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Can you earn physical therapy CEUs online?
It depends on your state board. South Dakota puts no cap on online hours if the course meets its conditions, Mississippi says online courses may count, and South Carolina limits credit for internet self-study from providers outside its Certified Activities. Read your board's rule before you buy a course.
By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.
The steps, in order
Find your board's rule
Hours, period and online limits
Check the course
Does it fit that rule?
Take the course
Online or in person
Keep your proof
Your board may ask for it
Steps: find your board's rule, check each course against it, take the course, and keep your proof.
What the rule says
What does South Dakota say?
The Department of Health says there is no limit to the number of online CE hours, as long as the online course meets four conditions. Among them, it must deal with matters directly related to the practice of physical therapy.
What does Mississippi say?
The Board of Physical Therapy says online courses may be used to fulfill its continuing competence requirements.
www.msbpt.ms.gov · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens agency website)
What does South Carolina say?
The board allows credit for self-study directed by a correspondence course, video, internet or satellite program from a provider outside its Certified Activities. It awards one contact hour per study topic, and no more than two hours per biennium.
Where people go wrong
- You buy a pile of online hours before you read your board's rule. We haven't confirmed how every board treats online courses.
- You assume one board's rule is every board's rule. South Dakota, Mississippi and South Carolina each word theirs differently.
- You take an online course without checking who approved it. For South Dakota's no-limit rule, the APTA, APTA-SD or a physical therapy licensing board in another state must approve the course.
Questions
How many hours does South Dakota ask for?
Licensees must document 30 continuing education hours during the two-year license cycle.
Do extra South Dakota hours roll over?
No. South Dakota says CE hours may only be credited to the licensing cycle in which they are completed.
What does Mississippi ask for in total?
Its regulations set a requirement of 30 continuing competence units during each 2 year licensing period. They allow no carryover from one period to the next.
What proof does South Carolina want for self-study?
The board asks for documentation of the study objectives, activities and time spent, plus a reflection on what you learned.
Your next step
Read your board's rule and check each course against it. The link below is South Dakota's board page.
Sources we read
- doh.sd.gov › continuing education · read Nov 13, 2026
- llr.sc.gov › ce · read Nov 13, 2026
- www.msbpt.ms.gov › 55 · read Nov 13, 2026
Who publishes this guide
State Cert Guide is an independent guide to what each state requires. If a fact on this page is wrong, tell us and we fix it.