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Changes to physical therapy examination requirement in 2026

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April 24, 2025

In January 2026, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) will launch a single licensure examination: the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE). The CHCPBC Registration Committee – Physical Therapy Panel supports adoption of CAPR’s single licensure examination, in principle, subject to transition provisions.

Current examination requirement

The requirements for applicants to be registered in the profession of physical therapy as full registrants are set out in the CHCPBC Bylaws, Schedule 6 (PDF). In part, applicants must successfully complete a written and a clinical competency examination.

Currently, applicants seeking registration as a physical therapist in BC must complete two examinations:

  1. Written component: The Physiotherapy Competency Examination administered by CAPR.
  2. Clinical component: BC’s Alternate Clinical Evaluation (ACEBC) administered by the University of BC, Department of Physical Therapy.

What’s changing

Starting January 2026, CAPR’s single licensure examination – the CPTE – will replace the two-exam model. The new examination marks a return to a national, harmonized registration approach for the physical therapy profession.

CAPR undertook a project to improve and modernize its entry-to-practice competency assessment model to assess Canadian and internationally educated physical therapists for licensure in Canada. The project included developing a single licensure examination to replace the current two-exam model.

The CPTE will:

  • Be offered 8 times in 2026
  • Be completed virtually over one day
  • Include a written section and an oral, scenario-based section with a single pass mark
  • Focus on critical competencies that are required to perform safely, effectively, and independently at entry to practice

Transition phase

During the transition from a two-exam model to a single-exam model, applicants must stay informed on deadlines and other limitations to ensure they can act on the options available to them. While options are presented, they are subject to deadlines and available exam seats.

  • CAPR plans to discontinue the current written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination and has announced written examination dates through to the end of November 2025.
  • The ACEBC will be discontinued, with the last administration currently planned for February 2026. Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • CAPR’s new CPTE examination will begin in January 2026, pending finalization of transition plans with Canadian physiotherapy regulators.

For applicants currently seeking registration

For a limited time, applicants may pursue either the two-exam or single-exam pathway.

Two-exam pathway

  1. Successfully complete the current CAPR written exam (written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination). The last administration is November 26, 2025.
  2. Successfully complete either the ACEBC or the new CAPR single licensure examination.
  3. Apply for full registration.

Be aware that the number of seats for the ACEBC is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with the last administration currently planned for February 2026.

The first CAPR single licensure examination will be in January 2026 with registration available in July 2025. Please consult the CAPR website for further details as they become available.

Single-exam pathway

  1. Wait for and successfully complete the new CAPR single licensure examination.
  2. Apply for full registration.

The first CAPR single licensure examination will be in January 2026 with registration available in July 2025. Please consult the CAPR website for further details as they become available.

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