Physical Therapy

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For Physical Therapy Applicants

Currently licensed elsewhere in Canada

The information in this section is for you if you are:

Currently licensed as a physical therapist in another Canadian province or the Yukon, and
Educated in Canada OR educated outside of Canada

If you meet the two criteria listed below, you are eligible for a streamlined licensing process:

The registration or license type you hold elsewhere in Canada is equivalent to our Full licence category. This means that you practise independently with no limits or conditions on your licence. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet a jurisdiction’s licensure requirements.
Your licensure elsewhere in Canada is effective at the time your application is approved by the Licence Committee.

If your licensure elsewhere in Canada expires before your CHCPBC application is approved, you do not meet the second eligibility criterion; you may apply for a Full licence, but you will have to provide additional information.

If you are not sure if this applies to your situation, please contact us at licensure@chcpbc.org.

Application Process (Streamlined Process)

Timeline to licensure:

Depends on date of receipt of documents.
Some documents have to come from “third parties”, not from you directly. Sometimes it takes time for them to send us what is required.

Once we have all required documents, approval of your application can take as little as 3 business days, but it could take more than 30 days if the Licence Committee must review your application. We have to receive everything from you and third parties within 60 days of the day you submit your application; i.e., documents cannot be more than 60 days old.

Arrange for these documents to be sent directly to us by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
- Verification of Licensure (Regulatory History Form) from each jurisdiction in or outside of Canada where you are or were licensed as a physical therapist, or as another regulated healthcare professional, in the past.
  - Complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form.
  - Send the form to the applicable regulatory organization(s).
  - The regulatory organization(s) must send the completed form directly to the CHCPBC; forms submitted by applicants will not be accepted.
  - Some regulatory organizations do not complete third-party forms and have their own procedures. Please ask that they provide their version by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
- English language proficiency test results, if applicable.
Select two pieces of accepted identification from the Identity Documents policy and have them notarized.
Purchase individual professional liability insurance if you don’t have it already. Policies with a future start date will not be accepted. See requirements on the Professional Liability Insurance page.
Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada: If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.
Now you are ready to start your application:
- Complete the online application form on the Licensee Portal
- Select Full application and choose “Licensed Elsewhere in Canada” from the drop-down menu
- Upload your notarized identification
- Upload your certificate of professional liability insurance
- List any regulated healthcare professions in which you have held a licence
Once you have completed the form and uploaded the required documents, submit your application and pay the application fee.
Licensure staff will review your application while we wait for all documents from third parties to arrive. Once we have received them, licensure staff may ask for further information.
When we have no further questions, Licensure staff will send you the link to the jurisprudence exam.
When you have passed the jurisprudence exam, we will send you the link to pay the licence fee. Once you have paid the fee, your application for licensure is complete.

Details of Application Requirements

Current Licensure

The registration or licence type you hold elsewhere in Canada is equivalent to our Full licence category.
Your licensure elsewhere in Canada is effective at the time your application is approved by the Licence Committee. If your licensure elsewhere in Canada expires before your CHCPBC application is approved, you do not meet this eligibility criterion.

Identification to be Notarized and Submitted

Applicants must submit two pieces of identification that meet the requirements AND are on the lists of accepted identification. Identification must:

Be valid and unexpired.
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted. Notary’s stamp and the date must be visible.
Include at least one primary identification from the list linked below.
Include your legal name that matches the name on the application form.
Include at least one with your date of birth and signature.

Please see Appendix A of the Identity Documents policy for a list of accepted primary and secondary identification.

Character & Reputation

You must be considered “of good character.” This means that there is no evidence of past or present conduct that would put the BC public at risk. We gather evidence of your good character through your self-declaration in the application form, your criminal record check (CRC), and your regulatory history in the Regulatory History Form(s) that are submitted.

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (CRC)

All applicants must complete a new criminal record check at the time of application and every five years after that. Follow the instructions on the application form to give CHCPBC consent to initiate the criminal record check on your behalf.  For more information, please see Criminal Record Check for Health and Care Professionals.
If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.

