Florida Physical Therapy Laws & Rules Exam (2026/2027) –
Comprehensive Questions and Correct Answers with
Rationales Guaranteed Pass
1. What is the primary legislative purpose of Florida’s Physical
Therapy Practice Act?
A. To maximize insurance reimbursement
B. To ensure practitioners meet minimum requirements for safe
practice
C. To establish national PT standards
D. To regulate hospital accreditation
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.015 states that the legislative purpose is to
ensure that physical therapy practitioners meet minimum requirements
for safe practice and to prevent unsafe practitioners from practicing.
2. Which Florida chapter specifically governs the practice of physical
therapy?
A. Chapter 458
B. Chapter 464
C. Chapter 486
D. Chapter 490
Answer: C
Rationale: Florida Statutes Chapter 486 is titled “Physical Therapy
Practice.”
3. Which entity is the “Board” referenced in Chapter 486?
A. Board of Medicine
B. Board of Physical Therapy Practice
C. Board of Nursing
D. Board of Health Administration
,Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.021 defines “Board” as the Board of Physical
Therapy Practice.
4. Which agency issues Florida health-profession licenses through its
regulatory process?
A. Department of Health
B. Department of Education
C. Department of Labor
D. Department of Financial Services
Answer: A
Rationale: Chapter 486 defines the Department as the Department of
Health, and licenses are issued through the Department.
5. Which person is considered a physical therapist under Chapter 486?
A. Any graduate of a PT program
B. A person licensed and practicing physical therapy under the chapter
C. Any rehabilitation employee
D. Any person supervised by a physician
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.021 defines a physical therapist as a person who
is licensed and practices physical therapy in accordance with Chapter
486.
6. What is a physical therapist assistant under Florida law?
A. An unlicensed rehabilitation aide
B. A licensed person performing patient-related activities under the
direction of a physical therapist
C. A student in a PT program
D. A medical assistant performing therapy
,Answer: B
Rationale: Florida defines a PTA as a licensed person who performs
patient-related activities, including use of physical agents, under the
direction of a physical therapist as provided by rule.
7. Which person generally may practice physical therapy in Florida?
A. Any person with a PT degree
B. A licensed PT or person holding a qualifying compact privilege
C. Any physician
D. Any athletic trainer
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.028 prohibits practicing or holding oneself out
as able to practice physical therapy unless licensed or holding a
qualifying compact privilege.
8. The Physical Therapy Licensure Compact primarily facilitates:
A. Hospital accreditation
B. Interstate practice of physical therapy
C. Medicare reimbursement
D. PT education accreditation
Answer: B
Rationale: The compact is designed to facilitate interstate practice
while preserving state regulatory authority.
9. A person practicing under a compact privilege in Florida must:
A. Ignore Florida practice standards
B. Practice within the compact and applicable Florida requirements
C. Obtain a Florida medical license
D. Practice only in hospitals
, Answer: B
Rationale: Compact practice does not eliminate the regulatory
authority of the state in which practice occurs.
10. Which title may a properly licensed Florida physical therapist use?
A. P.T.
B. M.D.
C. R.N.
D. P.A.-C.
Answer: A
Rationale: Section 486.061 permits a licensed PT to use “physical
therapist,” “physiotherapist,” or “P.T.” to denote licensure.
11. A person who is not licensed as a PT generally may not use which
designation to imply PT licensure?
A. P.T.
B. R.T.
C. A.T.C.
D. C.P.T.
Answer: A
Rationale: Florida law prohibits an unlicensed person from using “P.T.”
or other representations implying PT licensure.
12. Which designation has a specific restriction involving a doctoral
degree?
A. PTA
B. D.P.T.
C. R.T.
D. C.P.A.
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.135 specifically addresses use of “D.P.T.” by
Comprehensive Questions and Correct Answers with
Rationales Guaranteed Pass
1. What is the primary legislative purpose of Florida’s Physical
Therapy Practice Act?
A. To maximize insurance reimbursement
B. To ensure practitioners meet minimum requirements for safe
practice
C. To establish national PT standards
D. To regulate hospital accreditation
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.015 states that the legislative purpose is to
ensure that physical therapy practitioners meet minimum requirements
for safe practice and to prevent unsafe practitioners from practicing.
2. Which Florida chapter specifically governs the practice of physical
therapy?
A. Chapter 458
B. Chapter 464
C. Chapter 486
D. Chapter 490
Answer: C
Rationale: Florida Statutes Chapter 486 is titled “Physical Therapy
Practice.”
3. Which entity is the “Board” referenced in Chapter 486?
A. Board of Medicine
B. Board of Physical Therapy Practice
C. Board of Nursing
D. Board of Health Administration
,Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.021 defines “Board” as the Board of Physical
Therapy Practice.
4. Which agency issues Florida health-profession licenses through its
regulatory process?
A. Department of Health
B. Department of Education
C. Department of Labor
D. Department of Financial Services
Answer: A
Rationale: Chapter 486 defines the Department as the Department of
Health, and licenses are issued through the Department.
5. Which person is considered a physical therapist under Chapter 486?
A. Any graduate of a PT program
B. A person licensed and practicing physical therapy under the chapter
C. Any rehabilitation employee
D. Any person supervised by a physician
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.021 defines a physical therapist as a person who
is licensed and practices physical therapy in accordance with Chapter
486.
6. What is a physical therapist assistant under Florida law?
A. An unlicensed rehabilitation aide
B. A licensed person performing patient-related activities under the
direction of a physical therapist
C. A student in a PT program
D. A medical assistant performing therapy
,Answer: B
Rationale: Florida defines a PTA as a licensed person who performs
patient-related activities, including use of physical agents, under the
direction of a physical therapist as provided by rule.
7. Which person generally may practice physical therapy in Florida?
A. Any person with a PT degree
B. A licensed PT or person holding a qualifying compact privilege
C. Any physician
D. Any athletic trainer
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.028 prohibits practicing or holding oneself out
as able to practice physical therapy unless licensed or holding a
qualifying compact privilege.
8. The Physical Therapy Licensure Compact primarily facilitates:
A. Hospital accreditation
B. Interstate practice of physical therapy
C. Medicare reimbursement
D. PT education accreditation
Answer: B
Rationale: The compact is designed to facilitate interstate practice
while preserving state regulatory authority.
9. A person practicing under a compact privilege in Florida must:
A. Ignore Florida practice standards
B. Practice within the compact and applicable Florida requirements
C. Obtain a Florida medical license
D. Practice only in hospitals
, Answer: B
Rationale: Compact practice does not eliminate the regulatory
authority of the state in which practice occurs.
10. Which title may a properly licensed Florida physical therapist use?
A. P.T.
B. M.D.
C. R.N.
D. P.A.-C.
Answer: A
Rationale: Section 486.061 permits a licensed PT to use “physical
therapist,” “physiotherapist,” or “P.T.” to denote licensure.
11. A person who is not licensed as a PT generally may not use which
designation to imply PT licensure?
A. P.T.
B. R.T.
C. A.T.C.
D. C.P.T.
Answer: A
Rationale: Florida law prohibits an unlicensed person from using “P.T.”
or other representations implying PT licensure.
12. Which designation has a specific restriction involving a doctoral
degree?
A. PTA
B. D.P.T.
C. R.T.
D. C.P.A.
Answer: B
Rationale: Section 486.135 specifically addresses use of “D.P.T.” by
