Maryland Physical Therapy Verification: Lookup & Status

Maryland BPHTE • PT/PTA lookup • renewal • discipline

Maryland Physical Therapy Lookup Desk

Use this guide to verify a Maryland physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, temporary license, compact privilege or dry needling registration through the official Maryland Board route.

Start with the official Board license verification portal, then check status, expiration, license type, disciplinary context, renewal requirements and whether formal verification is needed.

Quick Answer: Maryland Physical Therapy Verification

To verify a Maryland physical therapy license, open the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners license verification portal and search by part of the license number or the licensee’s first or last name. More specific search terms return more targeted results.

Use the right Board route

Maryland physical therapy verification is for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants regulated by the Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Do not use a physician, occupational therapy, massage, nursing, or business-license lookup as proof of PT/PTA authority.

Choose Your Maryland PT Verification Task

Pick the task first. Patients, employers, licensees, travel therapists and applicants often need different official links.

Public lookup

I need to verify a PT or PTA

Use the Board verification portal and search by license number or name. Confirm license type before relying on a result.

Follow lookup steps
Employer file

I am checking for employment

Save the official result, date checked, license type, status and any public discipline or restriction information.

Review status table
Renewal

I need renewal or reinstatement

For 2026 even-numbered license renewal, the portal opens March 1, 2026 and the deadline is May 31, 2026.

See renewal details
Formal proof

Another board needs verification

Use the official license verification request form when a receiving state board or credentialing office needs direct proof.

Use request route
Discipline / complaint

I need to check a safety concern

Use public disciplinary actions and complaint pages after verifying the license record.

Check discipline route
Compact / dry needling

I need special authority details

Compact privileges and dry needling registration are separate checks from ordinary license status.

See special checks

How to Use the Official Maryland PT License Lookup

Use these steps when checking a physical therapist, physical therapist assistant, travel therapist, clinic employee, temporary license holder or provider found on a referral list.

Open the Board verification portal

Start from the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners license verification portal, not a private directory.

Search by license number when possible

A partial license number is the cleanest search because it reduces similar-name matches.

Use first or last name if you do not have the number

The portal allows partial first name or last name searches. Use more specific terms for more targeted results.

Open the matching result

Do not rely on a search-results row alone. Confirm the name, license type, status and expiration information.

Confirm PT vs PTA

A physical therapist and physical therapist assistant are different license types. Do not treat one as proof of the other.

Check whether the public record is enough

The public portal is helpful for fast primary-source status checks. Use a formal verification request if another board or credentialing body will not accept the public lookup.

Save proof

For employment or credentialing, save the official source, date checked, license number, name, license type, status, expiration date and any public order note.

Official link after the steps

Use the official Maryland Board verification portal after you know what to search and what to confirm.

Open Maryland PT license verification

Maryland PT/PTA Status: What the Result Means

The lookup is most useful when it leads to the correct next action. Use this table to interpret common status situations.

Result or issue What it means What to do now
Active / current license The person appears licensed, but you still need to verify license type and expiration. Save proof and confirm PT vs PTA, dry needling, compact privilege or public order if relevant.
Expired license The person should not rely on the license as current authority. Use reinstatement or renewal guidance and do not treat an old record as current proof.
Temporary license Temporary authority may exist only under direct supervision and only during its valid period. Confirm the temporary-license status, supervision situation and expiration or full-license transition.
Compact privilege A provider may be using the PT Compact instead of a traditional Maryland license pathway. Verify the compact privilege and Maryland practice requirements before relying on practice authority.
Dry needling Dry needling in Maryland requires Board registration and is not assumed from a standard PT license alone. Verify dry needling registration before the service is performed.
Final order / disciplinary action The Board may have issued a public disciplinary order. Review the public disciplinary action page and save the official record for credentialing or patient-safety review.

Official Maryland PT License Verification Request

The public lookup is usually enough for quick checks. Use the official license verification request when a receiving state board, employer, credentialing office or endorsement process needs formal Board-to-board proof.

Use public lookup when

You just need current public status

  • Patient wants to verify a provider.
  • Employer wants a quick first-pass credential check.
  • Licensee wants to confirm public status.
  • Clinic wants to record date checked and status.
Use formal request when

Another authority needs direct verification

  • Another state board requests Maryland verification.
  • Credentialing packet requires official Board response.
  • Endorsement or compact-related process asks for it.
  • The receiving agency will not accept a public lookup printout.
Official link after explanation

Use the Maryland Board’s official license verification request form only after confirming that a public lookup is not enough.

