Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner License Requirements
- Respiratory therapists applying for initial Indiana RCP licensure by examination, endorsement, or credentials
- Out-of-state RTs seeking Indiana licensure — including those coming from states without RT licensure requirements
- Travel respiratory therapists planning Indiana assignments
- Respiratory therapy students needing a student permit for supervised clinical practice
- Practitioners whose NBRC exam was completed 5 or more years ago and who are applying via the Credentials pathway
Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner License — At a Glance
| Credential Name | Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) |
| Governing Agency | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA); Indiana Respiratory Care Committee |
| NBRC Requirement | NBRC Credential Report required (sent directly from NBRC) — CRT or RRT both accepted; no Indiana state exam |
| Application Fee | $50 (Examination, Endorsement, or Credentials); $25 (Temporary Permit or Student Permit) |
| Available Pathways | Examination; Endorsement; Credentials; Temporary Permit (exam/endorsement only); Student Permit |
| Application Method | Online via mylicense.in.gov |
| Background Check | Required for Examination, Endorsement, and Credentials pathways |
| Education | Official transcript from respiratory care program required; education waiver available (10 of prior 15 years practice under physician supervision) |
| Jurisprudence Exam | None required |
| Interstate Compact | None — Indiana has not enacted the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact; verify at respiratorycarecompact.org |
| Governing Law | IC 25-34.5 (Respiratory Care Practitioners); 844 IAC 11 |
Indiana licenses respiratory therapists under the title Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP), administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency through the Indiana Respiratory Care Committee. Three pathways lead to full licensure — Examination, Endorsement, and Credentials — each requiring a $50 application fee, an NBRC Credential Report sent directly from NBRC, an official transcript, and a criminal background check. All applications are submitted online through the PLA’s mylicense.in.gov system.
Indiana also offers a Temporary Permit for Examination and Endorsement applicants, and a Student Permit for enrolled respiratory therapy students who need to perform procedures under supervision before graduation. The Credentials pathway has one important caveat: if five or more years have passed since the applicant passed the NBRC examination, they must retake and pass a current entry-level NBRC examination within six months of the application date.
What Makes Indiana Different
Indiana’s licensing framework has several features that stand out. First, the state offers a formal education waiver: applicants who have not completed a respiratory therapy program may still apply for licensure by documenting at least 10 of the prior 15 years of practice under physician supervision. This is an explicit pathway in PLA instructions, not just a theoretical exception.
Second, Indiana’s Credentials pathway has a 5-year re-examination requirement. If five or more years have elapsed since an applicant passed the NBRC examination, the applicant must retake and pass a current entry-level NBRC examination within six months of filing the credentials application. This does not appear to apply to the Examination or Endorsement pathways based on PLA instructions — it is specific to the Credentials pathway.
Third, Indiana’s temporary permit rules are tightly structured. Temporary permits are valid for only six months from graduation (for Examination applicants) or six months from issuance (for Endorsement applicants). Temporary permits are not available for Credentials pathway applicants. Renewal of a temporary permit requires showing good cause to the Committee and paying a $10 fee.
Indiana is not a member of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC). A full Indiana RCP license is required to practice here regardless of compact membership elsewhere.
Indiana RCP Licensure Requirements
NBRC Credential Report
All three main licensure pathways require an NBRC Credential Report sent directly to the Committee from NBRC. A copy of your NBRC certificate or score report is not acceptable for licensure — only the official credential report sent directly from NBRC will be accepted. Both the CRT (Certified Respiratory Therapist) and RRT (Registered Respiratory Therapist) credentials satisfy the requirement. Contact NBRC at (888) 341-4811 or nbrc.org to arrange credential report submission. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Education and Transcript
Applicants must submit an official transcript showing that all requirements for graduation have been met and certifying the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must come directly from the institution. Indiana also offers an education waiver for applicants who have not completed a formal respiratory therapy program — applicants may submit a detailed list documenting at least 10 of the prior 15 years of practice under physician supervision, including dates, locations, responsibilities, and physician supervision. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Criminal Background Check
A criminal background check is required for all Examination, Endorsement, and Credentials applicants. If you answer “Yes” to any questions on the application, you must submit a statement with full details including the violation, location, date, and disposition, along with copies of court documents for each instance. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Credentials Pathway — 5-Year Re-Examination Rule
For applicants seeking licensure by Credentials: if five or more years have elapsed since the applicant successfully passed the NBRC examination, the applicant must retake and successfully complete a current entry-level NBRC examination within six months of the date of the application for licensure. This requirement is specific to the Credentials pathway and is confirmed from PLA licensing instructions. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Endorsement from States Without RT Licensure
Indiana accommodates applicants coming from states that do not require licensure, registration, or certification to practice respiratory care. These applicants may endorse based on their NBRC credentials and must submit a signed, dated statement confirming that their state of origin does not require licensure. This provision applies to both the Endorsement application and the Temporary Permit. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Temporary Permit
