Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner License Renewal
- Indiana-licensed RCPs approaching the December 31 even-year renewal deadline
- Travel RTs holding an Indiana license who need to understand renewal and CE requirements
- Newly licensed Indiana RCPs planning their CE strategy for the current biennium
- RCPs whose Indiana license has expired who need to understand reinstatement requirements
Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner License Renewal — At a Glance
| Renewal Cycle | Every 2 years (biennial) |
| License Expiration | December 31 of even-numbered years (statewide fixed date) |
| Renewal Fee | $50 |
| Grace Period | None — failure to renew by December 31 automatically renders the license invalid |
| CE Hours Required | 15 hours per biennium (earned after January 1, 2025 for the 2026 renewal) |
| Mandatory CE Topics | None specified — CE must enhance knowledge and skill in respiratory care practice |
| Correspondence Course Cap | Maximum 7.5 hours via correspondence courses per biennium |
| Auto-Approved CE Sources | AARC and 18 other organizations (see CE section below) |
| Renewal Method | Online via mylicense.in.gov (available for licenses expired less than 3 years) |
| Expired 3+ Years | Reinstatement required — $100 fee plus CE documentation and work history |
| Renewal Contact | mylicense.in.gov | Indiana PLA, 402 W Washington St, Indianapolis IN 46204 |
Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner licenses expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year — a statewide fixed date shared by all Indiana RCPs. The renewal fee is $50, and online renewal is available for licenses that have not been expired for more than three years. Renewal notices are sent approximately 90 days before expiration, by email if an email address is on file, or by mail otherwise.
Indiana requires 15 hours of continuing education per biennium, earned within the current renewal cycle — hours do not carry over from one period to the next. CE attestation is made at the time of renewal; certificates are not submitted unless you are selected for a random audit. Records must be retained for three years after the end of the biennium.
Indiana RCP Continuing Education Requirements
Practitioners are required to complete 15 hours of continuing education earned after January 1, 2025 for the December 31, 2026 renewal. Pro-rated CE applies to newly licensed practitioners: those licensed between January 1–December 31, 2025 need only 7.5 hours; those licensed after January 1, 2026 need 0 hours for this renewal period.
Auto-Approved CE Organizations
The following 19 organizations have automatic CE approval for Indiana respiratory care practitioners:
- American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) or chartered affiliates
- American Medical Association – ACCME
- Indiana State Medical Association
- American Hospital Association
- Indiana Hospital Association
- American Nurses Association or chartered affiliates
- Indiana State Nurses Association
- American College of Chest Physicians
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Heart Association seminar programs (EXCLUDING competency-based programs such as PALS, ACLS, BLS, NRP — see exception below)
- Society of Critical Care Medicine
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
- American Association of Critical Care Nurses
- American Society of Anesthesiologists
- American Polysomnographers Technologist
- American Osteopathic Association
- National Society for Cardiopulmonary Technologists
- American Thoracic Society
- American Lung Association
Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
AHA Competency Programs — Important Exception
AHA competency-based programs such as PALS, ACLS, BLS, and NRP are generally excluded from CE credit for Indiana RCPs. However, an exception applies: these same courses offered through the American Red Cross are eligible for CE because the American Red Cross educational programming is accredited by the Joint Commission. For the Red Cross exception to apply, BLS must be the in-person class for healthcare providers — blended or public-facing classes are not eligible. PALS and ACLS via the Red Cross are also eligible. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Correspondence Course Cap
No more than 7.5 hours of continuing education may be obtained through correspondence courses during the biennium. This is the only format-based CE restriction; there is no stated cap on online or self-study courses that do not qualify as “correspondence courses.” Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
CE Areas
Indiana accepts CE in the following topic areas toward fulfillment of the 15-hour requirement: management of the practice of respiratory care; courses that enable teaching CE for RCPs or teaching topics related to patient/family education; and the practice of respiratory care generally.
CE Attestation and Audit
At renewal, you attest that you have met the CE requirement — you do not submit certificates unless audited. After renewal, a percentage of practitioners are selected for a random audit to present CE certificates. Retain all CE documentation for three years after the end of the biennium. CE hours must be earned within the biennial renewal period and may not be carried over.
