New York Respiratory Therapist Registration Renewal

ByAllied License Guide Editorial Team

Editorial Note: This page is editorially reviewed by an ARDMS-credentialed sonographer as part of AlliedLicenseGuide.com’s allied health licensing database. Primary sources: NYSED CE Requirements and NYSED Fee Chart.

Who This Guide Is For

  • New York-licensed respiratory therapists (RT) and respiratory therapy technicians (RTT) approaching their triennial registration renewal and confirming CE hours, fees, and acceptable provider categories.
  • Newly licensed New York RTs in their first registration period who want to understand when CE requirements begin and how the registration cycle aligns to their birth month over time.
  • Travel respiratory therapists maintaining an active New York registration between assignments and tracking CE compliance across multiple state licenses.

New York Respiratory Therapist Registration Renewal — At a Glance

Registration Cycle Triennial (every 3 years); license itself is permanent
Registration Expiration Birth month (aligned after second registration period)
Registration Fee (RT) $209 ($30 CE fee + $179 registration)
Registration Fee (RTT) $129 ($25 CE fee + $104 registration)
CE Hours (RT) 30 hours per 3-year period (CE-exempt first period)
CE Hours (RTT) 24 hours per 3-year period (CE-exempt first period)
Informal CE Limit Max 15 hrs (RT); max 12 hrs (RTT) per period
Renewal Method Online (NYSED registration renewal portal)
Lapsed Registration License permanent; lapsed >4 months requires Delayed Registration Application
Compact Renewal Not applicable — New York not an RCIC member
Renewal Contact rtbd@nysed.gov / (518) 474-3817 ext. 120

New York’s approach to respiratory therapy registration renewal differs from most states in one foundational way: the license itself never expires. What a New York respiratory therapist renews every three years is the registration — the legal authorization to practice under that permanent license. Letting registration lapse means the license remains on record but cannot be legally used for practice until the registration is reinstated.

Renewal is handled online through the NYSED Office of the Professions registration renewal portal. Unlike some states that use a CE tracking service to auto-verify hours, New York uses a self-attestation model: licensees attest that they have completed the required continuing education hours at the time of renewal but do not submit certificates to the Department. Records must be kept for six years and produced if the Department selects the licensee for an audit.

Registration Renewal Requirements

To renew registration, a New York respiratory therapist must complete the required continuing education hours during the registration period and attest to completion at renewal. The registration fee is paid at that time, which includes a separate CE administrative fee built into the total. New York does not send automatic renewal reminders in the way some states do — it is the licensee’s responsibility to track and meet registration deadlines.

If a licensee cannot complete the full CE requirement by the registration deadline, the Department may issue a conditional registration for up to one year. This requires agreeing to complete the remaining hours during the conditional period, continuing to accrue CE at the prorated monthly rate, paying the regular registration fee plus an additional fee equal to that same amount, and submitting the Registration Remittance Addendum. Failure to comply with the conditional registration results in denial of renewal and inability to legally practice.

If registration has lapsed for longer than four months, a standard online renewal is not available — the licensee must instead submit a Delayed Registration Application through the NYSED eservices portal.

Registration Cycle and Birth Month Alignment

New York’s registration cycle has a distinctive structure. The first registration period runs for three years from the date of initial licensure — and CE is not required during this period. The second registration period is adjusted in length (anywhere from 28 to 40 months) so that its end date aligns with the licensee’s birth month. For that adjusted second period, CE hours are prorated: RT licensees earn 0.83 hours per month of the registration period; RTT licensees earn 0.67 hours per month. From the third registration period onward, cycles are fixed three-year intervals expiring in the licensee’s birth month. Source: NYSED CE Requirements.

Continuing Education Requirements

Respiratory Therapists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education per three-year registration period; Respiratory Therapy Technicians must complete 24 hours. The first registration period is CE-exempt for both tiers.

New York distinguishes between formal and informal self-study. Formal self-study includes college courses, conferences, seminars, and lectures where an instructor is present to respond to questions — including telecourses and computer-based courses with direct instructor interaction. Informal self-study covers internet and video courses taken without a live instructor or facilitator. Informal hours are capped: no more than 15 hours per period for RTs and 12 hours for RTTs. There is no requirement to take informal courses — all hours can be formal if desired.

Licensees may also earn up to 10 CE hours per period for experience as a clinical instructor, provided it demonstrates competency standards. A Preceptor Evaluation Form must be completed and retained with CE records.

Approved CE Sponsors

New York recognizes three categories of approved CE sponsors for respiratory therapy:

  • Category I: Sponsors approved directly by the State Board for Respiratory Therapy after application review (e.g., North Shore University Hospital).
  • Category II: Colleges, universities, and degree-granting institutions with NYSED-registered respiratory therapy programs, for respiratory therapy courses.
  • Category III: Courses in acceptable subject areas approved by the following organizations: American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), American Heart Association (AHA), American Medical Association (AMA), American Nurses Association (ANA) or New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), American Red Cross, and the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

Acceptable CE subject areas include relevant disease management, vent and airway management, pharmacology, hemodynamics, infection control, ECG, HIV/AIDS management, ethics, safety, respiratory care equipment, CPR, ACLS, PALS, neonatal resuscitation, and other topics related to respiratory therapy practice. Subject matter must be relevant to professional practice to qualify. Source: NYSED Continuing Education FAQ.

