Respiratory Therapist states
51
Bottom quartile, lowest
Occupational licensing · Healthcare · 51 state boards
Respiratory Therapist Licensing Requirements by State
Respiratory Therapist licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Respiratory Therapist across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $142
- Require an exam
- 100%
- Avg education hours
- 1,959
Board Pathway Strip
Respiratory Therapist: 51 boards · ~1,959 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $142. Same-lane boards: Athletic Trainer, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Dental Assistant.
- Athletic Trainer
- Certified Nurse-Midwife
- Dental Assistant
- Dental Hygienist
- Dietetic Technician
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Respiratory Therapist vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
1,959 21st of 47 higher than 26 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Treats patients with breathing disorders. Requires TMC exam.
Respiratory Therapist initial fees swing $50 (NH) to $247 (CA), a $197 spread across 51 boards ; Athletic Trainer often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Respiratory Therapist drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Athletic Trainer and Certified Nurse-Midwife in healthcare. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Respiratory Therapist edu hrs
1,959 hrs
Above median
Respiratory Therapist first fee
$142
Below median
Respiratory Therapist renewal
$119
Below median
Board gates for Respiratory Therapist: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 24 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife before calling this license soft or hard.
Respiratory Therapist: nationwide coverage neighbours
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Veterinary Technician · 1,959 avg hrs
- Radiologic Technologist · 2,122 avg hrs
- Paramedic · 1,567 avg hrs
- Registered Nurse · 2,459 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Respiratory Therapist
A $197 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 50) and California ($ 247) bracket the field, a 4.9× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$50 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$247 initial licensing fee
Respiratory Therapist boards vs Athletic Trainer / Certified Nurse-Midwife - state table
51 statesWhat to do with this
Respiratory Therapist is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Respiratory Therapist ranks #21 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #79 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Respiratory Therapist range from $50 (NH) to $247 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Respiratory Therapist requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.