Florida PT Jurisprudence Exam Flashcards

Q: How many questions are on the Florida PT jurisprudence exam and how is it weighted?

The exam is 50 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, of which 40 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items. Rule 64B17-3.002(2)(b), F.A.C., sets the weights of the 40 scored items: Patient Care 35% (14 items), Legislative Intent and Definitions 25% (10 items), Disciplinary Action and Unlawful Practice 15% (6 items), Consumer Advocacy 12.5% (5 items), Licensure and Examination 7.5% (3 items), and Board Powers and Duties 5% (2 items). It is closed book.

Q: Do Florida physical therapists have to retake the jurisprudence exam every renewal?

No. The Florida Laws and Rules Examination is a licensure requirement, not a renewal requirement. Licensed PTs and PTAs may choose to take it: under Rule 64B17-9.001(6)(f), F.A.C., a licensee who files DOH form DH-MQA 1144 and passes the exam receives 2 hours of continuing education for that biennium. Credit is not given when the exam is taken because of a disciplinary order or as a condition of licensure or reinstatement.

Q: What does the Florida jurisprudence exam cost?

FSBPT charges $65.00 for the Florida jurisprudence examination, plus a processing fee of 1.6% rounded up to the nearest dollar. Prometric may charge separate scheduling fees, and the Florida Board's application and licensing fees ($180.00 total for a PT) are paid separately to the Department of Health. The Board charges no fee for the Laws and Rules re-examination application.

Q: What is the pass rate for the Florida PT jurisprudence exam?

Not published by the Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice. Neither the Board nor FSBPT publishes a pass rate for the Florida Laws and Rules Examination, so treat any specific percentage quoted online as unsourced. Because passing scores are set by FSBPT through a scaling study, there is also no fixed percentage-correct cutoff to aim at.

Q: What happens if I fail the Florida Laws and Rules Examination?

There is no Board-mandated waiting period. You submit a re-examination application (DOH form DH-MQA 1143, no fee) and re-register with FSBPT, then test on the next available date; jurisprudence exams are offered most days of the year at Prometric. FSBPT applies its NPTE policies to jurisprudence exams, which allow a maximum of three attempts in any 12-month period. The extra remediation required after a third failure in Rule 64B17-3.002(4)(b) applies to the NPTE, not to the Laws and Rules Examination.

Q: How long is a passing Florida jurisprudence score good for?

Two years. Rule 64B17-3.002(2)(a), F.A.C., as amended effective August 14, 2025, provides that passing scores set by FSBPT will not be accepted if more than two years have passed since the applicant took and passed the examination. The earlier version of the rule allowed five years, so older study materials on this point are out of date.

Q: Which laws does the exam actually test?

Three sources: Chapter 486, F.S. (the Physical Therapy Practice Act), Chapter 456, F.S. (Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions), and Rule Chapter 64B17, F.A.C. The Board publishes a free Laws and Rules booklet containing all three plus the content outline, and FSBPT publishes the outline mapping each subcategory to specific statute and rule citations.

Question 1

Florida direct access: how long may a physical therapist treat under a plan of treatment the PT wrote before a practitioner of record must review and sign it?

Accepted Answer

30 days. Under s. 486.021(11)(a), F.S., if treatment is required beyond 30 days for a condition not previously assessed by a practitioner of record, the PT must have a practitioner of record review and sign the plan. Practitioners of record are actively practicing licensees under ch. 458, 459, 460, 461, or 466. Older materials say 21 days; that limit was replaced.

Question 2

When must a Florida PT refer to or consult with a practitioner of record no matter how many days of care have passed?

Accepted Answer

Whenever the patient's condition is found to be outside the scope of physical therapy (s. 486.021(11)(a), F.S.; Rule 64B17-6.001(3)). Rule 64B17-6.001(3)(b) adds that a PT must not implement a plan of care the PT judges contraindicated, and if a referring practitioner requested it, the PT must immediately notify that practitioner and give the reasons for refusing.

Question 3

Which patient does the review-and-sign requirement NOT apply to after 30 days of physical therapy?