VERIFICATION OF LICENSURE (REGULATORY HISTORY FORM)

Applicants who have been licensed with any healthcare regulatory organization in the past must complete section 1 of the regulatory history form and send to each organization. The organization(s) will send the form directly to CHCPBC.
Regulatory history forms sent by the applicant to the CHCPBC will not be accepted.
Applicants who have worked in other jurisdictions (this might be a country or a state/province) in the past that have mandatory licensing for physical therapists are expected to complete a regulatory history form. This is a fundamental expectation of a regulated professional, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to account for any lack of such licensure.

Professional Liability Insurance

In accordance with the Professional Liability Insurance Requirement policy (PDF), you must hold individual (i.e., not your employer’s) professional liability insurance at all times in the amount of at least $2 million (CAD) per occurrence to ensure coverage wherever you practise as a physical therapist in BC. If you are not employed or are on leave—but are still a licensee of the College—you are required to comply with this requirement. For more information, visit our Professional Liability Insurance page.

Jurisprudence Exam

You are required to pass the physical therapist’s jurisprudence examination, which assesses your understanding of the rules and expectations you are expected to follow when you practice in BC and how to apply them The examination is open book. Once your application is complete, we will send you further instructions about how to access the exam. There is no additional fee for this.

Please note: The jurisprudence exam is temporally on hold. A new jurisprudence exam is under development, and licensees will be notified directly if and when they are required to complete it.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

An applicant must be proficient in English to practice physical therapy in British Columbia. If English was not the language of instruction in your PT education, you will be required to complete an English proficiency test. If you are an Internationally Educated PT (IEPT), this would have been assessed as part of your Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) credentialling assessment.
If you passed an approved English Language Test  within the past 2 years, request the test result be shared directly with the CHCPBC by the testing organization.

Fees

Fees include an application fee and an annual licence fee. The licensure year runs from April 1 to March 31. Licensure is renewed annually. All fees are non-refundable, not pro-rated, and are subject to change.

For information on fees, see the CHCPBC Fee Schedule.

Educated in Canada and not currently licensed in Canada

The information in this section is for you if:

You have completed your education that qualifies you as a physical therapist from a recognized program as listed in Schedule 5 of the CHCPBC Bylaws, and
You have not yet become licensed to practise in Canada

Before applying for licensure in BC, you must first complete an entry-to-practice assessment:

Pass the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE), administered by the Canadian Alliance for Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).

Please note: In January 2026, CAPR launched a single licensure examination: the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE), which replaced the two-exam model. If you had passed Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC) – administered by UBC, Department of Physical Therapy – and haven’t applied for Full Licensure yet, you can apply for Full licensure in BC (see requirements and steps to apply below).

Application Process (after passing the ACEBC/CPTE)

Timeline to licensure:

Depends on date of receipt of documents.
Some documents have to come from “third parties”, not from you directly. Sometimes it takes time for them to send us what is required.

Once we have all required documents, approval of your application can take as little as 3 business days but it could take more than 30 days if the Licence Committee must review your application. We have to receive everything from you and third parties within 60 days of the day you submit your application; i.e. documents cannot be more than 60 days old.

Note that documents associated with the application must be dated within 60 days of the date the application is submitted.

Arrange for these documents to be sent directly to us by email to licensure@chcpbc.org:

Request Verification of Licensure (regulatory history form) if you were licensed as another regulated healthcare professional anywhere in Canada or outside of Canada in the past.
- Complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form.
- Send the form to the applicable regulatory organization(s).
- The regulatory organization(s) must send the completed form directly to the CHCPBC.
- Some regulatory organizations do not complete third-party forms and have their own procedures. Please ask that they provide their version by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
Arrange for English language proficiency test results, if applicable, to be sent directly to CHCPBC by the testing organization.
Select two pieces of accepted identification from the Identity Documents policy and have them notarized.
Request an official transcript be sent by your university to licensure@chcpbc.org.
Purchase individual professional liability insurance. Policies with a future start date will not be accepted. See requirements on our Professional Liability Insurance page.
Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada: If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.
Submit a Verification Request Form to verify your Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE) status through CAPR. CAPR will email it to CHCPBC directly.
Now you are ready to start your application:
- Complete the online application form on the Licensee Portal
- Select Full application and choose “Not licensed Elsewhere in Canada; Graduated from a recognized Program” from the drop-down menu
- Upload your notarized identification
- Upload your certificate of professional liability insurance
- Upload your ACEBC result letter, if applicable
- List any regulated healthcare professions in which you have held a licence
Once you have completed the form and uploaded the required documents, submit your application and pay the application fee.
Licensure staff will review your application while we wait for all documents from third parties to arrive. Once we have received them, licensure staff may ask for further information.
When we have no further questions, licensure staff will send you the link to the jurisprudence exam.
When you have passed the jurisprudence exam we will send you the link to pay the licence fee. Once you have paid the fee, your application for licensure is complete.

