Physical Therapists

Licence renewal for 2026/2027

The CHCPBC Bylaws were amended to align renewal cycles for licensing, certification, and health profession corporations to a deadline of March 31, across all nine professions regulated by the College, starting in 2026. The amendments were approved by the CHCPBC Board following public consultation.

Licence renewal for 2026/2027 will open February 18, 2026 in the Licensee Portal for physical therapy. March 31, 2026 is the renewal deadline.

To view the CHCPBC Fee Schedule, see Fees.

For detailed information on renewing your licence for 2026/2027, see the Renewal page.

Registrant FAQs

Registrants may be considering leaving their practice or the physical therapy profession, either temporarily or long term.

If you are no longer practising as a physical therapist in British Columbia, you have two options. You could cancel your registration or maintain your full registration status.

If you cancel your registration:

• You must not practice physical therapy, assign physical therapy services, or hold yourself out as a physical therapist entitled to practice.
• You must not use the protected titles: Physical Therapist, Physiotherapist, Registered Physical Therapist, Registered Physiotherapist, or any abbreviations.
• You must apply for reinstatement if you plan to practice physical therapy in British Columbia again: Applying for Reinstatement.
• See Leaving or Closing A Physical Therapy Practice for advice on notifying clients, retention of clinical records, and employment contracts.
• If you have a health profession corporations permit, that will also need to be cancelled.

If you want to maintain your full registration status, you must continue to meet registration requirements, including:

• Active professional liability insurance Extended period or “tail” coverage offered by insurance brokers does not meet the requirement for full registration.
• Practice hours.
• Quality Assurance Program requirements.

What are practice hours?

Practice hours are paid and professional activity hours spent in physical therapy practice or other activities resulting from possessing physiotherapy or physical therapy credentials and experience.

Why do you report practice hours?

Physical therapy regulators in Canada consider practice hours to be an indication of currency of practice. All Canadian jurisdictions, except Quebec, have the same requirement. The same requirement exists for application for full registration, for reinstatement of full registration, and for renewal of full registration.

Practice hours are a reflection of practice experience. For example, the College requires new physical therapists to have a minimum number of practice hours to be eligible to use dry needling in physical therapy practice.

Practice hours are also a component of health human resources data. The CHCPBC reports practice hours to CIHI annually where they are aggregated nationally.

How many practice hours are required?

• 1,200 practice hours (total) must be accrued in the 5 years[1] preceding application, renewal or reinstatement.

The requirement has been in the Bylaws since 2018. Beginning in 2024, the practice hour requirement for registration renewal was enforced for the first time.

What qualifies as practice hours?

• The Bylaws define practice hours as “clinical practice, research, administration, teaching or academic positions, and consulting.”
• Practice hours include activities you do while registered as a physical therapist in order to meet the expectations of the Code of Ethical Conduct (PDF), and the Standards of Practice (PDF) for the provision of physical therapy service to clients. This includes, for example, clinical documentation, report-writing, and team meetings.
• Teaching that results from possessing physical therapy credentials

What does not qualify as practice hours?

• Physical therapy clinical practice means service provided to human clients[2], so hours spent providing rehabilitation care provided to animals do not qualify as practice hours.
• Vacation hours, statutory holidays, leaves of absence (e.g. sick, parental), continuing education, courses and on-call time if the physical therapist is not called in to work do not qualify as practice hours.

Who can accrue physical therapy practice hours?

• Physical therapists (full and interim registrants) practising physical therapy in BC in accordance with CHCPBC Standards of Practice, Code of Ethical Conduct and the Bylaws.
• Physical therapists registered to practice in another jurisdiction in Canada.
• Physical therapists practising physical therapy in jurisdictions outside of Canada where physical therapy is a regulated profession; the physical therapist must be registered with the regulator in that jurisdiction in order to practise and to accrue practice hours.

When do you report your practice hours?

• When submitting an application for registration
• Annually during registration renewal

What dates do you use to count your practice hours?

• Practice hours are counted per registration year from June 1 to May 31.

What happens if you don’t have sufficient practice hours?

• It is each registrant’s responsibility to ensure they meet the practice hour requirement.
• Applicants who don’t have the minimum 1,200 practice hours in the previous 5 years[3] are required to complete a pathway to enter the profession as approved by the Registration Committee.
• Starting in 2024, full registrants who have not accrued 1,200 practice hours in the previous 5 years at the time of registration renewal[3] (May 31) are not able to renew. Instead, they are required to complete a pathway to enter the profession as approved by the Registration Committee for reinstatement of their full registration.

[1] Note that this requirement does not apply if an individual has successfully completed an entry-to-practice assessment in those 5 years.

[2] Physical Therapists Regulation

[3] Note that this requirement does not apply if an individual has successfully completed an entry-to-practice assessment in those 5 years.