Accepted Answer

A patient who was physically examined by a physician licensed in another state, was diagnosed by that physician with a condition for which physical therapy is required, and is being treated by the PT for that condition (s. 486.021(11)(a), F.S.). The out-of-state physician's examination substitutes for a Florida practitioner of record.

Question 4

Where may a Florida PT NOT implement a plan of treatment the PT developed?

Accepted Answer

For a patient currently being treated in a facility licensed under ch. 395, F.S., such as a hospital (s. 486.021(11)(d)). Direct-access authority stops at the door of a ch. 395 facility, where care follows the facility's practitioner-directed plan of treatment instead.

Question 5

Two techniques a Florida PT may never perform regardless of training or continuing education?

Accepted Answer

Specific chiropractic spinal manipulation and acupuncture (s. 486.021(11)(c), F.S.). The PT must refer a patient needing specific chiropractic spinal manipulation to a ch. 460 practitioner. Practicing beyond the permitted scope, including specific spinal manipulation, is an express ground for discipline under s. 486.125(1)(j).

Question 6

A PTA is treating a hospital inpatient or a patient in the acute phase of injury. What must the supervising PT do?

Accepted Answer

Be readily and physically available for consultation (Rules 64B17-6.001(4)(b) and (5)(b)). A PTA may not provide services to an inpatient or acute-phase patient unless that physical availability exists. Telephone or video access alone satisfies the outpatient standard, not the acute-care standard.

Question 7

Outpatient, non-acute care delivered by a PTA: what must the supervising PT maintain?

Accepted Answer

The PT must be accessible at all times by telecommunication and within the same geographic location as the PTA (Rule 64B17-6.001(5)(c)1.). The PT must also direct the PTA through frequent verbal and written reporting and frequent observation of the care rendered; being reachable by phone alone is not enough.

Question 8

A PTA is employed by a physician. When does Florida require onsite supervision by a physical therapist?

Accepted Answer

Under s. 486.021(6), F.S., patient-related activities performed for a board-certified orthopedic physician or physiatrist (ch. 458 or 459) or a chiropractic physician (ch. 460) require only general supervision by a PT. Activities for all other ch. 458 or 459 physicians and for ch. 461 (podiatry) or ch. 466 (dentistry) practitioners must be under the onsite supervision of a PT.

Question 9

How many PTAs may one Florida physical therapist supervise at a time?

Accepted Answer

Florida sets no numeric ratio. Rule 64B17-6.001(5) imposes supervision duties without a cap, and Rule 64B17-6.007(8) leaves the number of unlicensed personnel in patient care at any one time to the PT's judgment based on setting and patient needs. Reject fixed answers such as 2:1. The one hard limit is temporary permits: a supervising PT may supervise only one permittee at a time (ss. 486.0715(3), 486.1065(3)).

Question 10

What level of supervision do unlicensed personnel (aides, technicians, athletic trainers) require in a Florida PT practice?

Accepted Answer

Direct supervision by a PT or a PTA, meaning the licensed supervisor is immediately physically available (Rules 64B17-6.007(1) and 64B17-6.001(1)(e),(7); s. 486.161(3), F.S.). General supervision is a PTA concept only and never applies to unlicensed personnel.

Question 11

Which activities may a Florida PT never delegate to unlicensed personnel?

Accepted Answer

The initial evaluation and any reevaluation, interpretation of either, establishing or revising physical therapy goals, developing or altering the plan of care, and evaluating patient progress against the plan (Rule 64B17-6.007(6)(a)). Unlicensed personnel also may not write patient progress notes, although they may document the tasks and activities they performed during treatment (Rule 64B17-6.007(6)(c)).

Question 12

Which two activities require the PTA's own skill and may not be passed down to an aide?

Accepted Answer

Subsequent reassessments of the patient and assessment of the patient's progress in relation to the plan of care (Rule 64B17-6.007(6)(b)). Separately, Rule 64B17-6.001(5)(d) bars a PT from delegating skilled physical therapy functions to any personnel less trained than a PTA.

Question 13

Name the conduct duties Rule 64B17-6.001(4) places on a Florida PTA.

Accepted Answer

A PTA may not initiate or change treatment without the PT's prior assessment and approval, must report all untoward patient responses or changes in medical status to the PT, must refer prognosis inquiries to the PT, must immediately discontinue any procedure that appears harmful and report it, and must keep accurate written records of the course of treatment.

