Tennessee Respiratory Therapist License Renewal

Tennessee respiratory therapist licenses renew biennially, with the specific expiration date printed on each licensee’s license certificate. Online renewal opens 120 days before expiration, and the Board mails a courtesy renewal notice approximately 45 days out. The total renewal cost is $85 — a $75 renewal fee plus a $10 state regulatory fee — and a $50 late fee applies if renewal is not completed before the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is a violation of Tennessee law.

Tennessee’s CE framework is among the more structured in the RC dataset. The state requires 12 contact hours every calendar year — not just per biennial cycle, meaning practitioners must track CE on an annual basis. Seven of those 12 hours have mandatory topic requirements, and at least 5 of the 12 must be obtained in a live, real-time, interactive format. Pre-recorded or non-interactive CE counts for no more than 7 of the 12 annual hours.

Tennessee Respiratory Therapist CE Requirements

The Board requires 12 contact hours of continuing education every calendar year, effective November 26, 2015, per Rule 1330-01-.12. This is an annual requirement — not a biennial one — totaling 24 hours across the two-year renewal cycle. Documentation must be retained for 3 years from the end of the calendar year in which the CE was completed.

Mandatory CE Topic Requirements

Of the 12 required annual hours, specific topic allocations are required per Rule 1330-01-.12:

• At least 5 hours must pertain to the clinical practice of respiratory care or to research relating to the cardio-pulmonary system
• At least 1 hour must pertain to patient safety as defined by the Joint Commission
• At least 1 hour must be a course focused on the professional or ethical standards required of respiratory therapists by Tennessee’s governing rules and statutes
• The remaining 5 hours may cover other relevant topics including education, management, or related clinical content

Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education section

Live vs. Non-Interactive CE

Rule 1330-01-.12(2)(c) requires that a minimum of 5 of the 12 annual hours be obtained in a live, real-time format with an interactive opportunity. Per the Board’s CE multimedia policy (updated June 26, 2023), this requirement can be satisfied either by attending an in-person course or by participating in a live, real-time webinar that provides genuine opportunity for interactive participation. Pre-recorded, self-directed, or non-interactive online courses count as “multi-media” under Board rules and are capped at a maximum of 7 hours per year. A recorded webinar does not satisfy the live requirement even if it was originally broadcast live. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — CE Policy Statement on Multi-media Classes (2023)

Approved CE Providers

The Board publishes a list of organizations whose CE is considered acceptable provided the educational content is appropriate. Approved organizations include the American Association for Respiratory Care and its chartered affiliates, the Tennessee Society for Respiratory Care, the Tennessee Medical Association, the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Society of Cardiovascular Professionals, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Critical Care Nurse Association, Tennessee Association for Home Care, Tennessee Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, all JCAHO-accredited hospitals and Tennessee Hospital Association member institutions, the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation, the Association of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, and the American Association of Pediatric Physicians. The full list is published on the Board’s website. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education section

CE That Does Not Count

The Board explicitly excludes the following from qualifying CE: regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing and reporting, membership in or holding office in professional organizations, participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, banquet speeches, and training specifically related to an agency’s own policies and procedures.

CE Documentation

Each licensee must retain independent proof of attendance and completion of all CE for 3 years from the end of the calendar year in which the CE was acquired. The Board may request documentation during a verification process. CE required by a Board Consent Agreement or Order cannot be counted toward the annual renewal CE requirement.

How to Renew Your Tennessee Respiratory Therapist License

1. Confirm you have completed 12 contact hours of qualifying CE for the calendar year — Tennessee tracks CE annually, not just at renewal time
2. Log in to LARS (lars.tn.gov) — online renewal opens 120 days before your expiration date
3. Complete the renewal and attest to CE completion
4. Pay the $85 total renewal fee ($75 + $10 state regulatory) via credit card, debit card, or e-check
5. Update your Practitioner Profile Questionnaire if any information has changed (required within 30 days of any change per the Consumer Right-to-Know Act)
6. Submit before your expiration date — the Board sends one courtesy notice 45 days out, but the license expires whether the notice was received or not

