West Virginia Physical Therapist License Renewal

Who This Guide Is For

• West Virginia-licensed physical therapists approaching a December 31 biennial renewal deadline.
• PTs tracking CE requirements and upload obligations before the renewal window closes.
• WV-domiciled PTs holding PT Compact privileges in other states who need to keep their West Virginia license active to preserve those privileges.

Renewal Overview

West Virginia PT licenses expire on December 31 of the renewal year, with a fixed biennial renewal window running from October 1 through midnight on December 31. Unlike states that stagger renewals by birth month or set individual expiration dates, West Virginia uses a single uniform deadline that applies to all licensees in a given renewal year — making the end-of-year crunch real for anyone who waits.

There is no grace period. Under W. Va. Code §30-20-15(b), a license that is not renewed by December 31 automatically goes to delinquent status on January 1, and the Board notifies the licensee’s employer. The cost of reinstating a delinquent PT license is substantially higher than the standard renewal fee, and the Board requires CE documentation as well.

West Virginia requires CE certificates to be uploaded to the licensee portal before renewal can proceed — the system will not let a licensee move forward without completing this step first.

Continuing Education Requirements

Under 16CSR1 §12.2, West Virginia PT licensees must complete 24 units of Board-approved continuing education within each 2-year licensing period. One unit equals one clock hour. CE hours may not be carried over from one renewal period to another, per 16CSR1 §12.2.3.

West Virginia does not specify mandatory CE topics — no required hours in ethics, jurisprudence, or practice management are imposed on PT licensees. CE content flexibility is broad, provided it meets Board-approval standards.

Certain activity categories carry specific limits and credits under 16CSR1 §12.3:

• Clinical instruction and competency tools (combined): Maximum 8 units per license period (§12.3.1). Clinical instruction of CAPTE-enrolled students earns 1 unit per 4 weeks of instruction, up to 8 units per year (§12.3.5).
• ABPTS specialty exam or HTCC certification exam: Passage qualifies for the full 24 CE units in the year the exam is taken (§12.3.2).
• APTA-credentialed residency or fellowship: Completion qualifies for the full 24 CE units in the year completed (§12.3.3).
• FSBPT Practice Review Tool: Qualifies for 8 CE units; may only be used every other renewal period (§12.3.4).
• Board-approved CE courses: 1 unit per hour of class time (§12.3.6).
• Auto-approved providers (1 unit per hour): CAPTE college or university programs, APTA, Board of Certification (BOC), and West Virginia Physical Therapy Association (WVPTA) sponsored CE are automatically accepted without separate Board approval (§12.3.7).

New graduates do not need CE hours for the current year of graduation, per 16CSR1 §12.2.4. Licensees reinstating a license for 6 months or less in a given period need only 6 CE units for that year (§12.2.1).

How to Renew

1. Complete 24 CE hours during the 2-year licensing period. Confirm that each activity is Board-approved. Auto-approved providers (CAPTE, APTA, BOC, WVPTA) do not require separate Board sign-off.
2. Upload CE certificates to your licensee portal before starting renewal. The renewal system will not allow you to proceed without this. Multiple certificates from the same provider (e.g., Medbridge) can be consolidated into a single upload file for convenience.
3. Update contact and employer information in your portal before renewing. Any name changes require legal documentation (marriage certificate, divorce decree) to be submitted to the Board before renewal can be processed.
4. Log in to your licensee portal at the Board’s online renewal system using the email address on file with the Board. Renewal is available beginning October 1.
5. Pay the $100 biennial renewal fee by credit or debit card; note that a small convenience fee applies for card transactions.
6. Submit renewal by midnight on December 31. There is no grace period — licenses not renewed by that deadline go delinquent on January 1.
7. Print your renewed license. The Board does not mail copies of renewed licenses; your current license is available at any time through your licensee account.
8. Display your renewed license conspicuously at your principal business location as required by W. Va. Code §30-20-18(b).