Detailed Application Requirements

Entry-to-practice Clinical Assessment

You must provide proof of having passed the Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC or Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE).

Identification to be Notarized & Submitted

Applicants must submit two pieces of identification that meet the requirements AND are on the lists of accepted identification. Identification must:

Be valid and unexpired.
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted. Notary’s stamp and the date must be visible.
Include at least one primary identification from the list linked below.
Include your legal name that matches the name on the application form.
Include at least one with your date of birth and signature.

Please see Appendix A of the Identity Documents policy for a list of accepted primary and secondary identification.

Character & Reputation

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (CRC)

All applicants must complete a new criminal record check at the time of application and every five years after that. Follow the instructions on the application form to give CHCPBC consent to initiate the criminal record check on your behalf.  For more information, please see Criminal Record Check for Health and Care Professionals.

If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.

VERIFICATION OF LICENSURE (REGULATORY HISTORY FORM)

Applicants who have been licensed with any healthcare regulatory agency in the past must complete section 1 of the regulatory history form and send to each organization. The organization(s) will send the form directly to the CHCPBC.
Regulatory history forms sent by the applicant to the CHCPBC will not be accepted.

Professional Liability Insurance

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

An applicant must be proficient in English to practice physical therapy in British Columbia. If English was not the language of instruction in your PT education, you will be required to complete an English proficiency test.
If you passed an approved English Language Test  within the past 2 years, request the test result be shared directly with the CHCPBC by the testing organization.

Jurisprudence Exam

Please note: The jurisprudence exam is temporally on hold. A new jurisprudence exam is under development, and licensees will be notified directly if and when they are required to complete it.

Fees

For information on fees, see the CHCPBC Fee Schedule.

Educated outside Canada and not currently licensed in Canada

The information in this section is for you if:

You have completed your education that qualifies you as a physical therapist from a non-recognized program not listed in Schedule 5 of the CHCPBC Bylaws and have completed credentialling through the Canadian Alliance for Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).
and
You have not yet become licensed to practise in Canada.

Before applying for licensure in BC, you must first complete credentialling and entry-to-practice assessments in this order:

Credentialling: submit your documents for review by the Canadian Alliance for Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) and complete a course about the Canadian health care system.

Credentialling takes several months and can be completed before arrival in Canada.

If you are educated in and licensed to practise, or are eligible to be licensed to practise, without restriction in Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the USA, you will qualify for the Pre-Approved Credentialling Pathway (PACP). Please contact CAPR for more information: credentialling@alliancept.org.

You may be eligible for a BC government bursary to assist with the cost of becoming licensed in BC. See the Allied Health Jobs in British Columbia website for more information.

Pass the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE), administered by the Canadian Alliance for Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).

Please note: In January 2026, CAPR launched a single licensure examination: the Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE), which replaced the two-exam model. If you had passed Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC (ACEBC) – administered by UBC, Department of Physical Therapy – and haven’t applied for Full Licensure yet, you can apply for Full licensure in BC (see requirements and steps to apply below).

Application Process (after passing the ACEBC/CPTE)

Timeline to licensure:

Depends on date of receipt of documents.
Some documents have to come from “third parties”, not from you directly. Sometimes it takes time for them to send us what is required.

Arrange for these documents to be sent directly to us by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.

