Learn more about the Ontario Clinical Exam

What is Provisional Practice?

Provisional Practice is a category of registration that allows physiotherapy students who have successfully completed the written part of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE) to work under supervision. If you have previously attempted the clinical component, you do not meet the requirements for Provisional Practice.

Learn about the Provisional Practice Supervision Requirements

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Physiotherapy Residents

Provisional Practice Requirements

The applicant must have a degree in physiotherapy/physical therapy.
The applicant must have successfully completed the written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam.
The applicant must not have failed the clinical component of the exam previously. This includes any clinical exam attempts in other Canadian provinces.
The applicant must have Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status or an authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada).
IMPORTANT: The applicant must be registered for the next available administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam. A Provisional Practice certificate will not be issued until the applicant is registered for the Ontario Clinical Exam. (Note: full payment of the $1,985 exam fee is required at the time of registration.)
If the applicant intends to provide patient care, they must hold professional liability insurance that meets the requirements laid out in the College By-laws.

Terms, Conditions and Limitations

That the Provisional Practice certificate holder must only practice physiotherapy under the monitoring of an Independent Practice certificate holder.
Provisional Practice Certificates will expire 12 weeks after the PT Resident takes the Ontario Clinical Exam (OCE). If they are unsuccessful at the OCE, the certificate will expire within 2 weeks of receiving the exam results.

Title: Physiotherapy Resident, PT resident, Interne en physiothérapie, Interne Pht

The Physiotherapy Resident is issued a registration number entitling them to perform controlled acts (if rostered), bill for physiotherapy services and complete client records. Physiotherapy Residents are accountable to the College for their actions.

Fees:

$85 Registration Fee
$114 Application Fee

Also note that the $1,985 fee for the Ontario Clinical Exam must be paid in full before an applicant is issued a Provisional Practice certificate.

Questions?

Contact the Registration team at registration@collegept.org or 416-591-3828 ext. 222 or 1-800-583-5885 ext. 222

Applying for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration

As of April 2017, you do not require a Supervisor or employment site to apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate.

Apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration

Flow Chart: Provisional Practice Application Process

Supervision Overview and FAQs

Review the Provisional Practice Application Checklist

If you need assistance or have questions, please contact the Registration Team at registration@collegept.org or call 1-800-583-5885 ext. 222.

The Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators can send verification about your credentialing and/or your exam status to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario within 10 business days of receiving your Verification Request Form.

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FAQs: Provisional Practice Applicants

I am a new graduate and I want to register as a physiotherapy resident. How do I apply to the College?

First you must successfully complete the written portion of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE). This exam is administered by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators. Then you can apply to the College for your Provisional Practice certificate of registration.

Note that you will be required to register for the next available administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam at the same time that you apply for Provisional Practice. You must also pay the full Ontario Clinical Exam fee of $1,985 at the time of registration.

Ontario's registration regulation requires that applicants are registered for the next clinical exam in order to receive a Provisional Practice certificate.

Visit CAPR Steps to Apply: Learn More
Can I apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration if I have previously taken the PCE—Clinical?

No, you cannot apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate if you have previously taken the PCE—Clinical. The Ontario regulation specifically indicates that an individual must complete a clinical exam. You may apply for Independent Practice once you successfully complete a clinical exam.
When does my Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration expire?

A Provisional Practice Certificate expires 12 weeks after the PT Resident takes the Ontario Clinical Exam (OCE). If they are unsuccessful at the OCE, the certificate will expire within 2 weeks of receiving the exam results.

You can work as long as your certificate of registration is valid. If you forget the date that your Certificate will expire, log in to the College PT Portal or check the Public Register.
Do I need to have an offer of employment pending?

No, you can apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration even if you have no offer of employment pending.
Can I submit an application for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration even if I have no practice supervisor?

Yes. You can apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration even if you have no practice supervisor identified. You will not be able to deliver patient care and your certificate of registration will have a restriction on it which will identify that you cannot deliver patient care.

Once you have identified a practice supervisor, you may submit the request online by logging into the PT Portal. The request must be approved by the College before you start to deliver patient care.
What happens if I find out that I failed the Ontario Clinical Exam? Should I stop practicing immediately?

You can keep practicing as a Physiotherapy Resident until your Provisional Practice certificate expires.

Your certificate will expire two weeks after you receive your exam results. This will allow you enough time to transfer your patients to other physiotherapists or prepare them for discharge.
How much does it cost to apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration?

There is an application fee of $114, which is taken at the time you apply. There is an additional fee of $85, which is taken once your application has been processed.

It is also important to note that you will be required to register for the Ontario Clinical Exam and pay the full $1,985 exam fee when you apply for your Provisional Practice certificate.
Does my practice supervisor have to have three years of experience as a registered physiotherapist in Ontario?

Yes. As of April 2017, your practice supervisor must currently hold an Independent Practice Certificate of Registration and have held the Independent Practice Certificate of Registration for the last three years in Ontario.

Learn more: Supervision Overview
Do I need to submit my application in person?

Applications are now completed online. Please visit click the PT Portal.
and click on the "Apply for Registration" link at the top of the page.

If you should have any questions, please contact the Registration Team at registration@collegept.org or 416-591-3828 ext. 222 or 1-800-583-5885 ext. 222.

PT Portal
How long will it take to approve my application?

Our processing time for a complete application is 15 days. This includes a review of the application to ensure you meet all the requirements. This part of the review could take longer if your application is incomplete.

Also, if there are concerns about your application, you may be referred to the Registration Committee for another review. This process can take up to 60 days. In fairness to all applicants, there is no fast track or expedited application process.
What should I do if I need to change my supervisor?
Email the College at registration@collegept.org giving:
- The name of your proposed supervisor
- Certificate of registration number of your proposed supervisor, and
- The email of your proposed supervisor
The Registration team will review the proposed supervisor to ensure that they meet the requirements.

If the supervisor is approved, we will email them and ask them to sign a Practice Supervision Agreement in the PT Portal. Once they email us back the signed agreement, we will send you an email approving your request. This process can take up to 10 business days.

If your proposed supervisor is not approved, the College will send you an email asking you to find a new proposed supervisor.

Remember: You are not permitted to practice until your supervisor is approved.
Can a Physiotherapy Resident roster for Authorized Activities?
Yes, you can roster for any authorized activity that you were educated to perform, as long as:
- Your education included a theoretical component (learning, for example, about risks, contraindications)
- Your education included a practical component (such as practice on other course participants)
- Your education included an evaluation component of your knowledge (theory)
  and skills (practice).
- Your practice supervisor is rostered to perform the same activities.