Ohio Respiratory Care License Renewal | CE Requirements, Fees & Deadlines

Ohio Respiratory Care Professional licenses renew on a biennial cycle, with the expiration date and fee both shown in the table above. All renewals are processed through the eLicense Ohio system. The Board has discontinued mailed renewal reminders — only email notifications are sent, so keeping your email address current with the Board is the practical safeguard against missing a renewal deadline.

Ohio’s statute draws a hard line at the expiration date: there is no grace period. A license not renewed by its expiration date is automatically suspended, and practicing after that point is treated as unlicensed practice. If your license has already lapsed, the reinstatement and restoration rules in the table above apply depending on how long it has been inactive.

Continuing Education Requirements for Ohio RCP Renewal

Ohio’s CE requirements for respiratory care license renewal are codified in Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4761-9. The total hours required per biennium are in the table above. Two components of that total are specifically designated:

• Ohio law and ethics: At least one contact hour must cover Ohio respiratory care law or professional ethics — defined to include standards of practice, ethical conduct, the acts constituting violations under the practice law, obligations to report violations, or medical ethics. This hour must be from an approved source; the Board itself may offer a qualifying course.
• Clinical content: At least 15 of the required hours must include content relating to the provision of clinical respiratory care as defined in the Ohio Revised Code. The remaining hours may cover related areas such as management, education, supervision, health quality standards, or disease prevention.

Approved CE Providers and Substitution

Ohio’s administrative code lists specific approved CE sources in OAC 4761-9-05, including but not limited to: CE activities approved by AARC, AMA, ANA, OAPA, OSRC, OSMA, ONA, OTS, ACCP, AHA, ALA, OLA, and AACCN. Also expressly listed: regionally accredited college courses in respiratory care subjects, CoARC-approved educational programs, advanced life support courses (ACLS, PALS, NRP, ATLS — provider and instructor), recertification for those same courses, and relevant training from a branch of the U.S. military for active duty service members. The named organizations represent an illustrative list, not a closed whitelist — the rule applies to CE “approved by a professional organization awarding CE contact hours, including but not limited to” those listed. Source: OAC 4761-9-05.

An important substitution option: in lieu of completing the clinical CE hours and the four indirect hours (paragraphs C(1)(b) and C(1)(c) of OAC 4761-9-02), applicants may submit proof of successfully passing any written professional examination administered by the NBRC — including recredentialing exams, specialty examinations for pulmonary function and perinatal/pediatric respiratory care, and the BRPT and NACB examinations listed in the rule. This substitution does not apply to the mandatory one-hour Ohio law and ethics requirement, which must be completed separately regardless. Source: OAC 4761-9-02(D).

What Does Not Count

Ohio’s administrative code specifically excludes certain activities from qualifying as continuing education. These include basic life support (BLS) and CPR provider courses, any repeat of a CE activity with identical content and objectives within the same period, employer orientation or in-service programs that do not substantially enhance practice, self-directed independent study (such as reading journals or textbooks) that is not part of an approved activity under OAC 4761-9-05, participation in clinical practice or research outside an approved CE activity, personal development activities, professional meetings except for designated CE portions, community service, and organizational membership. Ohio’s rule does not establish an explicit cap on online CE hours — the relevant distinction is whether the activity is approved under OAC 4761-9-05, not whether it is online or in-person.

Record-Keeping and Audits

License holders are responsible for maintaining their own CE documentation for one year after the end of each renewal period. The Board conducts random retrospective CE audits and may also audit in response to complaints. Documentation need only be submitted if an audit is initiated — do not submit CE records proactively with the renewal application.

Carryover and Excess Hours

Excess CE hours earned during a renewal period generally cannot be applied to the next renewal period. A narrow exception applies: hours earned after the submission date of a completed renewal application that was filed before the cycle end date may be treated differently. In practice, earning more than the required hours close to the end of the cycle is unlikely to result in carryover for most licensees. Source: OAC 4761-9-02(B).

Licensees who received their initial license more than six months but less than one year before their biennial expiration date are required to complete half the standard CE total, including the law and ethics hour. Those licensed fewer than six months before the biennial expiration date are not required to complete CE for that first renewal period.

How to Renew an Ohio Respiratory Care License

Renewal is completed online through eLicense.ohio.gov. The renewal window opens 180 days before the expiration date. The general process is:

1. Log in to eLicense Ohio and navigate to your Respiratory Care Professional license renewal application
2. Certify that you have completed the CE hours required for the renewal period, including the mandatory law and ethics hour and the required clinical content hours
3. Pay the renewal fee shown in the table above using an accepted credit card
4. Submit and retain the confirmation email as documentation of successful renewal

The Board sends an automated confirmation email after a successful renewal is completed. If you have not received one, log in to eLicense and verify your application status. Keep your email address current with the Board — the 90-, 60-, and 30-day renewal reminders are sent only by email, and there are no mailed notices.