For more information on the Criminal Record Check, click here.

Important: The College uses the following definition when discussing dry needling. The regulations explained below apply to all approaches, including acupuncture.

Dry needling is a broad term that refers to a treatment technique that uses solid filament needles to puncture the skin for therapeutic purposes. It includes a range of approaches, such as acupuncture, trigger point dry needling, intramuscular stimulation, or similar treatments used by numerous healthcare professionals.

– The Safe Practice of Dry Needling in Alberta. Health Quality Council of Alberta, 2014

Full registrants who wish to use dry needling within the physical therapy scope of practice must first apply to the College.

March 10, 2020 Board of Directors Policy Decisions (PDF)

Eligibility

A registrant may apply to use dry needling within their physical therapy practice if they:

• Are a full registrant in BC, and
• Have at least two years of physical therapy practice experience (experience as an interim physical therapist and experience outside of Canada count), and a minimum of 3900 practice hours, and
• Successfully completed one of the following programs:
  • Acupuncture Canada Certification in Dry Needling – Dry Needling Level 1 and Level 2
  • Acupuncture Canada Certification, Level 1
  • Acupuncture the Art and the Science (Manitoba): A Comprehensive Introduction to Acupuncture: the Art and the Science
  • *Evidence in Motion Functional Dry Needling Weekend Intensives – Functional Dry Needling Level 1, Dry Needling: Clinical Integration, Functional Dry Needling Level 2 (3-day version of each course)
  • Foundations Health Education Modern Dry Needling ANIMS (formerly ANIMS-1)
  • McMaster University – Contemporary Medical Acupuncture
  • *On Point Physiotherapy – On Point Needling- Comprehensive Dry Needling
  • OPPQ Puncture Physiothérapique avec Aiguilles Sèches: Cours de Base
  • Smart Seminars Certification in Biomedical Dry Needling
  • UBC Gunn IMS (Certification) Course
  • Uplands Physiotherapy Clinic – Dry Needling Canada Courses Level 1 and 2

*Course certificates dated on or after August 1, 2023 will be accepted. Courses taken before this date will not be accepted.

• NOTE:
  • Until the College confirms that a registrant may use dry needling/acupuncture in their physical therapy practice, they must not do so. Please discuss with the course provider how to fulfill a requirement to log needling practice in between courses
  • Registrants may take a course before they complete the 2-year/3900 practice hour requirement if permitted by the course provider. However, the College strongly encourages registrants to consider acquiring at least the minimum experience (and mature clinical reasoning skills) before taking a course.
  • The College recommends registrants not to take a course too far in advance of being able to use the knowledge and skills in their practice.

Application Process

1. Complete and sign (electronic signatures are accepted) the Application To Perform Dry Needling form (PDF)
2. Send the application form and a copy of your program certificate to the College at certification@chcpbc.org
3. Processing an application may take 3-5 business days once both documents have been received
4. You will be notified by email and ‘dry needling’ will be visible as an additional skill on your record on the public directory

Questions About Dry Needling?

For further information on dry needling, please contact certification@chcpbc.org.

Health Profession Corporation – Valid CHCPBC Permit Required

A physical therapist may own their practice as a sole proprietor, partnership or as a health profession corporation. While the College does not have the authority to regulate sole proprietors and partnership structures, it does regulate health profession corporations.

Corporation Hours

Emails to CHCPBC Corporations are reviewed Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Health Profession Corporation Guide (PDF)

Consent for Use of Term ‘Physiotherapy’

The College does not regulate the actual business name (i.e., clinic, practice, health profession corporation). However, BC Registry may require registrants to obtain consent from the College for use of the term ‘Physiotherapy’ and its variations in a proposed name. Please scroll down to “Step 1” for instructions on how to request consent.

What Is A Health Profession Corporation?

A health profession corporation is a business model that is unique to the Health Professions Act (HPA) and as such, there are specific regulations that apply. Health profession corporations are regulated by the College and registrants who wish to incorporate are required to apply for and maintain an annual health profession corporation permit.

Section 42(1) of the Health Professions Act (HPA)  indicates: “Subject to this Act, the regulation and the bylaws, no corporation, other than a health profession corporation holding a valid permit under section 43(1), may carry on the business of providing to the public health profession services that may be provided by the registrants of the college whose board issue or renewed the permit.”

In other words, registrants who wish to incorporate to provide physical therapy services has to apply for a health profession corporation permit.

Registrants who wish to obtain a health profession corporation permit must comply with Part 4 of the HPA and the College’s Bylaws.

Is a Health Profession Corporation Right for Me?

Whether or not a health profession corporation is suitable will depend on each registrant’s situation. Staff at the College do not have the expertise and ability to provide business, legal, financial, or tax advice.

