REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS

A person must be registered with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia in order to practice physical therapy in British Columbia. Registration information and printable forms can be downloaded below. If you are not able to download the forms, you may contact the College office and a registration package will be mailed to you.

Please click on the category below that is applicable to you for the registration requirements and application packages.

If you have not worked as a physical therapist for the past five years in ANY jurisdiction, you may not be eligible for registration. Please contact the College for additional information.

If you wish to be an inactive registrant in BC, you must first apply for and be accepted as a full registrant and then request a status change to inactive registration.

If you are a physical therapist currently registered with an unrestricted practice certificate (that is similar to the full registration status with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia) in a Canadian jurisdiction, you may be eligible for full registration under Agreement of Internal Trade (AIT) 2009 (Chapter 7); or Alberta/British Columbia Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (applicable for physical therapists currently fully registered with Physiotherapy Alberta College and Association). Click here for more information.

Full Registration

A full registrant may practice physical therapy in British Columbia. A full registrant is entitled to use the title physical therapist, physiotherapist, registered physical therapist or registered physiotherapist.

• You have completed a physical therapy degree in an approved Canadian educational institution AND have successfully completed the Physiotherapy Competency Exam
• Your international physical therapy degree has been successfully credentialed by the Alliance and you have successfully completed the Physiotherapy Competency Examination
• You have completed a physical therapy degree AND were fully registered and practising as a physical therapist in British Columbia prior to December 15, 1994
• You have completed a physical therapy degree AND were fully registered and practising as a physical therapist in another Canadian province prior to December 31, 1993
• You have completed a physical therapy degree AND were practising as a physical therapist in the Yukon or Northwest Territories as of December 31, 1993 and were eligible for registration as a physical therapist in any Canadian province
• You are a physical therapist currently registered with an unrestricted practice certificate (that is similar to the full registration status with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia) in a Canadian jurisdiction

Interim Registration

• You have completed a physical therapy degree in an approved Canadian educational institution AND are registered for the first available sittings of both the written and clinical portions of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination
• Your international physical therapy degree has been successfully credentialed by the Alliance and are registered for the first available sittings of both components of PCE

Courtesy Registration

You have completed your physical therapy degree and are registered to practice in good standing in another jurisdiction and wish to do one of the following

• take or teach a course in British Columbia which involves treatment of the public (including course participants) for a period of less than four weeks
• take or teach a course in British Columbia which involves treatment of the public (including course participants) for a period of more than four weeks and less than one year
• take a course in supervised learning for a period of less than a year
• participate in an approved exchange of employment for a period of less than a year

Status change: Inactive to full Registration

• if you are an inactive registrant with the College and wish to work again in BC you must apply for a status change to full registration

Status change: Full to inactive Registration

• if you are a full registrant with the College and wish to change into an inactive status you must submit a letter of request to the College stating you wish to retire from active status and have their names placed on a register of inactive registrants.

Student Clinical Placements

Student clinical placements in British Columbia must be arranged by the Academic Coordinator for Clinical Education (ACCE) at the University of British Columbia, Department of Physical Therapy. The application process and registration documents can be obtained by contacting the Department at pt.placements@ubc.ca.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact the College at registration@cptbc.org or
604-730-9193.

Copyright 1998 - College of Physical Therapists of BC - All rights reserved.