Question 14

What supervision applies when a student performs patient care, including by telehealth?

Accepted Answer

Direct supervision by the supervising PT or PTA (Rule 64B17-6.001(3)(g) and (4)(g)). For telehealth, direct supervision of a student means the supervisor is immediately physically available to visualize, hear, and speak with the patient and the student during the encounter in a synchronous fashion.

Question 15

What must a Florida PT's patient record contain?

Accepted Answer

Rule 64B17-6.001(3)(h) requires complete, accurate written records justifying the course of treatment, including the initial physical therapy assessment, plan of treatment, treatment notes, progress notes, examination results, test results, and a discharge summary. Inaccurate, falsified, or altered records are express unprofessional conduct under Rule 64B17-6.001(2)(e)1.

Question 16

What may a Florida PT charge to reproduce patient records?

Accepted Answer

No more than $1.00 per page for the first 25 pages and $0.25 per page after that; X-rays and similar records are billed at actual cost of materials, labor, and overhead (Rule 64B17-6.005). Under s. 456.057(6), F.S., furnishing the report or copies may not be conditioned on payment for the treatment itself.

Question 17

A Florida PT is closing or relocating a practice. What must be done about patient records?

Accepted Answer

Publish notice in the newspaper of greatest general circulation in each county of practice at least 4 times over at least 4 weeks, post a sign in or on the office facade at least 30 days before the change, and keep records obtainable by patients for a minimum of 2 years after termination or relocation (Rule 64B17-6.0042(2)). After a licensee's death, the representative publishes notice within 1 month and keeps records at least 2 years from the date of death.

Question 18

What must a Florida PT complete before performing dry needling?

Accepted Answer

Two years of licensed practice, 50 hours of face-to-face dry needling continuing education from an entity accredited under s. 486.109, and 25 dry needling patient sessions performed under supervision or as a licensed PT (s. 486.117(1), F.S.; Rule 64B17-6.008). Dry needling requires patient consent, must be part of the documented plan of care, and may not be delegated to anyone other than a PT authorized to perform it.

Question 19

State the sole legislative purpose of the Florida Physical Therapy Practice Act.

Accepted Answer

Section 486.015, F.S., states the sole purpose is to ensure that every physical therapy practitioner in Florida meets minimum requirements for safe practice, and that practitioners who fall below minimum competency or otherwise present a danger to the public be prohibited from practicing. Chapter 486 exists to protect the public, not to protect PTs from competition.

Question 20

Under s. 456.003, F.S., when may Florida regulate a health profession at all?

Accepted Answer

Only when unregulated practice can harm the public and the potential harm clearly outweighs any anticompetitive impact, the public is not effectively protected by other means, and less restrictive means of regulation are unavailable. Qualified persons are entitled to practice a lawful regulated profession as a matter of right, and neither the department nor a board may create unreasonably restrictive standards.

Question 21

What does the statutory definition of the practice of physical therapy cover, and what does it exclude?

Accepted Answer

Section 486.021(11), F.S., covers physical therapy assessments plus treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation through therapeutic exercise, functional movement training, manual therapy, massage, airway clearance, integumentary and wound care, physical agents and modalities, patient-related instruction, and tests of neuromuscular function. Roentgen rays, radium, and electricity used for surgical purposes such as cauterization are excluded (s. 486.021(11)(b)).

Question 22

Define physical therapy assessment under Florida law.

Accepted Answer

Section 486.021(10), F.S., defines it as observational, verbal, or manual determinations of the function of the movement system relative to physical therapy, including range of motion, motor power, motor control, posture, biomechanical function, locomotion, and functional abilities, for the purpose of physical therapy treatment. An assessment is a physical therapy determination, not a medical diagnosis.

Question 23

How does Florida statute define a physical therapist assistant?

Accepted Answer

Section 486.021(6), F.S., defines a PTA as a person licensed under ch. 486 to perform patient-related activities, including the use of physical agents, whose license is in good standing and whose activities are performed under the direction of a physical therapist as set out in board rules. Being licensed does not make a PTA independent; PT direction is part of the definition.