Only full registrants are eligible for a health profession corporation permit.

Registrants may benefit from obtaining legal and accounting advice for decision making and setting up the corporation in such a way to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.

Application and Permit Fees

Permits are valid from April 1 – March 31 regardless of when the application is made. Fees are not pro-rated. There is an annual fee and the permit must be renewed annually to remain valid.

• Setting up a Health Profession Corporation = $420 ($300 Application Fee + $120 Permit Fee)
• Annual Permit Renewal = $120 Permit Fee

Fees are non-refundable and subject to change.

Once a permit has been cancelled, registrants will need to apply new again.

Step 1: Obtaining Consent For Using the Term ‘Physiotherapy’

If you are going to BC Registry Services to reserve a name for your clinic, practice or health profession corporation, and the name includes the term ‘Physiotherapy’ or its variations, it is likely BC Registry will be requiring you to obtain consent from the College to use that term. As per Section 3 of the HPA Physical Therapists Regulation, “physical therapist”, “registered physical therapist”,  “physiotherapist” and “registered physiotherapist” are reserved titles, so they are reserved for exclusive use by registrants

Please note the College does not otherwise regulate business names.

The following criteria should be considered when choosing a proposed business name:

• Include a descriptor such as “Physiotherapy”  to indicate the nature of professional services that are being provided
• Ensure the name is not identical or so closely resemble the name of another business that the name is likely to confuse or mislead the public and/or cause conflict with the other business.
• Conduct due diligence which may include:
  • Reviewing the College Bylaws on Marketing and Advertising in the context of the proposed name,
  • Conducting an online search for identical/similar names, understanding that not all businesses register their name with BC Registry,
  • Checking with BC Registry for identical/similar names,
  • Checking to see whether or not the name is already trademarked

To obtain consent from the College for use of the term ‘Physiotherapy’:

• Complete the Application for Consent of Use of Term ‘Physiotherapy’ (PDF)
• Submit the completed form to corporations@chcpbc.org

The College will review the application and if consent is granted, the College will email you an approval letter which you can provide to BC Registry Services.

Once the College has provided consent for the name, registrants applying for a health profession corporation permit should continue with Steps 2 and 3.

Step 2: Registering Your Health Profession Corporation

Apply via BC Registry Services to register your corporation under the BC Business Corporations Act.

Your health profession corporation structure needs to meet requirements set out by Part 4 of the HPA and the College’s Bylaws. You may want to obtain legal and accounting advice in structuring your health profession corporation. College staff are not qualified to offer legal advice about tax matters or how to structure your corporation.

Step 3: Applying to the College for a Health Profession Corporation Permit

Once your corporation has been registered under the BC Business Corporations Act, you may apply for a permit with the College.

Health Profession Corporation permits expire annually on March 31, regardless when the application is made. Fees are not pro-rated. This may be relevant when considering the timing of your submission.

The following documentation is required for application. Please email the following to corporations@chcpbc.org:

• Completed Application for a Health Profession Corporation Permit (PDF)
• Certificate of Incorporation issued by BC Registry Services
• Certificate of Solicitor (PDF) completed by a lawyer/solicitor

A Certificate of Solicitor is a document required by the College to ensure that the corporation meets all the requirements of the HPA and College bylaws, and in particular that:

• the corporation meets all the requirements of Part 4 of the HPA and the College bylaws; and
• a registrant of the College has been nominated as the “designated person” in accordance with the College bylaws

A Certificate of Solicitor must be signed by a member of the Law Society of British Columbia who is in good standing. Registrants may check the membership status of a lawyer on the Law Society’s website. Registrants could look for a lawyer who specializes in business law, or who otherwise has a corporation/commercial legal practice.

If your application is complete and complies with the HPA and Bylaws, the College will notify you via email. You will be asked to go to your Licensee Portal to pay the application and permit fee. Once payment is completed, the permit and tax receipt will be accessible through your registrant portal.

Corporation Permit

The permit is valid from the date issued by the College until March 31.

Permits must be renewed annually. The annual cycle for health profession corporations is April 1 to March 31.

Permits and receipts can be downloaded from the Licensee Portal.

Change of Health Profession Corporation Information

A health profession corporation designated person must promptly contact  the College to advise of any change to the health profession corporation. This includes matters such as:

• Disposition or transfer of owners/shares

• Other changes to the information contained in the permit’s original application

Disclosure of Corporate Status

As per the College Bylaws, a health profession corporation which carries on the business of providing physical therapist services must disclose on all letterhead and business cards and in all advertisements, that the physical therapy services are being provided by a health profession corporation.

Questions?

If you have additional questions, please email corporations@chcpbc.org.

Health Profession Corporation Permit Renewal (PDF)