Verification of Licensure (Regulatory History Form) if you were licensed as a physical therapist outside of Canada, or as another regulated healthcare professional anywhere in Canada or outside of Canada, in the past.
- Complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form.
- Send the form to the applicable regulatory organization(s).
- The regulatory organization(s) must send the completed form directly to the CHCPBC.
- Some regulatory organizations do not complete third-party forms and have their own procedures. Please ask that they provide their version by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
Select two pieces of accepted identification from the Identity Documents policy and have them notarized.
Purchase individual professional liability insurance if you don’t have it already. Policies with a future start date will not be accepted. See requirements on our Professional Liability Insurance page.
Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada: If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years, you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.
Submit a Verification Request Form to verify your credentialling and Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE) status through CAPR. CAPR will email it to CHCPBC directly.
Now you are ready to start your application:
- Complete the online application form on the Licensee Portal
- Select “Not licensed elsewhere in Canada; Graduated from a non-recognized program” from the drop-down menu
- Upload your notarized identification
- Upload your certificate of professional liability insurance
- Upload your ACEBC result letter, if applicable
- List any regulated healthcare professions in which you have held a licence
Once you have completed the form an uploaded the required documents, submit your application and pay the application fee.
Licensure staff will review your application while we wait for all documents from third parties to arrive. Once we have received them, Licensure staff may ask for further information.
When we have no further questions, Licensure staff will send you the link to the jurisprudence exam.
When you have passed the jurisprudence exam, we will send you the link to pay the licence fee. Once you have paid the fees, your application for licensure is complete.

Details of Application Requirements

Entry-to-Practice Clinical Assessment

You must provide proof of having passed the Alternate Clinical Evaluation BC or Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE).

Identification to be Notarized & Submitted

Applicants must submit two pieces of identification that meet the requirements AND are on the lists of accepted identification. Identification must:

Be valid and unexpired.
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted. Notary’s stamp and the date must be visible.
Include at least one primary identification from the list linked below.
Include your legal name that matches the name on the application form.
Include at least one with your date of birth and signature.

Please see Appendix A of the Identity Documents policy for a list of accepted primary and secondary identification.

Character and Reputation

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (CRC)

All applicants must complete a new criminal record check at the time of application and every five years after that. Follow the instructions on the application form to give CHCPBC consent to initiate the criminal record check on your behalf.  For more information, please visit Criminal Record Check for Health and Care Professionals.
If you have practised a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years, you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.

VERIFICATION OF LICENSURE (REGULATORY HISTORY FORM)

Applicants who have been licensed with any healthcare regulatory organization in the past must complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form and send to each organization. The organization(s) will send the completed form directly to CHCPBC. (Regulatory history forms sent by the applicant to the CHCPBC will not be accepted.)
Applicants who have worked in other jurisdictions (this might be a country or a state/ province) in the past that have mandatory licensing for physical therapists are expected to complete a regulatory history form. This is a fundamental expectation of a regulated professional, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to account for any lack of such licensure.

Professional Liability Insurance

In accordance with the Professional Liability Insurance Requirement policy (PDF), you must hold individual (i.e., not your employer’s) professional liability insurance at all times in the amount of at least $2 million (CAD) per occurrence to ensure coverage wherever you practise as a physical therapist in BC. Even if you are not employed or are on leave – but are still a licensee of the College – you are required to comply with this requirement. For more information, visit our Professional Liability Insurance page.

Jurisprudence Exam

You are required to pass the physical therapist’s jurisprudence examination, which assesses your understanding of the rules and expectations you are expected to follow when you practice in BC and how to apply them. The examination is open book. Once your application is complete, we will send you further instructions about how to access the exam. There is no additional fee for this.

Please note: The jurisprudence exam is temporally on hold. A new jurisprudence exam is under development, and licensees will be notified directly if and when they are required to complete it.

Fees

Fees include a one-time application fee and an annual licence fee. The licensing cycle runs from April 1 to March 31. Licensure is renewed annually. All fees are non-refundable, not pro-rated, and are subject to change.

For information on fees, see the CHCPBC Fee Schedule.

