Continuing Education for Respiratory Care Practitioners

Continuing education (CE) helps you stay current in respiratory care practice and supports safe, high-quality patient care. CE is also a required part of renewing an active Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) license in California.

CE requirements for RCPs are governed by Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, Professional and Vocational Regulations, Division 13.6, Respiratory Care Board of California, Article 5, which outlines CE requirements for license renewal.

CE at a Glance

Renewals require 30 total hours of CE every two-year renewal cycle.

At least 15 hours must be directly related to Clinical Practice.
At least 10 hours must be directly related to RCP Leadership.
Up to 5 hours may be indirectly related to the clinical practice of respiratory care.
A minimum of 15 hours must be earned through live courses or meetings.
CE records and certificates must be kept for 4 years.

First renewal: For your first renewal only, you are required to complete 15 total hours of CE.

At least 7 hours must be directly related to Clinical Practice.
At least 5 hours must be directly related to RCP Leadership.
Up to 3 hours may be indirectly related to the clinical practice of respiratory care.
A minimum of 7 hours must be earned through live courses or meetings.
CE records and certificates must be kept for 4 years.

CE hours are counted across clinical practice, leadership, and limited indirect activities. Details on what qualifies in each category, including live course requirements, certifications, and activities that do not count toward CE, are explained on the What Qualifies for Continuing Education (CE) page.