Question 24

What is a physical therapy practitioner, and is physiotherapy something different?

Accepted Answer

Section 486.021(7), F.S., defines a physical therapy practitioner as either a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant who is licensed and practicing under ch. 486. Section 486.021(8) provides that physical therapy and physiotherapy are identical and interchangeable terms, and that physical therapy is a health care profession.

Question 25

Who counts as unlicensed personnel, and what does direction mean, in Rule 64B17-6.001(1)?

Accepted Answer

Unlicensed personnel are any individuals working or volunteering in a physical therapy setting who do not hold a current PT or PTA license, including aides, technicians, and athletic trainers. Direction is the physical therapist's authorization and empowerment of a PTA or of unlicensed personnel, as permitted by Rule 64B17-6.007, to carry out actions requiring licensure under ch. 486.

Question 26

What does direct supervision mean in the STATUTE, s. 486.021(9), F.S.?

Accepted Answer

Supervision by a Florida-licensed physical therapist that, except in an emergency, requires the physical presence of that PT for consultation and direction of a PT or PTA practicing under a temporary permit as a candidate for licensure by examination. The supervising PT must have been licensed at least 6 months, may supervise only one permittee, and must cosign all of the permittee's patient records (ss. 486.0715(3), 486.1065(3)).

Question 27

What does direct supervision mean in the RULE, 64B17-6.001(1)(e), and why does the difference matter?

Accepted Answer

The rule defines direct supervision as supervision of subordinate personnel performing directed actions while the licensed supervisor is immediately physically available. The statutory definition in s. 486.021(9) is narrower and addresses temporary permit holders. Read the stem carefully: the rule definition is the one that governs aides, technicians, and students.

Question 28

Define general supervision under Rule 64B17-6.001(1)(f).

Accepted Answer

Supervision of a physical therapist assistant, other than direct supervision, in which the PT is accessible at all times by two-way communication, is available to respond to an inquiry when made, is readily available for consultation during the delivery of care, and is within the same geographic location as the PTA. General supervision applies only to PTAs, never to unlicensed personnel.

Question 29

Distinguish license from endorsement in s. 486.021, F.S.

Accepted Answer

A license under s. 486.021(3) is the document of authorization granted by the Board and issued by the Department of Health to engage in the practice of physical therapy. Endorsement under s. 486.021(4) is licensure granted by the Board pursuant to s. 486.081 (physical therapists) or s. 486.107 (physical therapist assistants), which route through the endorsement requirements of s. 456.0145.

Question 30

What license statuses exist in Florida, and which of them permit practice?

Accepted Answer

Section 456.036, F.S., lets a licensee choose active, inactive, or retired status at renewal. Only an active status license permits practice. Practicing on an inactive, retired, or delinquent license violates s. 456.036 and s. 456.072 and is also a criminal offense under s. 456.065(2)(d)3.

Question 31

Florida PT continuing education: how many hours per biennium, and what format limits apply?

Accepted Answer

24 contact hours each biennium (s. 486.109(1), F.S.; Rule 64B17-9.001(1)). A contact hour is 50 clock minutes and 10 contact hours equal 1 CEU. At least 12 hours must be live lecture or an approved interactive webinar and no more than 12 may be self-paced. No more than 5 hours of risk management count per biennium, and documentation must be kept at least 4 years.

Question 32

Which continuing education topics are mandatory for a Florida PT?

Accepted Answer

2 hours on prevention of medical errors every renewal cycle (Rule 64B17-8.002), 1 hour on HIV/AIDS no later than the first biennial renewal (Rule 64B17-8.001; s. 456.033, F.S.), and a 1-hour human trafficking course (Rule 64B17-8.003; s. 456.0341, F.S.). Licensees who become licensed in the second half of a biennium are exempt from the 24-hour requirement at their first renewal except for medical errors and HIV/AIDS.

Question 33

What are the eligibility requirements to be licensed as a physical therapist in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Section 486.031, F.S., requires the applicant to be at least 18, of good moral character, a graduate of an approved physical therapy program who passed a board-approved national examination (or to hold equivalent foreign credentials, or to qualify by endorsement under s. 486.081), and to have submitted to background screening under s. 456.0135. That screening is a Level 2 fingerprint check, which current licensees complete at their first renewal after July 1, 2025.