Licensed previously in BC

Reinstatement from Former to Full licensure

A former licensee who would like to return to Full licensure may apply for reinstatement. A Former licensee must submit an application for reinstatement under Bylaw 6.52 within three years of the date on which the Former licensee was last a licensee or registrant of the College.

Applying for reinstatement to Full licensure

Reinstatement applies to if you were previously licensed with CHCPBC as a Full licensee within three years but are currently not licensed.

Requirements include:

A completed application for licensure.
Evidence satisfactory to the Licence Committee of the good character of the applicant consistent with the responsibilities and standards required of a licensee
Authorization for a criminal record check as required by the Criminal Records Review Act (BC).
Evidence of liability insurance.
Applicants who have been licensed with any healthcare regulatory agency in the past must complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form and send to each agency. The agency(ies) will send the form directly to the CHCPBC.

Online Application

Getting Started

Go to the Applicant Portal
Log in, as you have an existing account (Do not create duplicate accounts as that will result in delays)
From the home page, under Reinstatement, select Full licensure
Follow the instructions carefully to complete the form; you may save your work and return to the form as needed
Once the form is complete, click on the ‘Submit’ button
Please see below for details on individual sections of the application form
Documents that are older than 60 days will not be considered

Identification
CHCPBC may require applicants to submit TWO notarized documents to verify their identity. Please contact licensure@chcpbc.org to determine if you must submit notarized identification.

Accepted Forms of Identification

Primary Identification

BC driver’s licence or learner’s licence (must have photo)
BC Identity card (BCID)
BC Services card (must have photo)
Passport
Canadian citizenship card
Permanent resident card
Canadian record of landing/Canadian immigration identification record
Secure certificate of Indian status

Secondary Identification

School identification card (student card)
Birth certificate (a baptismal certificate is not acceptable)
Canadian or US driver’s licence
Secure certificate of Indian status
Canadian forces identification
Picture employee ID card
BC Services card (with or without photo)
Student, work, visitor, or temporary resident permit
NEXUS card
Foreign passport
Foreign Affairs Canada or consular identification
Bank card
Credit card

Identification documents must:

Be valid and unexpired
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted

Criminal Record Check (CRC)

As per the BC Criminal Records Review Act, all applicants are required to complete a BC CRC at the time of initial application, and thereafter, every five years as long as they continue to be licensed with CHCPBC. The BC CRC is a BC Government-driven process. For more information, visit the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General’s Criminal Record Check BC webpage
Follow instructions on the application form to consent to the CHCPBC applying for the CRC on your behalf
You are providing consent to the initial CRC as well as a re-check every 5 years as long as you continue to be licensed with the CHCPBC
The College will initiate the CRC on your behalf
Some individuals may be required to provide fingerprints; the Ministry will contact you directly if this is required

Fingerprinting

Some applicants may be required to complete a fingerprinting process. This is a secondary process administered by local municipalities and federal or local enforcement agencies.

The requirement for fingerprinting and the parameters for determining who is required are determined by the Criminal Record Review Program and based on the RCMP’s Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS) policy.

The search requires applicants who have either the same name and / or date of birth and gender combination to provide fingerprints to verify their identity to eliminate the possibility of an offender changing their name to circumvent a criminal record.

Note that the CRC program is a government-driven process and the College has no control over this process. There are fees associated with fingerprinting and they must be paid locally. For more information on the Criminal Record Check, visit the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General’s Criminal Records Review Program web page.

Professional Liability Insurance

In accordance with the Professional Liability Insurance Requirement policy (PDF), physical therapy licensees are required to have, at all times, private, individual professional liability insurance in the amount of at least $2 million (CAD) per occurrence. Even if you are not employed or on leave—but are still a licensee of the College—you are required to have private, individual professional liability insurance.

Upload a copy of private insurance certificate

BMS via the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Physiosure/Trisura are two of the larger private insurance providers.

Other Physical Therapy Regulatory Bodies or Regulated Professions

Applicants who have been registered with any healthcare regulatory agency in the past must complete a regulatory history form:

Complete Section 1 of the Regulatory History Form
Send the form to the applicable regulatory agency
The regulatory agency will return the completed form directly to the CHCPBC
Please click here for instructions if the regulatory agency is one of the following: HCPC, CORU, Ahpra and some jurisdictions in India

Note: Regulatory history forms sent by the applicant to the CHCPBC will not be accepted.