Open official license verification request

Maryland PT/PTA Renewal: 2026 Dates, Fees and CE

Maryland renewal is time-sensitive. Check your license number, expiration date and whether your license number ends in an even number before using the 2026 renewal instructions.

2026 cycle

Even-numbered licenses only

The 2026 renewal portal opens Sunday, March 1, 2026 for even-numbered licenses only.

Deadline

May 31, 2026

The Board states the deadline is Sunday, May 31, 2026 and late submission will not be accepted.

Electronic only

Submit online

Renewal applications and payments must be submitted electronically only.

CE hours

PT 30 / PTA 20

Physical therapists need 30 CE hours and physical therapist assistants need 20 CE hours for the renewal period.

Fees

PT $271 / PTA $190

The posted 2026 renewal fee is $271 for PT and $190 for PTA.

Expired license

Reinstatement is different

Reinstate only if your license has already expired. The posted reinstatement fee is $400 for PT and $400 for PTA.

Important training requirement

Maryland states that licensed healthcare professionals must attest to completion of Implicit Bias & Structural Racism training if they have never completed the required training or if this is their first renewal.

Continuing Education and Audit Checklist

Continuing education is required for renewal or reinstatement. The Board also notes that it audits continuing education records as time and resources allow.

What to track

Save your CE proof

  • Course title and provider.
  • Date completed.
  • CE hours earned.
  • Whether the course is Board-approved or APTA-provided.
  • Certificate or transcript file.
  • Renewal period it belongs to.
What the Board says

Approved and APTA courses

The Board accepts courses on its approved list for the 30 PT / 20 PTA hours. Continuing education courses provided by the American Physical Therapy Association are automatically approved by the Board.

Official CE source after checklist

Use the Board’s continuing education page before choosing courses for renewal or reinstatement.

Open Maryland PT continuing education page

Temporary Maryland PT/PTA License: PDF-Derived Rules

The Board’s temporary-license PDF is especially important for applicants and employers because temporary authority is not the same as full unrestricted licensure.

Who may qualify

Exam applicants only in practice

The licensing page says only Licensure by Examination applicants may request a temporary 90-day license.

Supervision

Direct supervision required

The PDF defines direct supervision as a licensed physical therapist being physically present in the treatment area and immediately available to provide aid, direction and instruction.

Duration

Valid until one of three events

A temporary license is valid until 90 days after issuance, the Board issues a full license, or the Board revokes the temporary license.

Required steps

Jurisprudence and background check

The PDF states that the temporary license holder must practice under direct supervision, pass the Maryland jurisprudence exam and submit to state and national criminal history records checks.

Employer warning

Do not treat temporary as full status

Temporary authority should be verified directly and documented separately from full PT/PTA licensure.

Foreign-educated route

PDF repeats temporary-license rules

The PDF includes foreign-educated temporary-license provisions with the same 90-day/full-license/revocation endpoint structure.

Official PDF after explanation

Open the temporary-license statute and regulations PDF if you need the exact legal text for supervision, duration or applicant requirements.

Open temporary license PDF

PT Compact Privilege and Dry Needling Registration Checks

A standard license lookup may not answer every practice-authority question. Compact privileges and dry needling registration can require extra verification.

PT Compact

Maryland home state or Maryland privilege?

The Board explains that the Physical Therapy Compact increases mobility for eligible providers to work in multiple member states. If Maryland is your home state and you want to work in another member state, use the PT Compact Commission route.

If you are not licensed in Maryland but want to purchase a compact privilege to work in Maryland, follow the Maryland PT Compact guidance and confirm any required Maryland practice rules.

Dry needling

Registration is required

To perform dry needling in Maryland, a physical therapist must be registered with the Board, must have practiced physical therapy for at least two years, and must complete 80 hours of instruction: 40 hours theory/application and 40 hours hands-on instruction.

The Board lists a one-time dry needling registration fee of $100, billed after application review.

Disciplinary Actions, Final Orders and Complaints

License status and disciplinary context are separate questions. For patient safety, credentialing or hiring, check both the license record and the Board’s public disciplinary action resources.

Final orders

Public disciplinary actions

The Board says a Final Order is a public record resolving a formal disciplinary action. Older public disciplinary actions may appear in the archive.

License status

Use lookup for status

The disciplinary action page also points users back to license verification to check current PT/PTA license status.

