Michigan Physical Therapist License Renewal — PDR Requirements and Fees

Michigan Physical Therapist Licenses renew every two years, with all licenses expiring July 1 of every even-numbered year. The MiPLUS renewal portal opens 90 days before the July 1 deadline — LARA sends renewal notifications via email and postal mail to the address on record. It is the licensee’s responsibility to renew on time regardless of whether a notification is received.

Michigan uses a Professional Development Requirement (PDR) system rather than traditional CE hours. PDRs encompass a broader range of activities than standard continuing education — including clinical practice, teaching, publication, and service on professional boards — in addition to traditional course attendance. LARA has partnered with CE Broker as an optional tracking tool for PDR credits. Licensees should familiarize themselves with which activities qualify under each PDR activity code.

What Makes Michigan Different for Renewal

• PDR system, not traditional CE hours. Michigan uses Professional Development Requirements (PDRs) rather than a simple CE-hour count. PDRs include traditional CEUs but also encompass clinical practice hours, teaching, presentations, publications, and board service — each with specific activity codes and credit calculations. Up to 20 of the 24 required PDR credits may come from traditional CEU courses.
• 60-day grace period with continued practice explicitly allowed by statute. Per MCL 333.16201(2), which governs all Michigan professional licenses, licensees may continue to practice and use the professional title during the 60-day post-expiration period — provided they renew within that window. This is a statutory authorization, not just an administrative policy. After 60 days, the license is lapsed and relicensure is required before practice can resume.
• Multiple mandatory PDR topics. Michigan requires: at least 1 PDR credit in pain and symptom management per cycle; 1 hour of implicit bias training per year of the license cycle (2 hours per biennial renewal); and a one-time human trafficking training (separate from PDR count, required initially and not repeated).
• CE Broker for tracking. LARA has partnered with CE Broker to help Michigan PT licensees track PDR credits. Licensees may use CE Broker to track activities throughout the renewal cycle — having records organized throughout the period is easier than reconstructing documentation at renewal time.
• 12-credit daily cap. No more than 12 PDR credits may be earned in any 24-hour period. This prevents credit-farming through intensive single-day seminars.
• Relicensure, not late renewal, after 60 days. Once the 60-day grace window closes, the license is lapsed. Relicensure within 3 years of expiration requires 24 PDR credits or proof of 500 hours of PT employment in another jurisdiction during the 2-year period preceding application. Beyond 3 years, additional requirements apply — potentially including re-examination.

Michigan PT Professional Development Requirements (PDR)

Per Mich. Admin. Code R 338.7163 and the LARA PT licensing guide, Michigan-licensed physical therapists must complete 24 PDR credits during the 2 years immediately preceding the expiration of their license. One PDR credit generally equals one hour of qualifying activity, though conversion rates vary by activity type.

Mandatory PDR topics

Of the 24 required PDR credits, the following mandatory elements apply:

• Pain and symptom management: At least 1 PDR credit must be earned in pain and symptom management each renewal cycle (per licensing guide, R 338.7163).
• Implicit bias training: At least 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the license cycle — meaning 2 hours per biennial renewal. This training must have a live component. Beginning June 1, 2022 and all renewals thereafter. This is outside the 20-CEU cap but counts toward the 24-PDR total.
• Human trafficking training: A one-time training in identifying victims of human trafficking per R 338.7126. This training is required once and does not need to be repeated at each renewal. It is separate from the 24-PDR requirement and does not count toward the PDR total.

PDR activity limits

Key limits under R 338.7163:

• No more than 12 PDR credits may be earned in any single 24-hour period
• No more than 20 of the 24 PDR credits may come from traditional continuing education (CEU) courses — leaving at least 4 credits that must come from other PDR activity types
• Implicit Bias and Human Trafficking training are outside the 20-CEU limit
• Licensees cannot claim PDR credit for an activity identical or substantially identical to one already claimed during the same cycle

PDR activity types

Michigan’s PDR system recognizes a broad range of activities beyond traditional CEU courses, organized by activity codes. Activities include traditional continuing education, academic coursework, clinical instruction, presentations, publications, professional board service, and other specified activities. Each activity code has specific credit calculations and documentation standards. Consult the LARA PT page and APTA Michigan’s PDR resources for a full activity code listing.

How to Renew Your Michigan Physical Therapist License

1. Complete 24 PDR credits during the 2-year period preceding July 1 of your renewal year, including all mandatory components (1 PDR pain/symptom management; 2 hours implicit bias training)
2. Track your PDR activities throughout the cycle — LARA partners with CE Broker as an optional tracking tool
3. Log in to MiPLUS — renewal portal opens 90 days before July 1
4. Complete the renewal application — you will be asked to accept the renewal attestation, certifying that you have met all PDR requirements
5. Answer Good Moral Character and Disciplinary questions; provide documentation if you answer “yes”
6. Pay the $198.50 renewal fee by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover
7. Submit before July 1 to avoid late fees. You may renew through the 60-day grace period with a late fee and continue practicing during that window.

