The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.North Carolina Updates Physical Therapy Practice Laws, Licensing Fees, and Board Disciplinary Powers
Last action · June 22, 2026: Ch. SL 2026-16Sponsors: Heather Rhyne and 9 others
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
North Carolina modifies physical therapy regulations by shifting the annual license renewal period to November 1 through January 31, updating application and fee caps, and revising disciplinary grounds for practitioners effective October 1, 2025.
Licensed physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and applicants in North Carolina face updated fee structures, revised continuing competency requirements, and adjusted background check and renewal timelines.
- The North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners operates as the state licensing and regulatory authority for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Physical therapists
Licensed physical therapists must comply with new annual renewal windows from November 1 to January 31, updated fee structures, and revised disciplinary standards.
Physical therapist assistants
Physical therapist assistants are subject to revised educational accreditation requirements, continuing competency mandates, and updated renewal timelines.
North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
The Board gains explicit authority to conduct investigations, issue subpoenas, charge hearing costs to disciplined practitioners, and adopt implementing rules.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must physical therapists renew their licenses under the updated law?
What is the maximum fee for a license renewal?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
33 actions- Jun 17, 2026HouseOrdered Enrolled
- Jun 17, 2026HouseConcurred In S Com Sub
- Jun 16, 2026HousePlaced On Cal For 06/17/2026
- Jun 16, 2026HouseWithdrawn From Com
- Jun 15, 2026HouseRef To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Jun 11, 2026HouseRegular Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
Show 27 earlier actions
- Jun 11, 2026SenateRegular Message Sent To House
- Jun 10, 2026SenatePassed 3rd Reading
- Jun 10, 2026SenatePassed 2nd Reading
- Jun 9, 2026SenateReptd Fav
- Jun 4, 2026SenateRe-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Jun 4, 2026SenateReptd Fav
- Jun 3, 2026SenateRe-ref Com On Finance
- Jun 3, 2026SenateCom Substitute Adopted
- Jun 3, 2026SenateReptd Fav Com Substitute
- May 28, 2026SenateRe-ref to Health Care. If fav, re-ref to Finance. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
- May 28, 2026SenateWithdrawn From Com
- Jun 16, 2025SenateRef To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
- Jun 16, 2025SenatePassed 1st Reading
- Jun 16, 2025SenateRegular Message Received From House
- Jun 12, 2025HouseRegular Message Sent To Senate
- Jun 11, 2025HousePassed 3rd Reading
- Jun 11, 2025HousePassed 2nd Reading
- Jun 10, 2025HousePlaced On Cal For 06/11/2025
- Jun 10, 2025HouseCal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
- Jun 10, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Jun 10, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Jun 10, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Apr 29, 2025HouseRe-ref Com On Finance
- Apr 29, 2025HouseReptd Fav
- Mar 27, 2025HouseRef to the Com on Health, if favorable, Finance, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- Mar 27, 2025HousePassed 1st Reading
- Mar 26, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift in License Renewal Window
The renewal period is extended from solely the month of January to a three-month window spanning November 1 through January 31.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.ncleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools