New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVII, Issue
4 / February 24, 2026
This amendment to 16.20.8 NMAC, Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
and 12, effective 2/24/2026
16.20.8.7 DEFINITIONS:
A. One “contact hour” requires 60 minutes.
B. “Lecture” means an educational talk given by a qualified individual.
C. “Continuing professional education” means learning experiences which enhance and expand the skills, knowledge, and abilities of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to enable them to remain current and render competent professional service to clients, the profession, and the public.
D. “Fellowship” means a planned program designed to provide greater depth in a specialty or subspecialty area and requires a minimum of 1000 hours of instruction.
E. “Panel” means the presentation of [a
number of] views by several qualified individuals on a given subject.
F. “Workshop” means a series of meetings designed for intensive study, skill development, or discussion in a specific field of interest.
G. “Seminar/In-service” means directed study for a group for advanced study, work or discussion in a specific field of interest.
H. “Symposium” means a conference of more than a single session organized for the purpose of discussing a specific subject from various viewpoints and by various speakers.
I. “Qualified Individual” means a
qualified licensed health professional who demonstrates or possesses the
education, skill and experience in a particular area, or is an individual
licensed to practice medicine, meaning they have completed the necessary education,
training, and licensing requirements to diagnose, prescribe, and administer
treatment for illnesses or injuries.
[16.20.8.7 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.7 NMAC, 2/24/2022; A, 2/24/2026]
16.20.8.8 RENEWAL REQUIREMENT:
A. Renewal of license.
(1) A licensed physical therapist and a physical therapist assistant shall apply for license renewal and pay the renewal fee as set forth in 16.20.5 NMAC, Schedule of Fees.
(2) Licenses will be renewed biennially. Licenses will expire on February 1 following no more than two years of licensure.
B. The
board office will [mail] send a renewal notice, in writing via
electronic communication, to each licensee no later than December 15 at the
electronic mail address on record.
Timely renewal of license is the full and complete responsibility of the
licensee. If the licensee does not
receive the renewal notification within a reasonable time after December 15, it
is the responsibility of the licensee to contact the board office. Non-receipt of the renewal form by the
licensee will not exempt licensure expiration or late penalty fees.
C. Each licensee is responsible for submitting the required renewal fee by the expiration date whether or not a renewal notice is received by the licensee and licensee shall not practice if license is expired.
D. All
license renewals postmarked after February 1 will be subject to a late fee of
$250 for a physical therapist and [$200.00] $120 for a physical
therapist assistant. (Refer to 16.20 5
NMAC, Schedule of Fees.)
[16.20.8.8 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.8 NMAC, 2/24/2022; A, 2/24/2026]
16.20.8.9 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:
Continuing education is required for license renewal of physical
therapists and physical therapist assistants [in order] to ensure that
New Mexico licensees are providing the highest quality professional services.
A. Thirty
hours of continuing education[will be] is required biennially, except
those who will renew their license for the first time. No continuing education
is required of those who are renewing for the first time. All continuing education hours must be earned
during the current two year renewal period of February 1 through January 31.
B. The
board shall audit a percentage of renewal applications each year to verify the
continuing education requirement. If the
licensee is audited, proof of [participation in or presentation of]
continuing education activity must be submitted [along with a renewal form].
(1) If
a notice of audit is received [with the license renewal notice,] the
licensee must submit evidence of continuing education hours earned during the
current biennial renewal cycle to the board as requested and as required in the
Physical Therapy Act and by this rule.
(2) [If
the licensee is not audited, the licensee will have to] In the renewal
application, all licensees must sign an affidavit.[attesting to the
completion of the required hours of continuing education and the licensee shall
retain all documentation of attendance for the previous cycle immediately
preceding the current renewal.] confirming completion of the required
continuing education hours. It is recommended that licensees keep records of
attendance from the previous renewal cycle
(3) The board reserves the right to audit continuing education attendance certificates whenever there is reasonable doubt the courses submitted, dates, or hours may be incorrect.
C. Licensees serving in the armed forces reserve or national guard.
(1) The license of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who does not earn the required continuing education contact hours as provided in this section due to his or her call to active duty in the armed forces reserves or the New Mexico national guard, will not lapse for failure to earn continuing education hours.
(2) A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who was or is called to active duty in the armed forces reserves or New Mexico national guard is required to provide official documentation that the licensee is a member of the armed forces reserves or the national guard and was or is being called to active duty.