PT Compact and Michigan Renewal

Michigan is not a PT Compact member state as of May 2026. Compact renewal implications do not apply. Michigan-licensed PTs cannot use their Michigan license as a home-state license for compact privileges in other states, and compact privilege holders from other states cannot practice in Michigan under compact privileges. All PTs practicing in Michigan must hold a standalone Michigan license.

Practical Notes for Michigan PT License Renewal

• July 1 is the same for every Michigan PT — the portal gets busy near the deadline. All Michigan PT licenses expire on the same day. Renew early in the window (which opens 90 days before July 1) to avoid the year-end rush.
• The 60-day grace period allows continued practice — but don’t rely on it. Michigan is unusual in explicitly allowing continued practice during the grace period. However, renewing on time remains the safest approach — late fees apply and any complications during the grace period leave you without a current license.
• Track PDR activities throughout the cycle — not just at renewal time. Michigan’s PDR system is more complex than a simple CE-hour count. LARA partners with CE Broker as an optional tracking tool — or keep your own records of which activities qualify under which activity code. Either way, do not wait until the month before renewal to reconstruct two years of activity documentation.
• PDRs are not all CEUs — plan your 4+ non-CEU credits. Because no more than 20 of 24 PDRs can come from traditional CEU courses, you need at least 4 PDR credits from other activity types: teaching, clinical instruction, presentations, publications, or board service. Build these into your professional development plan.
• Implicit bias training must have a live component. Unlike some states where online-only implicit bias courses satisfy the requirement, Michigan’s implicit bias training must include a live component. Confirm this with your CE provider before enrolling.
• Relicensure after 60 days requires significant additional steps. If you miss the grace period, you’ll need to submit a full relicensure application with PDR documentation (or 500+ hours of employment elsewhere). Relicensure applications for licenses lapsed more than 3 years may require Board review. Don’t let your license lapse if you can avoid it.

Relevant Michigan Laws and Regulations

• Mich. Admin. Code R 338.7163 — Professional Development Requirements for Renewal
• Michigan Public Health Code (PA 368 of 1978) — Article 15, Parts 161 and 178
• Michigan LARA — Physical Therapy

Related Pages

• Michigan Physical Therapist License Requirements — Initial Licensing
• Illinois Physical Therapist License Renewal
• Ohio Physical Therapist License Renewal
• Physical Therapist Licensing by State — Complete Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do I need to renew my Michigan Physical Therapist License?

Michigan PT licenses renew every two years (biennial). All licenses expire July 1 of every even-numbered year — a single fixed date shared by all Michigan-licensed PTs. Source: Michigan LARA Physical Therapy

What is the renewal fee for a Michigan Physical Therapist License?

The biennial renewal fee is $198.50, paid online through MiPLUS by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover. A late fee applies if renewing during the 60-day grace period after July 1. Source: LARA License Renewal Fees

How many PDR credits are required for Michigan PT renewal?

24 Professional Development Requirement (PDR) credits must be completed during the 2 years immediately preceding the July 1 license expiration. PDRs are not the same as traditional CE hours — they encompass a broader range of activities under specific activity codes as defined in R 338.7163. No more than 20 of the 24 credits may come from traditional CEU courses. Source: Michigan LARA Physical Therapy

What are the mandatory PDR topics for Michigan PT renewal?

Michigan PT licensees must include within the 24-PDR total: at least 1 credit in pain and symptom management each renewal cycle; and at least 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the license cycle (2 hours per biennial renewal, with a live component required). Human trafficking training is a separate one-time requirement that does not count toward the 24-PDR total and is not repeated at each renewal. Source: Michigan LARA Physical Therapy

Does Michigan allow continued practice during the renewal grace period?

Yes. Per MCL 333.16201(2), which appears on the LARA License Renewal Fees page: “The licensee or registrant may continue to practice and use the title during the 60-day time period.” Licensees who renew within the 60-day window (with a late fee) may continue practicing during that period. After 60 days, the license lapses and relicensure is required before practice resumes. Source: LARA License Renewal Fees (citing MCL 333.16201(2))

What happens if my Michigan PT license lapses beyond the grace period?

Licenses not renewed within 60 days of July 1 are considered lapsed. Relicensure is required. Within 3 years of expiration, relicensure requires 24 PDR credits or proof of 500 hours of PT employment in another jurisdiction during the 2-year period preceding the relicensure application. Beyond 3 years, additional requirements may apply including Board review. Source: Michigan LARA Physical Therapy