly with the Michigan Board of Respiratory Care.

Is a temporary respiratory therapist license available in Michigan?

Michigan’s Public Health Code (MCL 333.18709(3) and 333.18711(2)) contains provisions for a temporary respiratory therapist license, with fees set under MCL 333.16344. However, the Board’s current Licensing Guide does not describe an active application pathway for this option alongside its standard pathways, so it’s unclear whether it’s in routine use today. Contact LARA’s Bureau of Professional Licensing directly to confirm current availability and fees before relying on this pathway.

Fees and requirements listed on this page are based on the Michigan Board of Respiratory Care’s Licensing Guide and the Michigan Public Health Code, verified on the date shown in the change log below. Fees and requirements are subject to change — confirm current details with LARA’s Respiratory Care page before submitting an application.

Change Log
2026-06-14 — Page created. Data verified from the Michigan Board of Respiratory Care’s Licensing Guide / FAQ (LARA, revision 1/26/2026), MCL 333.18701-333.18713 (Public Health Code Part 187), and Administrative Rules R 338.2201/2201a and R 338.7001-7005. Key findings: $270.10 initial fee, $248.10 renewal fee, and $290.10 relicensure fee all confirmed directly from the current Licensing Guide — this corrected a Step 1/2 source that had reported $95/$150 with no clear citation. Education requirement (2-year CHEA associate’s degree + CoARC program) confirmed via MCL 333.18709(b) and the Licensing Guide — corrected a Step 1/2 source that had marked this NOT FOUND despite it being in the same document. A temporary license under MCL 333.18709(3)/18711(2), with fees per MCL 333.16344, was confirmed — corrected a Step 1/2 source that had found no specialty/temporary license. SSN requirement (or SSN exemption affidavit) and English language proficiency requirement (R 338.7002b) confirmed via the Licensing Guide. CRT vs. RRT: resolved as a non-conflict — the Guide requires “a credential for respiratory therapists” without specifying which, so either satisfies Examination/Endorsement; CRT-vs-RRT only matters for Relicensure. Compact status: not enacted, no active legislation identified for Michigan as of verification date. Temporary license fee amount under MCL 333.16344 not independently confirmed — flagged for Kenneth’s review if needed.
2026-06-14 — Editorial corrections applied per ChatGPT Projects review: softened RCIC language to avoid time-sensitive legislative claims (now states Michigan is “not currently a member” as of verification date, without asserting absence of legislation); reframed CRT/RRT discussion as an interpretation of governing language rather than a direct Board statement; added a Social Security Number row to the At-a-Glance table; removed comparative editorial commentary on board-structure positioning relative to other states; tightened “3-year cycle” wording to “renews every 3 years under the Board’s current renewal schedule”; added a disclaimer to the Temporary License section noting the current Licensing Guide does not describe an active application pathway for this option, and that applicants should confirm directly with LARA. A secondary source’s claimed $75 temporary license fee (sourced to a third-party reproduction of MCL 333.16344) was evaluated but NOT adopted — ALG could not independently confirm this figure against the Michigan Legislature’s text, and a structurally similar fee table for another profession (MCL 333.16333) shows $75 appearing as an application-processing fee rather than a temporary-license fee, raising concern the figure may be misattributed in the secondary source. Also softened “no general CE hour requirement” language throughout to “no traditional respiratory-care CE-hour requirement comparable to states requiring 20-30 hours per cycle,” and corrected a copy-paste error where the CE-related FAQ used data-field=”education-requirement” instead of data-field=”ce-hours”.

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