(3) Upon
the physical therapist or physical therapist assistant’s return to civilian
status, the licensee shall pay the license renewal fee and resume earning
continuing education contact hours prorated according to the licensee’s months
of service as required to maintain his or her licensure as a physical therapist
or physical therapist assistant. The amount of
prorated hours shall be at the discretion of the board.
[16.20.8.9 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.9 NMAC, 2/24/2022; A, 2/24/2026]
16.20.8.10 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT
CARRYOVER: No carryover hours
will be permitted. [Thirty continuing
education hours must be earned during the current two year renewal period of
February 1 through January 31.]
[16.20.8.10 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.10 NMAC; A, 2/24/2022]
16.20.8.11 FAILURE TO MEET CONTINUING
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Failure
to [meet] fulfill continuing education requirements will [cause]
result in the board [to refuse] declining to renew [the]
a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant license [in
accordance with] under the Uniform Licensing Act.
[16.20.8.11 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.11 NMAC, 2/24/2022; A, 2/24/2026]
16.20.8.12 APPROVAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTACT HOURS:
A. The process for approval of continuing education is as follows:
(1) [the
board or its designee will approve each request for continuing education
credit; course approval must be requested by the course sponsor prior to the
course or retroactively; however, licensees are not required to obtain approval
but can request approval prior to a course or retroactively to ascertain that a
course is acceptable as continuing education] The board designates the
New Mexico American Physical Therapy Association (NMAPTA), a chapter of the
American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), to approve each request for
continuing education credit prior to completing or holding the course. Should
the licensee or applicant not receive a response to their continuing education
course application within six months, the licensee or applicant may request
course review from the board.
(2) the party requesting approval will be informed of the board’s or designee’s determination within 30 calendar days of receipt of the request;
(3) the course sponsor or licensee whose request has been denied may appeal the denial at the next board meeting; and
(4) the same program may be provided more than one time and at different locations within the calendar year in which the fee was paid without the payment of additional fees.
B. Programs must follow the criteria and guidelines established by the board as follows to receive continuing education credit:
(1) each program or any course(s), with board approval that are sponsored by the APTA/NMAPTA will automatically be accepted for CEU approval without the need to apply for such approval;
(2) each
program addresses [needs] (problems and issues) faced by physical
therapists and physical therapist assistants;
(3) each program has specific written learning outcomes (objectives) based on identified needs;
(4) each program is planned and conducted by qualified individuals;
(5) program content and instructional methods for each program are based on learning objectives; and
(6) participants demonstrate their attainment of the learning outcomes, (i.e., various methods can be used such as: questions, discussions, written oral exercises, problems, case studies, etc.); and
[(7) programs approved by the APTA will be automatically
accepted by the board.]
C. Final determination of values of continuing education will remain at the discretion of the board.
D. Programs considered appropriate for continuing education, include, but are not limited to those listed below.
(1) Live programs, (i.e., various programs such as workshops, in-service two-way video conferencing, etc.) awarded by providing the board with the following:
(a) certificate of completion;
(b) course schedule;
(c) learning outcomes (objectives); and
(d) name of instructor and credentials; 30 contact hours will be accepted).
(2) In the case of university or college courses taken for credit, provide the board with:
(a) name of course;
(b) number of course credit hours;
(c) inclusive dates of attendance;
(d) name of instructor and instructor’s credentials;
(e) published course description from college or university;
(f) completed transcript or grade report with a passing grade of “C” or better;
(g) name of institution; and
(h) brief course summary demonstrating the course’s relationship to physical therapy; (maximum 30) contact hours are awarded for each three credit course).
(3) Physician in-service programs or regular physical therapy staff in-service programs, provide the board with:
(a) name of program;
(b) number of hours spent in program;
(c) inclusive dates of attendance;
(d) name of instructor or supervisor of program; documentation of instructor background and expertise;
(e) name of institution; and
(f) brief course summary demonstrating the course’s relationship to physical therapy; (maximum allowed biennially is 30 contact hours).
(4) Management courses: (maximum allowed biennially is 15 contact hours.)
(5) Preparation or presentation of a workshop/in-service, awarded on a case by case basis for any one given presentation, by providing the board the following:
(a) proof of preparation may be an outline, copy of handouts, copy and
(b) a copy of the agenda showing name of licensee as presenter; (maximum allowed biennially is 15 contact hours);
(c) contact hours for the presenter will be
calculated at three times the number of hours of audience participation (e.g.,
a two hour workshop equals six hours for the presenter).
