As a traveling allied health professional, staying on top of your licensure is key to keeping your career moving! Each clinician is responsible for maintaining their own active license across all states where they hold contracts. And, it's totally manageable once you know what to track!
Here are the three things to keep on your radar:
- CEU/point requirements: how many continuing education units or points your state(s) require for renewal
- Renewal cycles: how often your license needs to be renewed (this varies by state and profession!)
- Documentation: keeping records of completed CEUs/points on hand in case of an audit
Below you'll find national average CEU requirements and renewal cycles for each specialty, along with links to national websites, licensing boards, and continuing education resources. Keep in mind this information reflects national averages and is not specific to your individual state or licensure date, so always check your state board directly for your exact renewal schedule and education requirements.
RN/LPN
RN: Registered Nurse
- NCSBN — National Council of State Boards of Nursing
- Governs NCLEX; find your state board here
- Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) — NCSBN
- Multistate privileges; check if your state is a member
- Nursys — License Verification
- Primary source for RN/LPN license verification, nationwide
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 24 CEUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 2 years
CEU Resources
- Nurse.com
- ANCC-accredited; free courses available; license tracker included
- CEUfast
- Audio courses; no test required in most states
LPN
LPN: Licensed Practical Nurse
- NCSBN — State Board Finder
- Each state board issues LPN licensure
- Nursys — License Verification
- Verify LPN status; supports e-Notify enrollment
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 20 CEUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 2 years
CEU Resources
- Nurse.com
- ANCC-accredited; free courses available; license tracker included
- CEUfast
- Audio courses; no test required in most states
CNA
CNA: Certified Nursing Assistant
- Prometric — Nurse Aide Hub
- Registry lookup, exam scheduling, renewals
- CNALicense.org — State-by-State Guide
- Training hours, eligibility routes, reciprocity by state
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 24 CEUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 2 years
CEU Resources
- CNA Zone
- CNA-specific; 66+ courses
- CEUfast
- Broad nursing CE; ANCC-accredited; covers CNA requirements
MA
MA: Certified Medical Assistant
- AAMA — Certification Overview
- Most widely recognized credential; CAAHEP/ABHES program required
- AAMA — Verify CMA Status
- Official employer/credential verification tool
- AMT — Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
- Alternative credential; accepts experience pathways
- NHA — CCMA Certification
- Certified Clinical Medical Assistant; widely accepted
- Note: WA requires state credentialing (MA-C, MA-R, MA-P)
Average for Point’s needed per renewal cycle: 12 points
Average Renewal Cycle: 5 years (CMA) 3 years (RMA)
CEU Resources
- AAMA Recertification Portal
- Official CMA recertification source; 60 CEUs per 60 months
- Annals of Continuing Education
- AMA-approved courses; free and paid options
OT
OT: Occupational Therapist
- NBCOT — Certification & State Board Directory
- OTR / COTA exam; links to all state licensing boards
- AOTA — State Licensure Hub
- Licensure steps, compact info, state-by-state requirements
- NBCOT — State Board Contact Directory
- Find every state OT licensing board
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 22 CEUs / 36 PDUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 3 years (NBCOT)
CEU Resources
- AOTA Learning Center
- Official association CE; some free courses for members and non-members; direct NBCOT PDU credit
- OccupationalTherapy.com
- AOTA-approved; unlimited access; 25 years of experience
PT
PT: Physical Therapist
- FSBPT — Federation of State Boards of PT
- Administers NPTE; central hub for state licensure info
- PT Licensure Compact (PTLC)
- Practice across member states with one compact privilege
- APTA — Licensure Resources
- State-by-state guides, CE requirements, advocacy
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 26 CEUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 2 years
CEU Resources
- APTA Learning Center
- Official association CE; free compliance courses available to non-members; live and on-demand
- MedBridge
- 2,100+ PT courses; APTA-recognized; specialty cert prep included
SLP
SLP: Speech-Language Pathologist
- ASHA — CCC-SLP Certification
- Certificate of Clinical Competence; required in some states
- ASHA — State Licensure Requirements by State
- State-by-state CE, CF requirements, and board links
- ASHA — Clinical Fellowship (CF) Info
- Required 9-month mentored experience for most states
Average for CEU’s needed per renewal cycle: 24 CEUs
Average Renewal Cycle: 2 years
CEU Resources
- ASHA CE Registry
- Official ASHA CE; some free courses; transcripts reported directly to your ASHA account
- SpeechPathology.com
- ASHA CEUs; unlimited access; audio, video, and text formats