Applicants who have worked in jurisdictions (this might be a country or a state/province) that have mandatory licensing for physical therapists are expected to complete a regulatory history form. This is a fundamental expectation of a member of a regulated profession, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to account for any lack of such licensure.

Jurisprudence Module

This step is required for licensees returning from former status.

The jurisprudence module is administered by a third party.

You will receive an email to sign up and complete the Jurisprudence module
Follow instructions to register and complete the Jurisprudence module
You may take the examination as many times as it takes to successfully complete the module
Once you have successfully completed the Jurisprudence module, the College will be notified

Please note: The jurisprudence exam is temporally on hold. A new jurisprudence exam is under development, and licensees will be notified directly if and when they are required to complete it.

Application Review

Once all documents are received, the application will be reviewed and may result in:

Application approval, or
Application referred to the Licence Committee

The review process may take 5 – 7 business days. Although it may take longer during peak times.

Applications that require review by the Licence Committee may take up to 60 days

Application Decision

Applicants will be notified of the decision by email.

If licensure is approved, you will receive an email with a link to pay the licence fee.

Once the fee is paid, the licensure is finalized and your name and licence number will be added to our Public Registry. Check the Public Registry to verify your licence status. Until licensure is finalized, applicants are not permitted to practise.

Note: Former licensees may be required to complete examination(s), re-entry program(s) or competence assessment(s) as directed by the Licence Committee.

Application and Registration Fees

Fees include a one time application fee and an annual licence fee. The licensing cycle runs from April 1 to March 31. Licensure is renewed on an annual basis. All fees are non-refundable, not pro-rated and are subject to change.

For information on fees, see the CHCPBC Fee Schedule.

Provisional licensure

Provisional licensure applications are on hold. We will start accepting applications for Provisional licensure soon.

The information in this section is for you if:

Have not yet passed the Entry to Practice Exam (CPTE) and seeking to practice under supervision, and
You have completed your education that qualifies you as a physical therapist from a recognized program as listed in Schedule 5 of the CHCPBC Bylaws,
or
You have completed your education that qualifies you as a physical therapist from a non-recognized program not listed in Schedule 5 of the CHCPBC Bylaws and have completed credentialing through Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).

To work as a physical therapist in British Columbia, you must be licensed with the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC).

You may begin working (or participating in orientation or training at the workplace) as a physical therapist once you are licensed with the College and have received written confirmation and a licensee number.

Provisional licensees:

May hold their provisional status for up to one year, during which they may attempt the entry-to-practice examination up to two times.
Must practise under the supervision of a physical therapist who holds a Full licence in good standing and has been approved by CHCPBC.
Must use the word “provisional” in conjunction with their use of an Exclusive Title.
May not practise under the supervision of more than two supervisors.

If a Provisional licensee fails the entry-to-practice examination, they need to register for the next available exam within two weeks of the results being released in order to maintain Provisional licensure. If they do not do so, their licensure is cancelled.

See Provisional Licensure for additional details.

Documentation requirements

All new applicants must provide evidence that they meet the set requirements by completing all documentation described below.

Notarized Identification: Applicants must submit two pieces of identification that meet the requirements AND are on the lists of accepted identification. Identification must:

Be valid and unexpired.
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted. Notary’s stamp and the date must be visible.
Include at least one primary identification from the list linked below.
Include your legal name that matches the name on the application form.
Include at least one with your date of birth and signature.

Please see Identity Documents policy Appendix A for a list of accepted primary and secondary identification.

Character & Reputation: You must be considered “of good character.” This means that there is no evidence of past or present conduct that would put the BC public at risk. We gather evidence of your good character through your self-declaration in the application form, your criminal record check (CRC), and your regulatory history in the Regulatory History Form(s) that are submitted.

