Physiotherapists

Annual Practising Certificate

Physiotherapists who are registered to practice in New Zealand are legally required to hold a current annual practicing certificate (APC) from the Board in order to practise.

Notes:

• The APC runs from 1 April to 31 March each year.
  If a physiotherapist commences practising during the 1 April to 31 March year, they have to pay the full fee.



• An APC is required even if you only practice once during the year, practice part-time, or do volunteer (i.e. unpaid) work.



• Failure to hold an APC at the beginning of the practising year; 1st April onwards; may result in prosecution and a fine.
  
  
  

  IF	THEN...
  You already have an APC	The Secretariat will send you an invoice when it’s time to renew your APC. Payment is due by 15 March, and certificates are issued in bulk before 1 April. Note that it is the Physiotherapist’s responsibility to ensure that s/he has a current APC. If you had an APC for the 2007/2008 practising year and have not yet applied for an APC for the 2008/2009 practising year please download this form and courier a completed copy with your payment to the Secretariat. Please note: It is illegal to practise without an APC.
  You want your APC part-way through the practising year	The practising year is 1 April to 31 March. If you want your first APC part-way through that year, contact the Secretariat. To assist your application for an APC part-way through the year, you may download this application form. This form is for physiotherapists who are currently non-practising and wish to practice in the current practising year (valid until 31 March 2008). If you commence practising during the practising year, you have to pay the full fee.
  Non practising physiotherapists	If you do not intend to practise in New Zealand in the next financial year (1st April – 31st March): You do not need to pay for a practising certificate. You are required to inform the Board that you will not be practising. There is an annual fee of $45.00 for retention of your name in the Physiotherapy Register. 2008/2009 Retention on the Register form If you advise the Board you will be practising part way through the year you will be invoiced in the next invoicing round.

  
  Payment can be made as follows:
  
  

  Situation	Options
  Individuals only	APC payment can be made by cheque, credit card or bank draft in New Zealand dollars ($NZ) to the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand.

WHO NEEDS AN APC?

You must have one if you are practising or intend to practise.

Many physiotherapists are not clear about when they need an Annual Practising Certificate (APC). An APC is required in all instances where a physiotherapist is "practising his/her calling", in other words doing any work for which they use their physiotherapy title, and their knowledge and skills.

Physiotherapists required to hold an APC include:

• Physiotherapy service managers/advisors
  
• Advisory physiotherapists
  
• Physiotherapy teachers/educators
  
• Physiotherapists working on a voluntary basis
  
• Locum and part-time physiotherapists (even if only working for a short period)
  
• Physiotherapy accreditation surveyors
  
• Physiotherapists performing assessment and treatment, and/or advising on management of (e.g.) sports teams, clients in rest homes, children in schools, community groups for people with disabilities (whether voluntary or not)
  
• Presenter and participant at "hands-on" physiotherapy courses
  
• Physiotherapists working as sales representatives selling physiotherapy products, i.e. when the job description/person specification requires a physiotherapist.

Employers have a responsibility to establish that the physiotherapist they are employing is registered.

Take good care of your APC. It is a valuable document, it is the property of the Board and must be surrendered on request. Normally, for security reasons the Board will not provide a replacement APC but in special circumstances a duplicate may be issued. There is a fee for issuing a duplicate APC.