District of Columbia Respiratory Therapist License Requirements
State-board requirements, fees, and renewal cycle drawn from official regulator records.
Treats patients with breathing disorders. Requires TMC exam.
What the District of Columbia data shows for Respiratory Therapists
District of Columbia's path to respiratory therapist licensure runs through 2,073 hours of approved instruction and a passing score on TMC Exam (Therapist Multiple-Choice), plus a criminal history screening before applicants younger than 18 can be licensed. District of Columbia folds the credential into its broader occupational licensing statute, which classifies the training track as "Associate Degree".
Upfront cost is $165, with renewal running $136 on a 2-year cycle. Maintaining the license requires 24 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.
Reciprocity for this profession works like this: Respiratory Therapy Licensure Compact: adoption underway.
Licensing Ease Score
A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.
Licensing Requirements in District of Columbia
Frequently Asked Questions
What license do I need for Respiratory Therapist in District of Columbia? ▼
How do I get certified as a Respiratory Therapist in District of Columbia? ▼
Can I transfer my Respiratory Therapist license to District of Columbia from another state? ▼
Does District of Columbia require a background check for Respiratory Therapist licensing? ▼
What are the continuing education requirements for Respiratory Therapist in District of Columbia? ▼
Related Guides
What to do with this respiratory therapist license
Respiratory Therapist in District of Columbia, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a respiratory therapist-wide, 50-state comparison.
- See how District of Columbia's respiratory therapist requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Respiratory Therapist in every state
- Confirm whether your out-of-state respiratory therapist license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
- See how District of Columbia's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. District of Columbia overview
Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the District of Columbia licensing board before making career decisions.
Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.