Recognized Program: Request an interim Letter from your Canadian University: As a new graduate from a recognized Canadian program, request an interim letter from your university that indicates you have met all requirements for graduation and that it is emailed to licensure@chcpbc.org.
OR
Non-Recognized Program: Submit a Verification Request Form to CAPR to request your Credentialling Report to be sent to the College.

Verification of Licensure (Regulatory History Form): If you have ever been licensed in another province/state or country, complete the first section of the Regulatory History Form and send it to all jurisdiction(s) where you are or were licensed as a physical therapist, or as another regulated healthcare professional. The forms should be dated no more than 60 days prior to the date of your application approval.

Entry to Practice Exam: Submit a Verification Request Form to CAPR to request your Canadian Physiotherapy Examination (CPTE) registration status that you are taking the next available CPTE exam. CAPR will email it to CHCPBC directly.

Professional Liability Insurance: In accordance with the Professional Liability Insurance Requirement policy (PDF), you must hold professional liability insurance at all times in the amount of at least $2 million (CAD) per occurrence to ensure coverage wherever you practise as a physical therapist in BC. Even if you are not employed or are on leave—but are still a licensee of the College—you are required to comply with this requirement. For more information, visit our Professional Liability Insurance page.

Criminal Record Check (CRC): All applicants must complete a new criminal record check at the time of application and every five years after that. Follow the instructions on the application form to give CHCPBC consent to initiate the criminal record check on your behalf. For more information, please click here: Criminal Record Check for Health and Care Professionals

If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.

Supervision Agreement Form: Supervision is required if you are applying for a Provisional Licensure with the intention of working and have not passed the CPTE. Once you have secured employment, complete this form and upload it with your application.

English Language Proficiency: An applicant must be proficient in English to practice Physical Therapy in British Columbia. If English was not the language of instruction in your PT education, you will be required to complete an English proficiency test. If you are an Internationally Educated PT, this would have been assessed as part of your Credentialling assessment with CAPR.

If you passed an approved English Language Test within the past 2 years, request the test result be shared directly with the CHCPBC.

Jurisprudence Exam: You are required to pass the physical therapist’s jurisprudence examination, which assesses your understanding of the rules and expectations you are expected to follow when you practice in BC and how to apply them. The examination is open book. Once your application is complete, we will send you further instructions about how to access the exam. There is no additional fee for this.

Please note: The jurisprudence exam is temporally on hold. A new jurisprudence exam is under development, and licensees will be notified directly if and when they are required to complete it.

Submit Online Application

You are now ready to start the application process.

Select “Sign up” to set up a new account on the CHCPBC Licensee Portal. Be sure to have your notarized IDs and professional liability insurance certificate before creating your online account, as you will need to upload them before proceeding.
Do not create duplicate accounts, as this will delay your application.
Select Provisional application and choose either from the drop-down menu based on the description above.
- “Not licensed elsewhere in Canada; Graduated from a recognized program,” or
- “Not licensed elsewhere in Canada; Graduated from a non-recognized program”
Once you have completed the form and uploaded required documents, select the “Submit” button. On submission, you will be required to pay an application fee.
Licensure staff will review your application while we wait for all documents from third parties to arrive. Once we have received them, licensure staff may ask for further information.
When we have no further questions, licensure staff will send you the link to the jurisprudence exam if you are required to take it.
When you have passed the jurisprudence exam, we will send you the link to pay the licence fees. Once you have paid the licence fee, your application for licensure is complete.

Temporary licensure

A temporary licensee is a physical therapist who is licensed to practise in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction and intends to visit British Columbia for education purposes, emergency services, or a purpose to be approved by the registrar for a maximum of 30 days.

A temporary Licensee must not provide Health Services to a Patient unless the Licensee had, prior to licensure, established a clinical relationship with the Patient at a time when the Licensee was authorized to practice the Designated Health Profession in a jurisdiction other than British Columbia.

Are you a physical therapist licensed outside of British Columbia and coming to BC for education purposes, emergency services or a purpose approved by the registrar?

If Yes – see below for information on applying for Temporary licensure

Are you a physical therapist outside of BC looking to provide physical therapy services in BC on a temporary or long-term basis?

