Tennessee · travel RT guide

Tennessee Respiratory Therapist License

Who to call, where to apply and what it takes to keep a Tennessee RT license, all on one page for travelers. Board details come from our state licensing list.

Tennessee license at a glance

Tennessee respiratory therapists are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health - Board of Respiratory Care (phone 615-532-5090).

Tennessee is a Respiratory Care Interstate Compact member (joined 2026).

RT license renewal in Tennessee: 12 hours, every calendar year.

Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another NLC state lets you work here.

Heading there? See Tennessee travel contracts, monthly RV parks near hospitals and CEU requirements by state.

Updated Oct 2026. Board details checked Oct 19, 2026. Run by a working travel respiratory therapist.

Tennessee RT licensing board

Status: RT Compact

Tennessee Department of Health - Board of Respiratory Care
Online initial application. Respiratory Care Interstate Compact member (joined 2026).
Call 615-532-5090Go to board site →

Tennessee RT CEU requirements

12 hours, every calendar year.

Required topics:

  • 1 hr patient safety
  • 1 hr professional/ethical standards

At least 5 hours clinical respiratory care or cardiopulmonary research.

Source: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1330-01-.12 (via Cornell LII), checked Oct 19, 2026.

Need hours? See the free CEU guide or compare states on the CEU requirements page.

Also a nurse? Tennessee Board of Nursing

Status: NLC

Tennessee Board of Nursing
Call 615-532-5166Go to board site →
Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another NLC state lets you work here. Live here? You can apply for a multistate license.

Hospital area guides in Tennessee

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Murfreesboro Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis Memphis Cookeville Regional Medical Center Cookeville Erlanger Baroness Hospital Chattanooga Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Jackson Johnson City Medical Center (Ballad Health) Johnson City University of Tennessee Medical Center Knoxville Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville All Tennessee guides →

Heading to Tennessee? Find monthly RV parks near hospitals, housing tips and Tennessee travel contracts.

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Always confirm fees, forms and processing times with the board before you apply. Rules change; tell us what we got wrong at @cdc2320.

Frequently asked questions

Who licenses respiratory therapists in Tennessee?
Tennessee respiratory therapists are licensed by the Tennessee Department of Health - Board of Respiratory Care (phone 615-532-5090). Board website: https://www.tn.gov/health/licensure/res.html
Is Tennessee in the respiratory therapy compact?
Tennessee is a Respiratory Care Interstate Compact member (joined 2026).
How many CEUs does a Tennessee RT license need?
RT license renewal in Tennessee: 12 hours, every calendar year. Always confirm with the board before you renew.
Is Tennessee a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state?
Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another NLC state lets you work here.

Updated Oct 2026