Licensure Requirements

Education Requirement

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 3740(a), applicants must:

• Complete a respiratory care education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), or its successor, and
• be awarded a minimum of an associate degree from an institution or university accredited by a regional accreditation agency or association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

View a list of CoARC approved Respiratory Care Education Programs in California.

Education Waiver

In limited circumstances, the RCB may waive the education requirements pursuant to Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 1399.330.

Education waivers are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Applicants requesting a waiver must provide sufficient documentary evidence to establish that they meet all requirements under the pathway they are using to qualify.

An applicant may qualify for consideration under one of the following:

• Option 1: The applicant either successfully completed a minimum one-year respiratory care program supported by CoARC (or its predecessor) prior to July 1, 2004, or previously held a California respiratory care license in good standing, and also has qualifying recent respiratory care practice in another jurisdiction.
• Option 2: The applicant did not complete the education described in option 1, but has substantial recent full-time respiratory care practice in another state, United States territory, or Canadian province, or in a jurisdiction that does not regulate the practice of respiratory care.
• Option 3: The applicant completed a minimum one-year respiratory care program approved by CoARC (or its predecessor), has qualifying recent respiratory care practice while serving in the U.S. military, and the military verifies the applicant is in good standing.

Good standing generally means the applicant:

• Is not currently under investigation;
• Has not been charged with an offense substantially related to the practice of respiratory care by a public agency;
• Has not entered into a consent agreement or been subject to administrative discipline, including voluntary surrender of a license; and
• Has not been the subject of an adverse judgment or arbitration award for death or personal injury caused by negligence, error, or omission in the practice of respiratory care.

Applicants requesting an education waiver must sign a release authorizing the RCB to obtain personnel records or other documentation needed to verify qualifications. Approval of an education waiver is not guaranteed. The RCB may deny a waiver request if the applicant does not meet the regulatory criteria or fails to provide sufficient documentation. Application fees are nonrefundable if the education requirements are not waived.

Applicants who believe they may qualify for an education waiver are encouraged to contact the RCB before submitting an application to discuss their individual circumstances and the documentation that may be required.

Examination Requirement

To qualify for licensure as a RCP in California, applicants must obtain the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).

The only exception is for individuals who earned a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential prior to January 1, 2015. Those applicants are not required to obtain the RRT credential.

Applicants Testing Through December 31, 2026

Through December 31, 2026, applicants earn the RRT credential by passing the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination at the cut score required to qualify for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE), and then passing the CSE. The TMC Examination has two cut scores. Achieving the lower cut score results in the CRT credential. Achieving the higher cut score qualifies the applicant to take the CSE, and successful completion of the CSE results in the RRT credential.

Applicants Testing Beginning January 1, 2027

Beginning in January 2027, the NBRC will transition to the Respiratory Therapy (RT) Examination. The RT Examination uses two cut scores. Achieving the lower cut score results in the CRT credential. Achieving the higher cut score results in the RRT credential.

Important: A credential issued by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC), such as the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) or Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), does not authorize you to practice respiratory care in California.

For information about examination eligibility, scheduling, and current examination content outlines, please visit the NBRC website at www.nbrc.org.

Law and Professional Ethics Course Requirement

All applicants must successfully complete an RCB-approved Law and Professional Ethics Course prior to licensure.

The RCB has approved two law and professional ethics courses, developed independently by the California Society for Respiratory Care (CSRC) and the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC).

Each course is three hours in length and includes obligations of licensed RCPs to patients under their care, responsibilities of RCPs to report illegal activities occurring in the workplace, and acts that jeopardize licensure and licensure status.

Only one law and professional ethics course is required prior to licensure. Applicants may choose either the CSRC course or the AARC course. Before selecting a provider, applicants are encouraged to review each provider's website for additional information regarding course format, scheduling, and administration.

Prior to licensure, applicants must provide the RCB with a copy of a Certificate of Completion from either the AARC or CSRC verifying successful completion of the mandatory course.

Military Applicants

Military service members, veterans, and military spouses may qualify for expedited licensure or other special licensing pathways, including SkillBridge participation and license portability.

For more information, please visit the Military Applicant Information page.

Questions About Licensure Requirements

If you have questions about the licensure requirements, application process, or whether you may qualify under an education waiver, you may contact the Respiratory Care Board using the form below.

Many common questions are answered on the Frequently Asked Questions page.