# Title 61.5 — North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy

## Article 61.5-06 — Miscellaneous

## Chapter 61.5-06-01 — Terms and Titles

### § 61.5-06-01-01. Terms and titles.

A physical therapist shall use the letters "PT" in connection with the physical therapist's name or
place of business to denote licensure under North Dakota Century Code chapter 43-26.1. Other letter
designations such as "RPT", "LPT", or academic and professional degrees should not be substituted for
the regulatory designation of "PT".
1. "PTA" is the preferred regulatory designation of a physical therapist assistant. A physical
therapist assistant shall use the letters "PTA" in connection with that person's name to denote
licensure under this chapter. A person shall not use the title "physical therapist assistant", the
letters "PTA", or any other words, abbreviations, or insignia in connection with that person's
name to indicate or imply, directly or indirectly, that the person is a physical therapist assistant
unless that person is licensed under this chapter.
2. Except as otherwise provided by law, a person or business entity, and its employees, agents,
or representatives, shall not use in connection with that person's or entity's name or activity
the words "physical therapy", "physical therapist", "physiotherapist", "registered physical
therapist", the letters "PT", "MPT", "DPT", "LPT", "RPT", or any other words, abbreviation, or
insignia indicating or implying directly or indirectly that physical therapy is provided or
supplied, unless such services are provided by or under the direction of a physical therapist
licensed pursuant to this chapter. A person or business entity shall not advertise or otherwise
promote another person as being a "physical therapist" or "physiotherapist" unless the
individual so advertised or promoted is licensed as a physical therapist under this chapter. A
person or business entity that offers, provides, or bills any other person for services shall not
characterize those services as "physical therapy" unless the individual performing that service
is licensed as a physical therapist under this chapter.
3. The designations "SPT" and "SPTA" should be used for physical therapist students and
physical therapist assistant students, respectively, up to the time of graduation.
4. In order to promote consistent communication of the presentation of credentials and letter
designations, the preferred order of credentials should be:
a. PT/PTA.
b. Highest earned physical therapy-related degree.
c. Other earned academic degrees.
d. Specialist certification credentials in alphabetical order (specific to the American board of
physical therapy specialties).
e. Physical therapists who have graduated from a DPT program may use the title "doctor of
physical therapy". A physical therapist holding a DPT degree or another doctoral degree

may not use the title "doctor" without clearly informing the public of the physical
therapist's profession as a physical therapist.
History: Effective April 1, 2006; amended effective April 1, 2020.
General Authority: NDCC 43-26.1-03(5)
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-26.1-15(5)
