Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

This chapter may be cited as the Physical Therapy Practice Act.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise specified: (a) “Board” means the Physical Therapy Board of California. (b) “Physical therapist” means a person who is licensed pursuant to this chapter to practice physical th…

(a) The Physical Therapy Board of California, hereafter referred to as the board, shall enforce and administer this chapter. (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed. (c) Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of this …

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Physical Therapy Board of California in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protectio…

The members of the board shall consist of four physical therapists, only one of whom shall be involved in physical therapy education, and three public members.

(a) The physical therapist members of the board shall be appointed from persons having all of the following qualifications: (1) Be a resident of California. (2) Possess a valid and unrestricted license in California issued pursuant to this chapter. (3) Have been licensed pursuant…

The members of the board shall be appointed for a term of four years, expiring on the first day of June of each year. The Governor shall appoint one of the public members and the four physical therapist members of the board qualified as provided in Sections 2603 and 2603.5. The S…

The board shall do all of the following: (a) Evaluate the qualifications of applicants for licensure. (b) Provide for the examinations of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants and establish a passing score for each examination. (c) Issue all licenses for the pract…

Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.

The board may employ, subject to law, such clerical assistants and, except as provided in Section 159.5, other employees as it may deem necessary to carry out its powers and duties. The board may enter into contracts for services necessary for enforcement of this chapter and may …

(a) The board may employ an executive officer exempt from the State Civil Service Act (Part 2 (commencing with Section 18500) of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and may also employ investigators, legal counsel, physical therapist consultants, and other assistance as…

The procedure in all matters and proceedings relating to the denial, suspension, revocation, or probationary restriction of licenses issued by the board under this chapter shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of …

Each member of the board, or any licensed physical therapist appointed by the board, may inspect, or require reports from, a general or specialized hospital or any other facility providing physical therapy care, treatment or services and the physical therapy staff thereof, with r…

The board shall meet at least three times each calendar year, meeting at least once each calendar year in northern California and once each calendar year in southern California. The board may convene from time to time until its business is concluded. Special meetings of the board…

The board shall comply with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

The board may appoint qualified persons to give the whole or any portion of any examination as provided in this chapter, who shall be designated as a commissioner on examination. A commissioner on examination need not be a member of the board but shall be subject to the same rule…

The board shall hear all matters, including, but not limited to, any contested case or any petition for reinstatement, restoration, or modification of probation. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all hearings shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing…

The board shall adopt those regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this chapter. In adopting regulations the board shall comply with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(a) Physical therapy means the art and science of physical or corrective rehabilitation or of physical or corrective treatment of any bodily or mental condition of any person by the use of the physical, chemical, and other properties of heat, light, water, electricity, sound, mas…

(a) In addition to receiving those services authorized by Section 2620, a person may initiate physical therapy treatment directly from a licensed physical therapist if the treatment is within the scope of practice of physical therapists, as defined in Section 2620, and all of the…

A physical therapist licensed pursuant to this chapter may apply topical medications as part of the practice of physical therapy as defined in Section 2620 if he or she complies with regulations duly adopted by the board pursuant to this section and the Administrative Procedure A…

A physical therapist may, upon specified authorization of a physician and surgeon, perform tissue penetration for the purpose of evaluating neuromuscular performance as a part of the practice of physical therapy, as defined in Section 2620, provided the physical therapist is cert…

(a) Patient records shall be documented as required in regulations promulgated by the board. (b) Patient records shall be maintained for a period of no less than seven years following the discharge of the patient, except that the records of unemancipated minors shall be maintaine…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing a physical therapist to practice medicine, surgery, or any other form of healing except as authorized by Section 2620.

