Understanding Arkansas Contact Hour Requirements and Compliance for PTs and PTAs
The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy mandates that all licensed physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) complete continuing education (CE) to maintain an active license. In Arkansas, continuing education is measured in Contact Hours and Continuing Education Units (CEUs), where 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours. This framework ensures clinicians advance their clinical reasoning, maintain safety standards, and stay aligned with modern, evidence-based physical therapy practice.
Arkansas operates on a biennial renewal cycle where CE contact hours must be completed by December 31 of even-numbered years (prior to the March 1 license renewal deadline in odd-numbered years). To prevent administrative fines or license suspension, you must acquire your certified credits within this two-year compliance window. Understanding how the state board regulates online limits and course approvals is critical for selecting qualifying courses that protect your license during a state audit
Your Arkansas Contact Hour Requirements at a GlanceÂ
- 20-Hour Biennial Requirement (PTs): Physical Therapists must complete 2.0 CEUs (20 contact hours) every two years by December 31 of even-numbered years.
- 10-Hour Biennial Requirement (PTAs): Physical Therapist Assistants must complete 1.0 CEU (10 contact hours) every two years by December 31 of even-numbered years.
- 50% Online Distance Learning Cap: A maximum of 50% of your total required contact hours may be earned through online/home-study courses (up to 10 online hours for PTs; up to 5 online hours for PTAs).
- Mandatory Jurisprudence Exam: All PTs and PTAs must pass the online Arkansas Physical Therapy Board Jurisprudence Exam each cycle (counts as 1 contact hour).
- 4-Year Audit Record Retention: Licensees must retain certificates of completion, learning objectives, and course agendas for at least 4 years post-completion.
Board-Approved Contact Hours for PTs in Arkansas.Â
This 100% online, self-paced Intro to Nutrition CEU course provides the foundational nutrition knowledge required to guide your PT patients toward healthier lifestyle choices—directly resulting in improved clinical outcomes and enhanced quality of life.
- Intro to Nutrition Course
- Hours:Â 4 Contact Hours (0.4 CEUs)
- Format: Fully Online Physical Therapy CEU course, Self-Paced Multimedia Learning Price: $119 (Regularly $149 — Save $30!)
- Approval: FPTA Approved with Reciprocal Acceptance in Arkansas (and 43 other states!)
What You Will Learn in the Intro to Nutrition CourseÂ
At the conclusion of this continuing education course PTs and PTAs will be able to confidently apply these core principles in daily practice:
- Foundational Nutrition: Define principles of macro- and micronutrients, calories, and daily healthy population requirements.
- Dietary Frameworks: Compare and contrast the Standard American Diet (SAD), Mediterranean diet, plant-based diets, and others.
- Industry & Lobbies: Understand how the food industry and lobbying efforts influence your patients' everyday food choices.
- Label Analysis: Master reading food labels to effectively counsel patients on hidden sugars, ingredients, and nutrients.
- Clinical Assessments: Identify common dietary assessment tools used within a physical therapy setting.
- Targeted Nutrition: Outline food sources and specific nutrient functions related to healing, physical recovery, and rehab.
Explore Our Other Approved Arkansas PT CEU Courses Â
Get full, board-approved online access to all three core courses for 12 total contact hours, 1.2 CEUs.Â
Ensure your continuing education hours are fully compliant without the guesswork. Our evidence-based clinical curriculum features reciprocal board acceptance, allowing you to satisfy your annual mandate while expanding your diagnostic and treatment skill sets.
Introduction to Nutrition for PTs
4 CEUS | $149 Value
Foundational science of macronutrients, calories, and food groups for healthy populations. Â
Nutrition Assessment & Prescription
4 CEUS | $149 Value
Master diet histories, screening tools, and dietary prescriptions for specific conditions.Â
Specialized Topics in Nutrition
4 CEUS | $149 Value
Advanced inflammation protocols, gut health, and specialty rehab (Orthopedics, Neuro, Sports). Â
Maximize Your Savings with the 12-CEU Bundle
Streamline your renewal requirements with our self-paced, fully online 12-hour track designed to meet the highest standards of state compliance.
- Â 12 Total Contact Hours: Earn a comprehensive block of 12 contact hours (1.2 CEUs), satisfying 100% of the maximum allowed online contact hours for PTs (10 hours) and PTAs (5 hours).
- High-Value 4-Credit Modules: Features 3 advanced courses worth 4 contact hours each (Course I: Introduction, Course II: Assessment, Course III: Specialized Prescription).
- CNPT® Certification Pathway: Build directly toward your professional credentials as a Certified Nutritional Physical Therapist.
- 100% Self-Paced & Online: Seamlessly fit your education modules around your busy clinical patient schedule.
- Maximum Financial Savings: Access the complete 3-course bundle for only $299 (a total savings of $148 compared to individual course pricing of $447).
Meet Your Instructor
Built by a DPT who saw the gap.
Dr. Sean M. Wells, DPT, PT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, CNPT, CNPT developed this curriculum after recognizing that nutrition was the "missing link" in his own clinical practice. Based in Florida, Dr. Wells designed these courses to ensure that every DPT can confidently provide nutritional counseling that stays within the legal and professional guidelines of the APTA.
Most Physical Therapists are not trained in NutritionÂ
Get the Complete Nutrition CEU Course for PTs & PTAsÂ
Nutrition directly impacts healing, inflammation, and recovery—yet most DPT programs leave a gap in this essential science. Stop guessing at nutritional advice and start using an evidence-based system that fits your scope of practice. Our continuing education courses are designed to provide continuing education in Arkansas for:
- Physical Therapists (PTs) & Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs)
- Occupational Therapists (OTs) & Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs)
- Athletic Trainers (ATs)
- Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP)
Courses are approved via FPTA reciprocity for Physical Therapy clinicians. OTs, ATs, and SLPs should check their respective state board guidelines for individual approval.
FAQ's
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Join Hundreds of Arkansas PTs Upgrading Their Practice
Don't just check a box for your state license renewal. Gain the practical skills and confidence needed to talk to your patients about food, inflammation, and recovery with this continuing education course.
Dr. Erson Religioso, DPT, PT, FAAOMPT (Modern Manual Therapy)
Probably the best certification-level courses I've taken in a decade
Sandy M., Florida PT
I have wanted to better serve my patients by expanding my knowledge of nutrition and PT and now I have the confidence and educational resources to do just that.
Peter P., DPT License Renewal
I have found this course to be a lot of knowledge, informative and immediately applicable to my practice
© 2026 Nutritional PT Courses are approved by the Florida Board of Physical Therapy, an approved provider of the APTA. Prospective students desiring continuing education credit are urged to check with their state continuing education requirements before enrolling in our programs. If you do not live in Arkansas, some courses may require individual board verification. It is the participant’s responsibility to verify if their licensing agency accepts reciprocity with the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Association. We are happy to provide each registrant with documentation needed to submit to their own licensing board for individual approval. The Company is not currently a BOC, AOTA, or CME provider.