Indiana issues Temporary Permits for Examination and Endorsement applicants who need to begin practice before their full license is issued. Key rules: permits are valid for six months from graduation (Examination applicants) or six months from issuance (Endorsement applicants); the permit automatically expires on its expiration date without further Committee action; permits are not available for Credentials pathway applicants; and renewal of a temporary permit ($10 fee) requires written good cause shown to the Committee and is decided case-by-case. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Student Permit
Indiana issues Student Permits for individuals currently enrolled in and in good standing in an Indiana-approved respiratory care program. Student permit holders may only perform procedures they have successfully completed in their program, only on non-critical-care adult patients, and only under the proximate supervision of a licensed RCP. A student permit expires the earliest of: the date a license is issued, the date the application is disapproved, the date the student leaves good standing, 60 days after graduation, the date the student fails the licensure exam, or two years after issuance. Each clinical location requires a separate student permit. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
How to Apply for an Indiana RCP License
- Visit mylicense.in.gov and select the appropriate application type (Examination, Endorsement, or Credentials)
- Pay the $50 application fee (online processing fees apply; all fees nonrefundable)
- Complete the criminal background check (linked from the PLA application)
- Arrange for NBRC to send your Credential Report directly to the Committee (not a copy — must come from NBRC)
- Arrange for your institution to send your official transcript directly to the Committee
- Submit verification of any license, registration, or certification held in any other state or territory (must come directly from that state)
- If your name differs from the name on your NBRC report, include a marriage certificate or divorce decree
- If applying by Credentials and your NBRC exam was 5+ years ago, arrange to retake the entry-level NBRC exam and submit results within 6 months
- Submit all documentation within one year of filing — applications not completed within one year are abandoned and you must reapply
Practical Notes
- NBRC must send the report — not you. Indiana is explicit: a copy of your certificate or score report is not acceptable. The official credential report must be requested from NBRC and sent directly to the Committee. Build this step into your timeline before you apply.
- Credentials pathway: check your exam date. If you passed the NBRC exam five or more years ago and plan to apply by Credentials, you will need to retake the entry-level NBRC exam within six months of filing. This is a hard requirement — plan for it before submitting your application.
- Temporary permit: the clock starts at graduation. For Examination applicants, your temporary permit runs six months from your graduation date — not from when you received the permit. If you delay applying, you may have a shorter working window than you expect.
- 1-year abandon rule: track your outstanding documents. If all materials are not received within one year of filing, the application is abandoned without any Board action. You would need to reapply and repay. NBRC and institution transcript delays are the most common causes — follow up proactively.
- No compact means a full application for each Indiana assignment. Indiana is not in the RCIC. Every Indiana assignment requires a full Indiana RCP license.
- Coming from a state without RT licensure? Indiana has a specific endorsement pathway for you — submit a signed statement confirming your state does not require licensure, plus your NBRC credentials. You are not blocked from Indiana licensure simply because your home state doesn’t license respiratory therapists.
Relevant Statutes and Regulations
- Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information (primary source)
- Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Home
Related Pages
- Indiana Respiratory Care Practitioner License Renewal Guide
- Respiratory Care Practitioner Licensing by State — Complete Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Indiana license to practice respiratory care in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana requires licensure as a Respiratory Care Practitioner to practice respiratory care under IC 25-34.5. Authorized exceptions exist only for student permit holders and certain other statutory exemptions. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
What is the application fee for an Indiana RCP license?
The application fee is $50 for Licensure by Examination, Endorsement, or Credentials — all fees are nonrefundable and online processing fees apply. The Temporary Permit and Student Permit each cost $25. Renewal of a Temporary Permit costs $10. Source: Indiana PLA Fee Schedule
Does Indiana require CRT or RRT for licensure?
Indiana requires an NBRC Credential Report — both the CRT and RRT credentials are accepted. The NBRC report must be sent directly from NBRC to the Committee; copies of certificates or score reports are not accepted. No separate Indiana state examination is required. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
What is the 5-year re-examination rule for the Credentials pathway?
If five or more years have elapsed since an applicant successfully completed the NBRC examination, the applicant applying by Credentials must retake and successfully complete a current entry-level NBRC examination within six months of the date of the application for licensure. This requirement is specific to the Credentials pathway. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information
Does Indiana participate in the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact?
Indiana has not enacted the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact (RCIC) as of June 2026. Compact privileges from other RCIC member states do not apply in Indiana. A full Indiana RCP license is required to practice here. Verify current RCIC status at respiratorycarecompact.org.
Can I apply for Indiana licensure if my home state doesn’t license respiratory therapists?
Yes. Indiana has a specific provision for endorsement applicants coming from states that do not require licensure, registration, or certification to practice respiratory care. These applicants endorse based on their NBRC credentials and must submit a signed, dated statement confirming their home state does not require licensure. Source: Indiana PLA — Respiratory Care Licensing Information