Question 34

What does Rule 64B17-3.002 say about the Florida Laws and Rules Examination itself?

Accepted Answer

Applicants for licensure by examination and foreign applicants by endorsement must take and pass the FSBPT-developed Florida Laws and Rules Examination. FSBPT sets the passing score and scores are not accepted more than 2 years after the applicant passed. The 40 scored questions are weighted Patient Care 35%, Legislative Intent and Definitions 25%, Disciplinary Action and Unlawful Practice 15%, Consumer Advocacy 12.5%, Licensure and Examination 7.5%, Board Powers and Duties 5%.

Question 35

When does a Florida PT license expire, and what verifies CE compliance at renewal?

Accepted Answer

Licenses renew biennially, with a biennium running from December 1 of an odd year through November 30 of the next odd year; current licenses expire at midnight Eastern on November 30, 2027. Courses are reported to the licensee's CE Broker account, and under s. 456.0361, F.S., the department may not renew a license until the licensee complies with all applicable CE requirements.

Question 36

What does it take to reactivate an inactive or retired Florida PT license?

Accepted Answer

Pay the biennial renewal, unlicensed activity, reactivation, and change-of-status fees; document CE for the biennium in which the license was last active; and complete 10 hours of CE for each year inactive including 2 hours of medical errors, with no more than 6 of those hours per year by home study. Two hours must be Florida physical therapy laws and rules taken within the preceding 12 months, or passing the FSBPT Florida laws and rules exam in that window (Rule 64B17-5.001).

Question 37

List the main grounds for discipline under s. 486.125(1), F.S.

Accepted Answer

Inability to practice with reasonable skill and safety because of illness, substances, or a mental or physical condition; fraud in practice or deceit in obtaining a license; conviction of a crime related to physical therapy practice; treating human ailments by means other than physical therapy; failing to maintain acceptable standards of practice; fee splitting or rebates tied to referrals; discipline in another jurisdiction; violating a board order; filing a knowingly false report; and violating ch. 486 or ch. 456 or their rules.

Question 38

Under s. 486.125(1)(j), F.S., what counts as practicing beyond the permitted scope?

Accepted Answer

Practicing or offering to practice beyond the scope permitted by law, and accepting or performing professional responsibilities the licensee knows or has reason to know he or she is not competent to perform, including specific spinal manipulation. Legal scope and personal competence are separate tests: an act inside ch. 486 is still a violation if that individual PT lacks the training to perform it safely.

Question 39

What penalties may the Board impose under s. 456.072(2), F.S.?

Accepted Answer

Refusal to certify an application, suspension or permanent revocation, practice restrictions, an administrative fine of up to $10,000 per count, a reprimand or letter of concern, probation, corrective action, refund of fees collected, and remedial education. A $10,000 per count fine is mandatory when the violation is fraud or a false or fraudulent representation, and the Board must first consider sanctions that protect the public before adding rehabilitative conditions.

Question 40

Who may use the titles physical therapist, P.T., and D.P.T. in Florida?

Accepted Answer

Only a licensee may use physical therapist, physiotherapist, physical therapy, physiotherapy, or P.T. (s. 486.135(1)(a)). Only a licensee holding a doctoral degree in physical therapy may use D.P.T. (s. 486.135(1)(b)), and such a PT may not use the title doctor without also clearly informing the public of his or her profession as a physical therapist (s. 486.081(1)). Misusing a title is a prohibited act under s. 486.151 and a first-degree misdemeanor.

Question 41

How does s. 456.065, F.S., punish unlicensed practice of a health care profession?

Accepted Answer

Practicing, attempting to practice, or offering to practice without an active, valid license is a third-degree felony carrying a minimum $1,000 fine and a minimum mandatory 1 year of incarceration, and a second-degree felony if it causes serious bodily injury. Practicing on an inactive or delinquent license is a first-degree misdemeanor up to 12 months and a third-degree felony beyond that. The department may also issue a cease and desist notice and a citation of up to $5,000 per incident.

