§ 40-45-260 — Certificate of licensure; provisional licenses; restrictions; limit on attempts to pass licensure examination.

(A) The board shall license as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant an applicant who proves to the satisfaction of the board fitness for licensure under the provisions of this chapter. The board shall issue to a licensee a certificate of licensure, which is prima facie evidence of the right of the person to represent himself or herself as a licensed physical therapist or as a licensed physical therapist assistant. (B) The board may issue a provisional license to: (1) an applicant for licensure as a physical therapist who has met all of the requirements for licensure under Section 40-45-230 except completing the clinical practice hours requirement pursuant to Section 40-45-220(A)(2)(d); (2) a person whose physical therapist or physical therapist assistant license has been inactive or lapsed for three years or more and who has applied to reactivate the license; (3) an applicant for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant whose practice needs to be restricted, as determined by the board; (4) an applicant for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who has met all of the requirements for licensure under Section 40-45-230 except for completing the official transcript requirement pursuant to Section 40-45-230(B). A provisional license is valid for up to one year from the date of issue and may not be renewed. A physical therapist holding a provisional license issued pursuant to item (1), (2), or (3) must work under the on-site supervision of a physical therapist licensed in this State, and a physical therapist assistant holding a provisional license issued pursuant to items (1), (2), or (3) must work under the on-site supervision of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant licensed in this State. A physical therapist and physical therapist assistant holding a provisional license issued pursuant to item (4) must work under the supervision of a physical therapist licensed in this State. A provisional licensee shall submit to the board a completed supervisory agreement form for each place of employment. (C) The board may require an applicant who is not actively engaged in practice as a physical therapist or as a physical therapist assistant to comply with one or more of the following: (1) complete a certain number of continuing education units; (2) have supervised practice as specified by the board; (3) pass a written examination approved by the board. (D) The board must not issue a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant license to an applicant who has failed to achieve a passing score six or more times on a board-approved licensure examination.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 360, SECTION 1; 2019 Act No. 64 (H.3703), SECTION 2, eff May 16, 2019. Editor's Note Prior Laws:1962 Code SECTION 56-1348; 1952 (47) 1967; 1971 (57) 405; 1982 Act No. 413, SECTION 14; 1976 Code SECTION 40-45-140. Effect of Amendment 2019 Act No. 64, SECTION 2, in (D), substituted "six or more times" for "three or more times".