Lapsed License: Reinstatement and Restoration

Ohio does not impose a null-and-void cutoff — lapsed licenses can be reactivated through either reinstatement or restoration depending on how long the license has been suspended:

• Reinstatement applies if the license has lapsed for two years or less. A complete renewal application and the reinstatement fee shown in the table above are required.
• Restoration applies if the license has been suspended for more than two years. A restoration application, the restoration fee shown in the table above, a new criminal records check, and proof of current RRT credential are all required. The Board may also require additional training, examination, or skills assessment of any applicant who has not been engaged in clinical practice during the two or more years preceding the application.

Continued practice after a license has been suspended is a violation under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4761. If your license has lapsed, contact the State Medical Board at license@med.ohio.gov before taking any action.

Compact Renewal Implications

Ohio has not enacted the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, and the compact is not yet operationally active nationally. There are no compact renewal implications for Ohio licensees at this time. If Ohio enacts the compact and the compact reaches operational status, this section will be updated. Verify current compact status with the State Medical Board of Ohio and the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact.

Practical Notes for Ohio License Renewal

• No grace period means plan early. Unlike many states, Ohio provides no grace period after the expiration date. Your license is suspended automatically, and practicing after that point is unlicensed practice. Set a calendar reminder 90 days ahead and don’t rely solely on the email reminders — if your address is out of date with the Board, you won’t receive them.
• Renewing a lapsed license costs more and gets harder over time. Reinstatement within two years requires only the fee and renewal application, but restoration after two years adds a background check, new RRT credential documentation, and potential additional Board-required training. The practical incentive to stay current is significant.
• BLS and CPR provider courses don’t count. This is one of the most commonly assumed CE sources that Ohio explicitly excludes. Recertification for ACLS, PALS, NRP, and ATLS does count — but BLS provider courses do not. Confirm that any CE you plan to count is from an approved source before the renewal period ends.
• NBRC exam substitution is an option worth knowing. If you sit for a qualifying NBRC written examination during your renewal period, that can satisfy the clinical and indirect CE hour requirements in lieu of traditional CE. It cannot substitute for the mandatory Ohio law and ethics hour, which must be completed as an approved CE activity regardless.
• Travel respiratory therapists: tie renewal to your assignment calendar. Ohio licenses expire on the two-year anniversary of issuance — not on a universal fixed date. Know your specific expiration date and build renewal into your assignment planning well in advance.

Related Pages

• Ohio Respiratory Care Professional Licensing — Initial Requirements and Application
• Respiratory Care Licensing by State — Complete Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do I need to renew my Ohio respiratory care license?

Ohio Respiratory Care Professional licenses renew every two years. Each license expires on the date that is two years after the date of issuance and may be renewed for additional two-year periods. Source: State Medical Board of Ohio.

Is there a grace period if I miss my Ohio RCP renewal deadline?

No. A Respiratory Care Professional license that is not renewed by its expiration date is automatically suspended on that date under Ohio Revised Code 4761.06(C)(1). Continued practice after suspension is a violation of the Revised Code. If your license has lapsed, contact the State Medical Board before resuming practice. Source: State Medical Board of Ohio.

How many CE hours are required to renew an Ohio respiratory care license?

Ohio requires 20 contact hours of continuing education per biennial renewal period. The total must include at least one hour on Ohio respiratory care law or professional ethics and at least 15 hours of clinical respiratory care content. Source: OAC Chapter 4761-9.

Does AARC-approved CE count for Ohio renewal?

Yes. Ohio Administrative Code 4761-9-05 expressly lists AARC as an approved CE source. CE contact hours awarded by AARC qualify for Ohio renewal. Confirm that the specific activity is AARC-approved before counting it toward your Ohio requirement. Source: OAC Chapter 4761-9.

Can I carry over extra CE hours to my next renewal period?

No. Ohio Administrative Code 4761-9-02 states that CE hours earned in excess of the required total during a renewal period cannot be applied toward the next period, with a narrow exception for hours earned after a completed renewal application filed prior to the end of the cycle. Plan your CE accordingly. Source: OAC Chapter 4761-9.

What happens if my Ohio respiratory care license has been lapsed for more than two years?

A license lapsed more than two years requires restoration rather than reinstatement. Restoration requires a complete application, the restoration fee listed in the table above, a new criminal records check, and demonstration of current RRT credential. The Board may also require additional training, examination, or other requirements if the applicant has not been engaged in clinical practice during the preceding two or more years. Contact the Board at license@med.ohio.gov to confirm the current restoration requirements. Source: State Medical Board of Ohio.

How do I renew my Ohio respiratory care license?

Ohio RCP license renewal is completed online through eLicense.ohio.gov. The renewal window opens 180 days before the expiration date. Log in to eLicense, complete the renewal application, certify CE completion, and pay the renewal fee shown in the table above. The Board sends a confirmation email after successful submission. Source: State Medical Board of Ohio.