CE Record-Keeping

For each CE course, licensees must retain for six years: the course title and any ID number, the number of contact hours, the sponsor’s name and ID, the sponsor’s verification of attendance, and the date and location. All five elements are typically included on a sponsor-issued certificate of completion. At renewal, licensees attest to compliance — CE certificates are not submitted to the Department unless the licensee is selected for an audit.

How to Renew Registration

  1. Complete your CE requirement by the end of your registration period. Ensure all courses are from approved sponsors and that the subject matter is relevant to respiratory therapy practice.
  2. Log in to the NYSED registration renewal portal at op.nysed.gov. Online renewal requires payment by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or American Express).
  3. Attest to CE completion. You are certifying that you have completed the required hours — do not attest unless you have done so; false attestation constitutes professional misconduct.
  4. Pay the registration fee (see table above). If paying by mail, submit a check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department.
  5. Retain your CE records for six years from the date each course was completed. Keep sponsor-issued certificates of completion. Do not discard records after renewal.

Practical Notes

  • CE-exempt first period — but track when it ends. New York’s CE exemption for the first registration period means new licensees have time before CE begins, but the second period is adjusted and may be shorter than three years. Know your registration expiration date and when your CE obligation actually starts.
  • No CE tracking service — keep your own records. Unlike states that use CE Broker for automatic verification, New York relies entirely on self-attestation and audit. Your sponsor-issued certificates are your only documentation. Six-year retention is required.
  • Informal CE cap applies. Online or video courses without a live instructor are limited to 15 hours per period (RT) or 12 hours (RTT). Exceeding that limit means the excess hours won’t count — plan your CE mix accordingly.
  • Lapsed over 4 months: use the Delayed Registration process. Standard online renewal is not available if your registration has been lapsed for more than four months. Contact the Office of the Professions at rtbd@nysed.gov before attempting to renew.

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours does New York require per renewal period?

Respiratory Therapists must complete 30 contact hours per three-year registration period. Respiratory Therapy Technicians must complete 24 hours per period. No CE is required during the first registration period after initial licensure. Source: NYSED CE Frequently Asked Questions.

Are AARC and NBRC courses accepted for New York CE?

Yes — both AARC and NBRC are listed as Category III approved CE sponsors by the State Board for Respiratory Therapy. Courses approved by these organizations in acceptable subject areas count toward the New York CE requirement. Source: NYSED CE Frequently Asked Questions.

What happens if my New York respiratory therapist registration lapses?

A lapsed registration means you cannot legally practice respiratory therapy in New York until it is reinstated — but the underlying license remains on record permanently and is not cancelled. If registration has lapsed for more than four months, standard online renewal is not available and a Delayed Registration Application must be submitted instead. Contact the Office of the Professions at rtbd@nysed.gov or (518) 474-3817 ext. 120 for guidance. Source: NYSED — Application Forms.

Is there a limit on online or home study CE hours in New York?

Yes. New York limits “informal self-study” — defined as internet or video courses taken without a live instructor — to no more than 15 hours per period for Respiratory Therapists and 12 hours for Respiratory Therapy Technicians. “Formal” CE (including courses with an instructor present, teleconferences with facilitator interaction, and interactive computer courses) is not subject to a cap. Source: NYSED CE Frequently Asked Questions.

Does New York track CE hours automatically, or do I have to submit them?

New York uses a self-attestation model. When renewing your registration online, you attest that you have completed the required CE hours — you do not submit certificates to the Department as part of renewal. However, you must retain documentation (sponsor-issued certificates showing course title, hours, sponsor identity, attendance verification, and date/location) for six years in case you are selected for a Department audit. Source: NYSED CE Frequently Asked Questions.

What if I can’t complete all my CE hours before the registration deadline?

The Department may issue a conditional registration for up to one year if a licensee is unable to complete the full CE requirement on time. This requires committing to complete the remaining hours during the conditional period, paying the regular registration fee plus an additional equal fee, and submitting the Registration Remittance Addendum. If the licensee does not comply with the conditions of the conditional registration, renewal will be denied. Source: NYSED CE Frequently Asked Questions.

Registration fees and CE requirements listed on this page are based on information published by the New York State Education Department Office of the Professions and verified on the date shown in the change log below. Fees and requirements are subject to change — confirm current details with the NYSED Office of the Professions before your registration deadline.

Change Log
2026-06-12 — Page created. CE requirements, registration fees, and registration cycle structure verified from NYSED Office of the Professions official pages and fee chart (Rev. 12/25). Compact status: New York not an RCIC member as of verification date.

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