(6) Certificate courses for an advanced specialty, provide the board a certificate of completion signed by the program sponsor. (Maximum allowed biennially is 30 contact hours.)
(7) Reading journal articles, provide the board the following:
(a) title of article and journal;
(b) author and author’s credentials’; and
(c) summary (subject of article, what was learned, and how it relates to the physical therapy scope of practice or the licensee’s position; (maximum allowed per article is one-half contact hour); (maximum allowed biennially is 15 contact hours).
(8) Conducting physical therapy research, provide the board the following:
(a) title and description of research project, including brief timeline;
(b) names of other persons involved in project (i.e., co-investigators or supervisors);
(c) a brief statement indicating how participation in the project is related to the licensee’s present or future position in the field of physical therapy;
(d) a brief statement indicating how participation in the project is benefiting the applicant’s therapy skills or research skills; and
(e) provide a copy of the research report (if project has been completed); (if report is incomplete), credit will be allowed by providing the listed information or by receipt of the college transcript; (the board will determine the number of contact hours allowed); (maximum allowed biennially is 30 contact hours).
(9) Home study courses, awarded by providing the board with the following:
(a) certificate of completion;
(b) course schedule;
(c) learning outcomes (objectives); and
(d) name of instructor and credentials; (maximum allowed biennially is 30 contact hours).
(10) Internet courses, awarded by providing the board with the following:
(a) certificate of completion;
(b) course schedule;
(c) learning outcomes (objectives); and
(d) name of instructor and credentials; (maximum allowed biennially is 30 contact hours).
(11) Alternative medicine seminars, provide the board a letter from the licensee explaining how the course relates to the physical therapy scope of practice. The board will approve these courses on a case by case basis.
(12) Courses where certificates of attendance are not issued, provide the board the following:
(a) [a
canceled check for the course registration fee (submit copy of front and back
of check)] Proof of registration or proof of attendance.
(b) proof of transportation (i.e., copy of plane ticket and hotel receipt); and
(c) list of courses attended and hours attended (i.e., copy descriptions of courses and hours from program agenda).
(13) Credit
for supervising a student in clinical education, provide the board with a
copy of the cover and signature page (with student’s name
blacked out to maintain confidentiality) of the student evaluation completed by
the licensee-supervisor. One continuing
education contact hour may be approved for each 40 contact hours of supervision
in clinical education. The maximum
number of continuing education contact hours approved for supervision in
clinical education is 15 contact hours biennially.
(14) Residencies, fellowships, and examinations.
(a) Successful
completion of a specialty examination may be submitted for continuing education
consideration. A list of the specialty
examinations that qualify for continuing education will be maintained by the
board. The maximum number of continuing
education contact hours is 30 biennially.
(b) Successful completion of an American
physical therapy association (APTA) credentialed residency or fellowship
program may be submitted for continuing education consideration. The maximum number of continuing education
contact hours is 30 biennially.
(c) Successful completion of an
examination of the federation of state boards of physical therapy pertaining to
continued competence may be submitted for continuing education
consideration. The maximum number of
continuing education contact hours is 30 biennially.
(15) [physical therapy association] The
American Physical Therapy Association
code of ethics for physical therapists and standards of ethical conduct
for physical therapist assistants, online course or live program, awarded
by providing the board with the following:
(a) certificate of completion;
(b) course schedule;
(c) learning outcomes (objectives); and
(d) name of instructor and credentials;
(the maximum number of contact hours awarded will be accepted).
(16) Education presentations on state and
federal legislative updates, and APTA house of delegates at NMAPTA business
meetings, awarded by providing the board with the following:
(a) proof of attendance;
(b) outline of agenda; and
(c) name of instructor and instructor’s credentials; (maximum allowed biennially is eight contact hours or four contact hours annually).
E. Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to:
(1) orientation and in-service programs dealing with organizational structures, processes, or procedures;
(2) meetings for purposes of policy making;
(3) annual association, chapter, district, or organizational and non-educational meetings;
(4) entertainment or recreational meetings or activities;
(5) committee meetings, holding of offices, serving as an organizational delegate;
(6) visiting exhibits; and
(7) CPR education.
[16.20.8.12 NMAC – Rp, 16.20.8.9 NMAC, 2/24/2022; A, 2/24/2026]