Complaint limits

Not everything is public

The complaint page explains that licensing-file information is limited by public information rules, and informal educational actions are not disclosed to the public.

File complaint

Use the Board complaint route

The Board is required to investigate complaints against licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.

Self-reporting

Licensees have a duty

The Board states that licensed PTs and PTAs should self-report conduct that may violate the Maryland Physical Therapy Act.

Billing dispute

May need HEAU

For billing disputes or bills higher than a good-faith estimate, the complaint page points to the Maryland Attorney General’s Health Education and Advocacy Unit.

Applicant and New License Status: Processing Timelines

If you recently applied, do not confuse an application, exam status, temporary license or document upload with full licensure.

Application status

Applicants must monitor status

The Board states that applicants are responsible for monitoring application status.

Processing time

Up to 60 business days

The application process can take up to 60 business days because some responses come from outside organizations.

Document posting

Allow up to 10 business days

Allow up to 10 business days for a received document to be posted to the application.

Full licensure

Allow up to 10 business days after criteria met

After all criteria have been met, the Board says to allow up to 10 business days for full licensure.

Temporary license

Only certain exam applicants

Only Licensure by Examination applicants may request a temporary 90-day license.

Address changes

Notify immediately

The Board says immediate written notice must be provided for home-address changes.

Official source after applicant guidance

Use the licensing page for current applicant responsibilities, timelines, address changes and temporary-license guidance.

Open Maryland PT licensing page

Maryland Board Contact, Office Hours and Visit Rules

Use the Board contact page when the public lookup is unclear, a formal verification is not enough, or a record needs Board clarification.

Office hours

Monday–Friday

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed for state and federal holidays.

Main contact

Email and phone

Email: mdh.bphte@maryland.gov. Phone: 410-764-4718.

Mailing address

Board office

Maryland Department of Health, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, 4201 Patterson Avenue, Suite 304, Baltimore, MD 21215-2299.

Office visit

No walk-ins

The Board contact page says walk-ins are not accepted and appointments must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance.

Security

Bring photo ID

Visitors must stop at the lobby security desk and present valid photo ID.

Best email tip

Include identifying details

For application or license questions, include the Application ID number or Maryland license number when contacting the Board.

Maryland Physical Therapy Verification FAQs

These FAQs answer the common searches behind “pt license verification md,” including PT/PTA lookup, formal verification, renewal, CE, compact privilege and disciplinary checks.

How do I verify a Maryland physical therapy license?

Use the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners license verification portal. Search by part of the license number or the licensee’s first or last name, then confirm the exact license type, status and expiration.

Can I verify a Maryland physical therapist assistant license online?

Yes. Use the same Maryland Board license verification portal and confirm that the result is for a physical therapist assistant, not a physical therapist or another healthcare profession.

Is the Maryland Board verification portal primary-source verification?

The portal says the website data is considered primary source and is updated daily from the Board’s official licensing database. For formal third-party proof, use the official license verification request route.

What should I search first: license number or name?

Search by license number when possible because it reduces similar-name matches. If you only have a name, use first or last name and confirm the full record before relying on it.

How many CE hours are required for Maryland PT/PTA renewal?

For the posted 2026 renewal cycle, Maryland lists 30 CE hours for physical therapists and 20 CE hours for physical therapist assistants.

What are the 2026 Maryland physical therapy renewal fees?

The Maryland renewal page lists a 2026 renewal fee of $271 for PT and $190 for PTA. Reinstatement is listed as $400 for PT and $400 for PTA when a license has already expired.

When is the 2026 Maryland PT/PTA renewal deadline?

The Board lists Sunday, May 31, 2026 as the renewal deadline for even-numbered licenses and says late submission will not be accepted.

Is a Maryland temporary PT license the same as a full license?

No. A temporary license has limited rules. The Board’s PDF says temporary practice is under direct supervision and the temporary license is valid until 90 days after issuance, full licensure, or revocation.

How do I check whether a Maryland PT can perform dry needling?

Use the Board’s dry needling page to understand registration requirements and the Board license verification page to verify that a physical therapist is registered to perform dry needling.

How do I check disciplinary actions for a Maryland PT or PTA?

First verify the license status, then use the Board’s Public Disciplinary Actions page to review final orders and the complaint page to understand complaint procedures and public-record limits.

Ready to Verify a Maryland PT or PTA?

Start with the official Maryland Board verification portal, confirm the exact license type and status, then use renewal, CE, compact, dry needling, disciplinary or formal verification links only when your situation requires them.