TL;DR: The Physical Therapist Licensure Exam (PTLE) is a PRC board exam for BS Physical Therapy graduates who completed a clinical internship, covering a Medical aspect and a PT aspect. You need a general rating of at least 75% with no grade below 60% in any subject to pass. The exam fee is ₱900, and in 2026 the PRC scheduled it for June 2-3, with recent passing rates ranging from about 66% to 77%. The related Occupational Therapist exam (OTLE) is administered separately by the Board of Occupational Therapy.
Introduction
The Physical Therapist Licensure Exam, commonly shortened to PTLE, is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) through the Board of Physical Therapy. Passing it lets you register as a licensed physical therapist and practice legally in the Philippines, sign treatment plans, and use the title "PT" (Registered Physical Therapist).
Physical therapy and occupational therapy share a common legal history in the Philippines under Republic Act No. 5680, the Philippine Physical and Occupational Therapy Law of 1969. Today the two professions are examined and regulated separately — PT candidates take the PTLE, while OT candidates take the Occupational Therapist Licensure Exam (OTLE) under the newer Republic Act No. 11241 (2018).
This guide covers who can take the PTLE, what it costs, what it covers, the 2026 schedule, how recent batches have performed, and a brief look at the OTLE since the two exams are often confused.
Note: Tuition, fees, and exam schedules change. Always verify current figures with the PRC (prc.gov.ph) or your school's registrar before making plans.
Who Can Take the PTLE
To qualify for the PTLE, you generally need to:
- Be a Filipino citizen (or a foreign national from a country with reciprocity for Philippine PT graduates).
- Hold a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy (BSPT) degree from a CHED-recognized school.
- Have completed the required clinical internship — commonly cited as around 10 months of supervised clinical training, documented and certified by your school's Dean and Registrar.
- Be of good moral character, with no criminal record disqualifying you under PRC rules.
If you've already failed the PTLE three times, PRC requires a certificate of completion of a refresher course before you can retake it. Confirm your specific eligibility details with your school and the PRC Board of Physical Therapy, since documentation requirements can be updated.
How Much Does the PTLE Cost?
| Item | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| PRC examination fee (complete, first-time) | ₱900 |
| Online payment service fee | Small additional charge (varies by channel) |
| Documentary stamps, photos, NBI clearance | Separate incidental costs, typically a few hundred pesos combined |
Figures based on PRC's published examination fee schedule. Fees are revised periodically — verify the current amount on prc.gov.ph or through LERIS before filing.
What Documents Do You Need to Apply?
Filing happens through the PRC's online LERIS (Licensure Examination and Registration Information System) portal, with in-person document verification at a PRC regional or satellite office. Typical requirements include:
- PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) birth certificate
- Transcript of Records with the remark "For Board Examination Purposes"
- Marriage certificate (for married female applicants using their married name)
- Valid NBI clearance
- Certification of completed clinical internship, signed by your school's Dean and Registrar with school seal
- Passport-sized photo with white background and collared attire, per PRC specifications
- Payment of the ₱900 examination fee
- Certificate of completion of a refresher course (only if you've failed the exam three times)
Bring original documents for verification even after you've uploaded them online — PRC checks physical copies before approving your Notice of Admission.
What Does the PTLE Cover?
The PTLE groups its subjects into two broad aspects rather than one uniform list. Based on published exam coverage from PT review resources, the general breakdown is:
| Aspect | Typical Subjects Covered |
|---|---|
| Medical Aspect | Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology/Microbiology, Psychiatry, Orthotics and Prosthetics, Medical-Surgical Conditions |
| PT Aspect | Therapeutic Exercise, PT Procedures, Professional Ethics, Organization and Administration, Clinical Education/Seminars |
This is a general subject grouping, not an official weighted breakdown — the PRC Board of Physical Therapy periodically revises subject content and weighting. Verify the current official coverage directly with PRC or your review center before finalizing your study plan.
A single grade below 60% in any individual subject causes a failing mark, even if your overall average clears 75% — so uneven preparation across the Medical and PT aspects can sink an otherwise strong performance.
PTLE 2026 Schedule
According to the PRC's official 2026 schedule of examinations, the Physical Therapist Licensure Exam has one administration in 2026:
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Exam dates | June 2-3, 2026 |
| Application opens | March 4, 2026 |
| Application deadline | May 4, 2026 |
| Result release | Within 3 working days of the last exam day (per PRC's June 2026 release announcement) |
Testing centers for the June 2026 administration included NCR, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, and Rosales.
Note: Some past years have included a second PTLE administration later in the year, but the PRC scheduled only one sitting for 2026. Cross-check the current-year dates against our 2026 board exam schedule, and always confirm directly with PRC — schedules are occasionally revised.
Recent Passing Rates
| Administration | Passed | Total Examinees | Passing Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 416 | 630 | ~66% |
| December 2025 | 1,198 | 1,553 | ~77% |
| June 2026 | 526 | 728 | ~72.25% |
Source: PRC official result announcements (prc.gov.ph). The passing rate swings noticeably between administrations — from 66% to 77% across three recent sittings — so treat any single number as a snapshot, not a guarantee of what your batch will see.
