Provisional Practice Certificate

For Physiotherapy Residents

Applying for Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration

Apply if you have successfully completed the written portion of CAPR’s Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE) and you are registered for the Ontario Clinical Exam.

IMPORTANT: You must be registered for the next administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam to receive a Provisional Practice certificate. The exam fee must be paid in full at the time of registration. If you do not register for the Ontario Clinical Exam, your Provisional Practice application will be considered incomplete. 

Questions? Contact registration@collegept.org or 1-800-583-5885 ext. 222.

Step 1


Contact the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR)

  • Complete their requirements
  • Register for the Written Component of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE)

Contact CAPR

Step 2


Complete the Regulatory History Form (if applicable)

If you have practiced physiotherapy outside of Ontario or Canada, you will need to submit a completed Regulatory History Form to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario from each jurisdiction where you have been registered. Timing should be considered as forms must be dated within six months of applying to the College.

Regulatory History Form Contact Registration

Step 3


Receive Your Results for the PCE—Written

After you have completed the Physiotherapy Competency Exam — Written, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) will contact you with your results. If you were successful, you are eligible to apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.

Step 4


Register for the Ontario Clinical Exam (OCE)

As outlined in the Registration Regulation, applicants must be registered for the next administration of the clinical exam to receive a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.

To register for the Ontario Clinical Exam: 
1. Log in to the PT Portal. Click Register for the OCE at the top of the page.
2. Complete all required information and pay the exam fee of $1,985.

IMPORTANT:

You must be registered for the next administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam to receive a Provisional Practice certificate. The exam fee must be paid in full at the time of registration. 

If you do not register for the Ontario Clinical Exam, your Provisional Practice application will be considered incomplete. 

Step 5


Prepare Your Application to become a Physiotherapy Resident:

  1. Visit the PT Portal. Click on Apply for Registration at the top of the webpage.

  2. Upload all required documents including your email from the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR).

  3. Arrange for a potential Supervisor to be your Practice Supervisor ensuring they meet the College’s requirements.

  4. Register for the next available administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam and pay the exam fee of $1,985.

Important notes:

  • You can register without a Supervisor, but you will not be able to practice.
  • You must be registered for the next administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam to receive a Provisional Practice certificate. The $1,985 exam fee must be paid in full at the time of registration.

PT Portal Learn More about Practice Supervision

Step 6


Get Professional Liability Insurance

Getting professional liability insurance is mandatory before providing patient care. If you don’t have professional liability insurance or if your coverage does not meet the College’s requirements a condition will be placed on your certificate and the Public Register will indicate that you cannot provide direct patient care.

Professional Liability Insurance

Step 7


Application Reviewed

Within 15 days of receiving an application the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario will send you an email to let you know that your application has been reviewed and whether or not it is complete. An application is complete when all information, payment and documents (including Letters of Professional Standing if applicable) have been received. 

  • A $114 fee is charged to review the application
  • During the review process the College will assess your proposed Supervisor’s eligibility and if eligible we will email the proposed Supervisor to log in to the PT Portal to complete the Supervision Agreement.
  • It is not mandatory to have a Supervisor in place in order to be issued a certificate of registration, however, a condition will be placed on your certificate that restricts you from providing direct patient care until you do have a Supervisor. This information will appear on the Public Register.

Access the PT Portal

Step 8


Additional Documentation May be Required

You will be notified by email if we require additional documents to complete your application. Once everything is received, your certificate will be issued within 15 days. 

Step 9


If you have met the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario’s requirements your $85 registration fee will be charged and your registration number will be issued. You will receive an email confirming this. If you have not met the College’s requirements your application will be referred to the Registration Committee. This process takes approximately 8-10 weeks. The Registration team will contact you to advise you on the next steps.

Learn More: Registration Committee

For additional information or to request materials in an alternative format, please contact Communications at communications@collegept.org or call 1-800-583-5885 ext. 234 or 416-591-3828 ext. 234.