(a) A physical therapist shall be responsible for managing all aspects of the care of each patient as set forth in regulations promulgated by the board. (b) A physical therapist shall not supervise more than two physical therapist assistants at one time to assist the physical the…

The board may, by regulation, prescribe, amend, or repeal any rules contained within a code of professional conduct appropriate to the establishment and maintenance of integrity and dignity in the profession of physical therapy. Every licensee of the board shall be governed and c…

It is unlawful for any person or persons to practice, or offer to practice, physical therapy in this state for compensation received or expected, or to hold himself or herself out as a physical therapist, unless at the time of so doing the person holds a valid, unexpired, and unr…

(a) A licensed physical therapist assistant holding a valid, unexpired, and unrevoked physical therapist assistant license may assist in the provision of physical therapy services only under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed by the board. A licensed physical therap…

(a) A “physical therapy aide” is an unlicensed person, at least 18 years of age, who aids a licensed physical therapist consistent with subdivision (b). (b) The aide shall at all times be under the supervision of the physical therapist. An aide shall not independently perform phy…

The following persons are exempt from the licensure requirements of this chapter when engaged in the following activities: (a) A regularly matriculated physical therapist student undertaking a course of professional instruction in an approved entry-level physical therapy educatio…

(a) A person holding a license as a physical therapist issued by the board may use the title “physical therapist” or the letters “P.T.” or any other words, letters, or figures that indicate that the person using same is a licensed physical therapist. No other person shall be so d…

(a) Only a person licensed as a physical therapist assistant by the board may use the title “physical therapist assistant” or “physical therapy assistant” or the letters “PTA” or any other words, letters, or figures that indicate that the person is a physical therapist assistant …

During a period of clinical practice described in Section 2650 or in any similar period of observation of related educational experience involving recipients of physical therapy, a person so engaged shall be identified only as a “physical therapist student” or a “physical therapi…

The board may investigate each and every applicant for a license, before a license is issued, in order to determine whether or not the applicant has in fact the qualifications required by this chapter.

Every applicant for a license under this chapter shall, at the time of application, be a person over 18 years of age, not addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance, have successfully completed the education and training required by Section 2650, and not have committed acts …

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no person shall receive a license under this chapter without first successfully passing the following examinations, where success is determined based on the examination passing standard set by the board: (1) An examination under t…

(a) An applicant may be issued a license without a written examination if he or she meets all of the following: (1) He or she is at the time of application licensed as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in a state, district, or territory of the United States hav…

Any applicant for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who fails to pass the examination required by the board may retake the licensing examination and shall pay the reexamination fee.

(a) (1) Every graduate of an approved physical therapy education program who has filed a complete application, as defined in regulation, for licensure with the board and has been awarded either physical therapist license applicant status or physical therapist assistant license ap…

A person having, in the opinion of the board, training or experience, or a combination of training and experience, equivalent to that obtained in an approved physical therapist assistant education program and who meets the requirements of Section 2635 may apply for licensure as a…

(a) Every license issued under this chapter shall expire at 12 a.m. on the last day of the birth month of the licensee during the second year of a two-year term, if not renewed. (b) To renew an unexpired license, the licensee shall, on or before the date on which it would otherwi…

At least 60 days before the expiration of any license, the board shall mail to each licensee under this chapter, at the latest address furnished by the licensee to the board, a notice stating the amount of the renewal fee and the date on which it is due, and that failure to pay i…

A license that has expired may be renewed at any time within five years after its expiration by applying for renewal as set forth in Section 2644. Renewal under this section shall be effective on the date on which the renewal application is filed, on the date on which the renewal…

A person who fails to renew his or her license within five years after its expiration may not renew it, and it shall not be reissued, reinstated, or restored thereafter. However, the person may apply for a new license if he or she satisfies the requirements set forth in Article 3…

(a) A licensee is exempt from the payment of the renewal fee while engaged in full-time training or active service in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, or in the United States Public Health Service. (b) A person exempted from the payment of the ren…

A licensee who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the board that he or she is unable to practice, or assist in the provision of, physical therapy due to a disability may request a waiver of the license renewal fee. The granting of a waiver shall be at the discretion of the board…

(a) The renewal fee shall be waived for licensees residing in California who certify to the board that license renewal is for the sole purpose of providing voluntary, unpaid physical therapy services. (b) A person exempt from renewal fees under this section shall not be exempt fr…

(a) A person renewing his or her license shall submit proof satisfactory to the board that, during the preceding two years, he or she has completed the required number of continuing education hours established by regulation by the board, or such other proof of continuing competen…

(a) The physical therapist education requirements are as follows: (1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, each applicant for a license as a physical therapist shall be a graduate of a professional degree program of an accredited postsecondary institution or institutions…

The board shall approve only those physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs that prove to the satisfaction of the board that they comply with the minimum physical therapist or physical therapist assistant educational requirements set forth in this ch…