If Yes – you will need to apply for Full licensure rather than Temporary licensure

Applying for Temporary licensure

Allow at least 5 business days to process applications once all documents are submitted. To ensure currency of regulatory history information, applications made more than 60 days preceding the course or other purpose will not be considered.

Getting Started

Arrange for these documents to be sent directly to us by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
- Verification of Licensure (Regulatory History Form) from each jurisdiction in or outside of Canada where you are or were licensed as a physical therapist, or as another regulated healthcare professional, in the past.
  - Complete section 1 of the Regulatory History Form.
  - Send the form to the applicable regulatory organization(s).
  - The regulatory organization(s) must send the completed form directly to the CHCPBC; forms submitted by applicants will not be accepted.
  - Some regulatory organizations do not complete third-party forms and have their own procedures. Please ask that they provide their version by email to licensure@chcpbc.org.
- English language proficiency test results, if applicable.
Select two pieces of accepted identification from the Identity Documents policy and have them notarized.
Purchase individual professional liability insurance if you don’t have it already. Policies with a future start date will not be accepted. See requirements on the Professional Liability Insurance page.
Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada: If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.
Now you are ready to start your application:
- Complete the online application form on the Licensee Portal
- Select Temporary application from the drop-down menu
- Upload your notarized identification
- Upload your certificate of professional liability insurance
- List any regulated healthcare professions in which you have held a licence
Once you have completed the form and uploaded the required documents click submit. Licensure staff will review your application while we wait for all documents from third parties to arrive. Once we have received them, licensure staff may ask for further information.
When we have no further questions, we will send you the link to pay the temporary licence fee. Once you have paid the fee, your application for licensure is complete.

The fee for Temporary licensure is listed in the CHCPBC Fee Schedule.

Until the decision is communicated, applicants are not permitted to practice.

Once licensure is finalized, your name and licence number will be added to the public directory. Check the Public Registry to verify your licence status.

Details of Application Requirements

Identification to be Notarized and Submitted

Applicants must submit two pieces of identification that meet the requirements AND are on the lists of accepted identification. Identification must:

Be valid and unexpired.
Be notarized and verified in their original form by a notary public or lawyer; other professionals will not be accepted. Notary’s stamp and the date must be visible.
Include at least one primary identification from the list linked below.
Include your legal name that matches the name on the application form.
Include at least one with your date of birth and signature.

Please see Appendix A of the Identity Documents policy for a list of accepted primary and secondary identification.

Character & Reputation
You must be considered “of good character.” This means that there is no evidence of past or present conduct that would put the BC public at risk. We gather evidence of your good character through your self-declaration in the application form, your criminal record check (CRC), and your regulatory history in the Regulatory History Form(s) that are submitted.

Criminal Record Check (CRC)

All applicants must complete a new criminal record check at the time of application and every five years after that. Follow the instructions on the application form to give CHCPBC consent to initiate the criminal record check on your behalf.  For more information, please see Criminal Record Check for Health and Care Professionals.
If you have practiced a health profession outside of Canada within the past 5 years you will also be required to obtain a Criminal Record Check – Outside of Canada.

Verification of Licensure (Regulatory History Form)

Applicants who have been licensed with any healthcare regulatory organization in the past must complete section 1 of the regulatory history form and send to each organization. The organization(s) will send the form directly to CHCPBC.
Regulatory history forms sent by the applicant to the CHCPBC will not be accepted.
Applicants who have worked in other jurisdictions (this might be a country or a state/province) in the past that have mandatory licensing for physical therapists are expected to complete a regulatory history form. This is a fundamental expectation of a regulated professional, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to account for any lack of such licensure.

BMS via the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Physiosure are two of the larger private insurance providers.

English language proficiency

An applicant must be proficient in English to practice physical therapy in British Columbia. If English was not the language of instruction in your PT education, you will be required to complete an English proficiency test.
If you passed an approved English Language Test  within the past 2 years, request the test result be shared directly with the CHCPBC by the testing organization.

Licensure Policies & Forms

See Regulatory Policies for a list of CHCPBC’s licensure policies under the Health Professions and Occupations Act.

Applicant Portal