Delinquent License Reinstatement

Under 16CSR1 §5.3–5.4, a license not renewed by December 31 and not placed into inactive status is automatically moved to delinquent status. Reinstatement requires payment of the application fee ($25), the delinquent license fee ($250), and the current renewal fee ($100) — a combined $375 before the Board’s potential penalty of up to 25% of the original fee under 16CSR4 §2.2.19. CE compliance documentation is also required.

For PTs who have not held an active license in any jurisdiction within the past five years, 16CSR1 §14 requires a Re-entry to Practice Agreement before licensure will be restored. This agreement includes a six-month period of direct on-site supervision by a currently licensed West Virginia PT, written progress reports to the Board every 60 days, and completion of 24 Board-approved CE hours within six months of signing the agreement. These re-entry CE hours are in addition to the standard 24-hour renewal CE requirement.

PT Compact Renewal Implications

For West Virginia-domiciled PTs who hold compact privileges in other member states, maintaining an active West Virginia license is required to maintain those compact privileges. At renewal time, WV-domiciled licensees may select which compact states to apply for renewed privileges in. Allowing the West Virginia license to become delinquent will affect compact privilege status across every other member state where a privilege has been purchased.

For PTs practicing in West Virginia under a compact privilege from another home state, renewal obligations track the home-state license, not West Virginia’s December 31 cycle. West Virginia’s practice rules, supervision requirements, and Board disciplinary authority apply to all PTs practicing in the state regardless of compact or licensure status.

Relevant Statutes

• Title 16 CSR Series 1, §§5, 12, 14 — Renewal, Continuing Education, and Re-entry to Practice (effective April 7, 2026)
• Title 16 CSR Series 4 — Fees, §2.2.4, 2.2.5, 2.2.18, 2.2.19 (effective May 1, 2021)
• West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy — Renewal Information Page
• West Virginia Board of Physical Therapy — PT Compact Information Page

Related Pages

• West Virginia PT Initial Licensing
• Kentucky PT License Renewal
• Mississippi PT License Renewal

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a grace period for West Virginia PT license renewal?
No. West Virginia provides no grace period. Per W. Va. Code §30-20-15(b), a license not renewed by midnight on December 31 automatically goes to delinquent status on January 1 and the Board notifies the licensee’s employer. The three-month renewal window (October 1 through December 31) is the period the Board provides to complete renewal. Source: WVBOPT Renewal Information page; W. Va. Code §30-20-15(b)

What does it cost to renew a West Virginia PT license?
The standard biennial renewal fee is $100. A license that goes delinquent after December 31 requires payment of a $25 application fee, a $250 delinquent license fee, and the $100 renewal fee — a combined $375 — plus a potential penalty of up to 25% of the original fee. Source: 16CSR4 §2.2.4, §2.2.5, §2.2.19

How many CE hours does West Virginia require for PT renewal?
West Virginia requires 24 clock hours of Board-approved continuing education per 2-year licensing period. No mandatory topic areas are specified. CE hours cannot be carried over to the next renewal period. CE certificates must be uploaded to the licensee portal before renewal can be submitted. Source: 16CSR1 §12.2; 16CSR1 §12.2.3

Does West Virginia require CE hours in ethics or jurisprudence for PT renewal?
No. West Virginia does not require any mandatory CE topics for PT renewal. The 24-hour requirement is flexible in content, provided the CE is Board-approved. Source: 16CSR1 §12.2; §12.3

What happens if a West Virginia PT has not held an active license in any jurisdiction for five years or longer?
A PT who has not held an active license in any jurisdiction for more than five years must enter into a Re-entry to Practice Agreement with the Board before a license will be restored. This requires a six-month period of direct on-site supervision by a currently licensed West Virginia PT, written supervisor reports to the Board every 60 days, and completion of 24 CE hours within six months of signing the agreement, in addition to meeting regular renewal CE requirements. Source: 16CSR1 §14.1, §14.1.2

How does West Virginia PT renewal affect PT Compact privileges in other states?
Maintaining an active West Virginia license is required to maintain PT Compact privileges held through West Virginia domicile. At renewal, WV-domiciled licensees may choose which compact states to renew privileges for. If the West Virginia license goes delinquent, compact privileges across all member states are affected until the West Virginia license is reinstated. Source: WVBOPT PT Compact page