In the June 2026 administration, the University of Santo Tomas posted the highest school passing rate among institutions with a meaningful number of examinees, at 97.98%, per PRC-based results reporting sites. School-level performance data comes from post-exam reporting rather than an official PRC ranking, so treat specific percentages as indicative rather than final.
How to Apply Through PRC LERIS
- Create or log in to your LERIS account at online.prc.gov.ph and complete your profile.
- Upload your compliant ID photo and supporting documents.
- Select the Physical Therapist Licensure Examination, your preferred exam date, and testing center.
- Book an appointment for in-person document verification at a PRC regional or satellite office.
- Pay the ₱900 examination fee through an accredited LERIS payment channel.
- Download your Notice of Admission (NOA) once approved, and check your assigned room and reporting time.
File as early in the application window as possible — testing centers in major cities fill up, and late applications risk being unable to secure a preferred venue.
Review and Study Tips
1. Separate your review by aspect, not by subject count
Because the PTLE splits into a Medical aspect and a PT aspect, allocate review time to both rather than over-indexing on whichever one feels more familiar from school.
2. Drill orthopedic and neuro PT procedures hands-on, not just by reading
Therapeutic exercise and PT procedure questions often use case-based scenarios. Practice applying protocols to patient presentations, not just memorizing steps.
3. Treat your internship caseload as review material
The clinical conditions you actually saw during your internship are a strong, tested-in-practice foundation. Revisit your case logs when reviewing medical-surgical topics.
4. Take timed mock exams under exam-day conditions
Simulate the actual multi-hour sitting so pacing and fatigue management aren't a surprise on exam day.
5. Know your weak subject and protect it
Since a single subject grade below 60% fails you regardless of your overall average, identify your weakest area early and make sure it clears the minimum — not just your favorite subjects.
For more general guidance, see our post on how long to review for a board exam and what a review center typically costs. Browse options on our review centers directory if you're comparing PT-focused programs.
After You Pass: Renewing Your License
Passing the PTLE is only the first step — your PRC license needs periodic renewal to stay active, along with continuing professional development (CPD) units. See our PRC license renewal guide for the current process, fees, and CPD requirements.
A Brief Look at the Occupational Therapist Licensure Exam (OTLE)
If you're researching the PTLE, you may also encounter the Occupational Therapist Licensure Exam (OTLE) — a related but separate exam for BS Occupational Therapy graduates, administered by the Board of Occupational Therapy under Republic Act No. 11241 (2018).
Key points on the OTLE:
- Internship requirement: OT candidates typically need around nine months of supervised clinical experience, treating patients with both psychosocial and physical dysfunction, across a range of ages.
- 2026 schedule: The PRC scheduled two OTLE administrations in 2026 — June 4 (application window March 6-May 5) and December 4.
- Recent passing rates: 42.26% (June 2025), 73.77% (December 2025), and roughly 35% (June 2026, 66 of 189 examinees), per PRC's official result releases. OTLE passing rates have varied even more widely than the PTLE's across recent sittings.
- Application fee: Based on the same PRC fee schedule used for PT, expect a similar ₱900 range — confirm the exact current amount with PRC.
If you're specifically preparing for the OTLE rather than the PTLE, verify the current subject coverage and passing criteria directly with the PRC Board of Occupational Therapy, since the two boards set requirements independently even though the professions share a historical law.
How to Choose Between Reviewing Alone or With a Center
| Approach | Best For | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Self-review | Disciplined students confident in internship-based knowledge | No structured timed mocks or peer accountability |
| Review center | Students wanting organized coverage of both Medical and PT aspects, plus mock exams | Added cost — see our review center cost guide |
| Hybrid (self-review + short refresher course) | Repeaters or those with a specific weak subject | Requires identifying gaps accurately first |
Neither path guarantees a pass — the swing in recent passing rates (66% to 77%) suggests exam difficulty varies by batch regardless of preparation method.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH.
Sources
- Professional Regulation Commission (prc.gov.ph) — 2026 Schedule of Examinations
- PRC — June 2026 Physical Therapists Licensure Examination Results Released
- PRC — December 2025 Physical Therapists Licensure Examination Results Released
- PRC — June 2025 Physical Therapists Licensure Examination Results Released
- PRC — June 2026 Occupational Therapists Computer-Based Licensure Exam Results Released
- PRC — December 2025 Occupational Therapists Computer-Based Licensure Examination Results Released
- Republic Act No. 5680 (Philippine Physical and Occupational Therapy Law of 1969), via Supreme Court E-Library / PRC
- Republic Act No. 11241 (Philippine Occupational Therapy Law of 2018)
- Filcil.com — Physical Therapist Licensure Board Exam application requirements and coverage
- PRCBoard.com / TheSummitExpress.com — June 2026 PTLE and OTLE results and top-school performance reporting