How to Renew Your Indiana RCP License
- Confirm you have completed 15 hours of qualifying CE during the current biennium (or pro-rated amount if newly licensed)
- Log in to mylicense.in.gov and complete the online renewal before December 31 of the even-numbered year
- Attest to CE completion on the renewal form
- Pay the $50 renewal fee (online processing fees apply)
- Retain your CE certificates for three years after the biennium end — you may be selected for an audit
Lapsed License Reinstatement
If your Indiana RCP license has been expired for three or more years, you cannot renew it online — you must submit a reinstatement application. Reinstatement requires:
- Payment of $100 total ($50 current renewal fee + $50 initial application fee)
- CE documentation: 15 hours for each missed renewal period, plus 7.5 hours for every year the license has been expired — use the PLA’s CE Tracking Sheet when submitting certificates
- Letter of work history or resume detailing any work since the license expired
- Verification of any other state license held
- The Committee may require you to retake and pass the current entry-level NBRC examination
Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Practical Notes for Indiana RCP Renewal
- December 31 even years — everyone renews at once. All Indiana RCPs share the same expiration date. If you’re on a travel assignment in late December of an even year, your Indiana license is expiring. Renew before you leave for the assignment, not during it.
- No grace period at all. The moment December 31 passes without renewal, the license is automatically invalid — no extra days, no late fee option, nothing. You would need to reinstate if it’s been less than 3 years, or go through the full reinstatement process if it’s been 3+ years.
- AHA competency classes: source matters. ACLS, BLS, and PALS from AHA directly do not count. The same classes through the American Red Cross do count — but only in-person for BLS. If you’re going to count one of these toward your Indiana CE, make sure you have documentation showing American Red Cross as the provider.
- Correspondence cap is 7.5 hours, not online. The 7.5-hour cap applies specifically to correspondence courses. Online courses that are not structured as correspondence courses may count beyond that threshold. Know which category your online CE falls into before relying on it for more than 7.5 hours.
- Keep your email current with PLA. Renewal notices go by email if you have one on file. If your email is outdated or missing, the notice goes by mail. Either way, the expiration date doesn’t change if the notice is missed.
- 3-year reinstatement threshold has serious CE obligations. If you let an Indiana license lapse past 3 years, reinstating means documenting 15 CE hours per missed renewal plus 7.5 hours per year expired — that could be a significant backlog. Don’t let it lapse that long.
Related Pages
- Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner Initial Licensing — Requirements and Application
- Respiratory Care Practitioner Licensing by State — Complete Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need to renew my Indiana RCP license?
Indiana RCP licenses renew every two years (biennially) and expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year. This is a statewide fixed date — all Indiana RCPs share the same renewal deadline. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
What is the renewal fee for an Indiana RCP license?
The standard biennial renewal fee is $50 (online processing fees apply). Licenses expired for three or more years require reinstatement at $100 ($50 renewal fee + $50 initial application fee). Source: Indiana PLA Fee Schedule
How many CE hours are required for Indiana RCP renewal?
Indiana requires 15 hours of continuing education per biennial renewal period, earned within the current renewal cycle. Hours may not carry over. Pro-rated amounts apply for newly licensed practitioners: 7.5 hours if licensed January 1–December 31, 2025; 0 hours if licensed after January 1, 2026. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Does AARC CE count for Indiana renewal?
Yes. The AARC and its chartered affiliates are on Indiana’s list of 19 auto-approved CE organizations. AARC-approved CE is automatically accepted without further Committee review. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Do ACLS, BLS, or PALS count toward Indiana CE?
It depends on the provider. AHA competency-based programs (ACLS, BLS, PALS, NRP) are generally excluded from CE credit for Indiana RCPs when offered by AHA directly. However, the same programs offered by the American Red Cross are eligible because the Red Cross is accredited by the Joint Commission. For BLS via the Red Cross, the in-person healthcare provider class is required — blended or public classes do not qualify. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
What happens if my Indiana RCP license expires?
Failure to renew by December 31 automatically renders the license invalid — there is no grace period. If expired for less than three years, you can reinstate online via mylicense.in.gov. If expired for three or more years, you must submit a formal reinstatement application with a $100 fee, CE documentation (15 hours per missed renewal plus 7.5 hours per year expired), and a work history letter. The Committee may also require an NBRC exam retake. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information