Question 42

What makes a complaint against a Florida PT legally sufficient, and what happens next?

Accepted Answer

Under s. 456.073(1), F.S., the complaint must be in writing, signed by the complainant, and contain ultimate facts showing a violation of ch. 456, a practice act, or a rule. The department gives the subject a copy of the complaint, and the subject has 20 days to submit a written response for the probable cause panel. The Legislature's benchmark is completion of investigative findings within 6 months of receiving the complaint.

Question 43

What does a probable cause panel do, and what is the alternative for a minor first offense?

Accepted Answer

A panel of at least two board members decides by majority vote whether probable cause exists, normally within 30 days after receiving the final investigative report; it may instead issue a letter of guidance, and on finding probable cause it directs the department to file a formal complaint (s. 456.073(4)). For an initial minor violation, the department may issue a notice of noncompliance, and failure to correct within 15 days can trigger regular disciplinary proceedings (s. 456.073(3)).

Question 44

How do Florida law and rule treat sexual misconduct by a physical therapist?

Accepted Answer

Section 486.123, F.S., prohibits using the PT-patient relationship to induce or engage the patient in sexual activity outside the scope of practice, and Rule 64B17-6.001(2)(d) makes refraining from it an express duty. Section 456.063 extends the prohibition to a patient's immediate family, guardian, or representative, requires every licensed practitioner to report allegations of sexual misconduct to the department regardless of setting, and bars licensure for applicants disciplined for it elsewhere.

Question 45

Does a Florida PT have a duty to report another licensee's violation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under s. 456.072(1)(i), F.S., failing to report to the department any person the licensee knows is in violation of ch. 456, the applicable practice act, or department or board rules is itself a ground for discipline. Filing a report you know to be false carries its own exposure: s. 456.072(1)(g) covers being found liable in a civil proceeding for knowingly filing a false complaint against another licensee.

Question 46

When is a Florida practitioner immune for disclosing a patient's HIV status to a partner?

Accepted Answer

Section 456.061, F.S., shields a practitioner regulated by the Division of Medical Quality Assurance from civil and criminal liability when an HIV-positive patient identifies a sexual or needle-sharing partner, the practitioner urges the patient to notify that partner and to stop risky activity and the patient refuses, the practitioner tells the patient of the intent to inform, and notification follows Department of Health protocols. The practitioner is equally protected for choosing not to disclose.

Question 47

How does Florida's impaired practitioner program affect discipline?

Accepted Answer

Under s. 456.076, F.S., which covers ch. 486 licensees, an impairment complaint with no other allegations is referred to the program consultant and does not become grounds for discipline if the practitioner acknowledges the impairment, signs and completes a participant contract, withdraws from or limits practice as required, releases all relevant records, and authorizes reporting of any termination. Termination for material noncompliance is itself treated as a complaint under s. 456.073.

Question 48

What must a Florida PT disclose before referring a patient to a business the PT invests in?

Accepted Answer

Section 456.052, F.S., requires a written disclosure form given before the referral that states the investment interest, names and addresses each entity involved, tells the patient of the right to obtain the service from any provider of the patient's choice, and lists at least two alternative sources. A copy must be posted conspicuously in the office; violation is a first-degree misdemeanor plus grounds for board discipline.

Question 49

How does Florida treat kickbacks and self-referral by health care providers?

Accepted Answer

Section 456.054, F.S., makes it unlawful to offer, pay, solicit, or receive any kickback, directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, for referring or soliciting patients, and violations are treated as patient brokering under s. 817.505. Section 456.053, the Patient Self-Referral Act of 1992, separately restricts referrals to entities in which the provider holds an investment interest. Chapter 486 adds its own fee-splitting ground for discipline at s. 486.125(1)(f).

Question 50

What are a patient's rights to their physical therapy records under s. 456.057, F.S.?

Accepted Answer

On request of the patient or the patient's legal representative, the practitioner must furnish copies of all reports and records of the examination or treatment, including X-rays and insurance information, in a timely manner without delays for legal review, and may not condition release on payment for the services rendered. Records may not otherwise be furnished to, or the patient's condition discussed with, anyone but the patient, the legal representative, or other treating practitioners.

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