Lapsed License Reinstatement

Tennessee distinguishes between two categories of lapsed license. For licenses expired or retired for one year or less, the Board may require evidence of continuing education completed during the period of non-practice; such hours may not be applied toward future renewal CE requirements. For licenses lapsed or retired more than one year, the licensee must submit 12 CE contact hours for every year the license was retired or lapsed, up to a maximum of 24 hours total — all of which must have been completed within one year before the date of reinstatement. A reinstatement application (Form 4049) and reinstatement fee are required. Contact the Board at 615-532-5090 to confirm current reinstatement requirements and fees before submitting. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education section

Practical Notes for Tennessee RT Renewal

• Tennessee CE is annual, not biennial. The requirement is 12 hours per calendar year — every year, not just the renewal year. If you wait until the year your license expires to do CE, you’ve already missed a year’s requirement. Track CE on a January-December calendar basis.
• 5 of 12 hours must be live and interactive. Not just any online course qualifies as “live.” Under the Board’s multimedia policy, a recorded webinar doesn’t count even if it was broadcast live originally. The live hours must be real-time, with genuine interactive opportunity. Pre-recorded courses count toward the 7-hour non-interactive cap — not the live 5-hour requirement.
• 7 of 12 hours have specific topic requirements. Five hours in clinical RC/cardiopulmonary research, one hour in patient safety, one hour in professional ethics/Tennessee statutes. This isn’t a suggestion — it’s a requirement. Make sure your CE plan maps to these categories before the calendar year ends.
• Keep your CE documentation for 3 years. Tennessee uses an audit-based verification system. If you’re selected, you’ll need records going back three full calendar years. Digital copies organized by year are the most practical approach.
• Your expiration date is on your license — don’t guess. Tennessee doesn’t use a fixed statewide date or a birthday-based date. Each license has its own individual expiration date printed on the certificate. If you don’t know yours, log in to LARS.
• One courtesy notice — that’s it. The Board mails one renewal notice 45 days before expiration. If your address is outdated, or the notice gets lost, your license still expires. Keep your address current in LARS and set your own calendar reminder.

Related Pages

• Tennessee Respiratory Therapist Initial Licensing — Requirements and Application
• Respiratory Care Practitioner Licensing by State — Complete Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do I need to renew my Tennessee respiratory therapist license?

Tennessee respiratory therapist licenses renew every two years (biennial). The specific expiration date is printed on your license certificate and is individual to each licensee. Online renewal opens 120 days before the expiration date. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care

What is the renewal fee for a Tennessee respiratory therapist license?

The total biennial renewal cost is $85, consisting of a $75 renewal fee and a $10 state regulatory fee, per Rules 1330-01-.06 (November 2025). A $50 late renewal fee applies if renewal is not completed before the license expiration date. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care; Rules 1330-01-.06

How many CE hours are required to renew a Tennessee respiratory therapist license?

Tennessee requires 12 contact hours of continuing education every calendar year — this is an annual requirement, not a biennial one. Across the two-year renewal cycle, that totals 24 hours. Of the 12 annual hours: at least 5 must cover clinical respiratory care or cardiopulmonary research, at least 1 must address patient safety, at least 1 must address professional ethics and Tennessee statutes, and at least 5 must be obtained in a live, real-time, interactive format. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — Continuing Education section; Rule 1330-01-.12

Does a live webinar count toward the Tennessee live CE requirement?

Yes, but only if it is truly live, real-time, and provides genuine opportunities for interactive participation. Per the Board’s CE multimedia policy (2023), a live webinar with real-time interactivity satisfies the live CE requirement. A pre-recorded webinar or on-demand video does not, even if it was originally broadcast live. Pre-recorded and non-interactive courses count toward the maximum 7-hour non-interactive cap. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care — CE Policy Statement on Multi-media Classes (2023)

What happens if my Tennessee respiratory therapist license expires?

Practicing on an expired Tennessee license is a violation of state law. For licenses lapsed one year or less, reinstatement requires CE hours that may not be counted toward future CE requirements. For licenses lapsed more than one year, reinstatement requires 12 CE hours for every year the license was lapsed, up to a maximum of 24 hours, all completed within the year before reinstatement. A reinstatement application and fee are required. Contact the Board at 615-532-5090 to confirm current requirements. Source: Tennessee Board of Respiratory Care

Does Tennessee participate in the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact?

Tennessee is not currently a member of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC) as of June 2026. Compact privileges from other RCIC member states do not apply in Tennessee. Verify current membership status at respiratorycarecompact.org.