Welcome to the PT Dry Needling Requirements Guide
This interactive resource helps physical therapists find out what each state requires before you can dry needle: minimum training hours, any experience or supervised-session requirements, and links to the licensing board where you apply. Search for your state below or click it on the map to see the details.
| Course details | Experience / supervised practice | Other notes | Where to apply |
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How Dry Needling Rules for Physical Therapists Vary by State
Whether a physical therapist can perform dry needling, and how much training is required first, is decided state by state. Some states do not allow PTs to dry needle at all. Others allow it with no set hour minimum, and many require a specific number of training hours, supervised practice, or a formal registration, endorsement, or certification with the state physical therapy board.
Use the interactive map above to see the dry needling requirements in your state: the minimum course hours, any experience or supervised practice requirements, notes on recent law changes, and direct links to the state board rules and application forms. Click a state (or pick one from the small-states list) to see its details.
Rules change. This guide is for general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your state physical therapy board before you start needling patients. You can find every board through the FSBPT licensing authority directory.
Dry Needling Courses for Physical Therapists
ICE Physio dry needling courses pair safe, specific needling technique with strategic e-stim applications. Lab-intensive live courses run throughout the year across the country, so you can meet your state’s training-hour requirement close to home. Every live course includes a practical skills competency assessment and a written exam.
Dry Needling: Lower Body
Safe, effective needling for the thoraco-lumbar spine, hip, thigh, and lower leg, plus e-stim applications for common lower body conditions. 2-day courses provide 27 hours of training; 3-day courses provide 36 hours.
Dry Needling: Upper Body
Needling for the cervico-thoracic spine, shoulder girdle, upper arm, and forearm, with strategic e-stim applications for common upper body conditions.
Dry Needling: Advanced
The capstone course for experienced DN clinicians: peripheral nerves, tendons, technical muscular targets, scar tissue, and acute contusions. Requires Lower or Upper Body first.
Dry Needling: Pelvic Floor
A lab-heavy course for experienced dry needling clinicians treating male and female pelvic floor dysfunction, building on the foundations of ICE Physio Lower Body Dry Needling.
E-stim + Needles (Online)
A self-paced online course with 7 lecture sessions and 14 clinical videos on the research, rationale, and clinical application of dry needling with electrical stimulation.
Become ICE Physio Certified in Dry Needling
Go beyond your state’s minimum. The ICE Physio Certified: Dry Needling credential (CERT-DNES) is a comprehensive, contemporary dry needling certification for physical therapists. Complete Lower Body DN, Upper Body DN, and the Advanced DN capstone, and pass each course’s practical competency assessment and written exam, to show patients and employers that you are safe, skilled, and current.
Dry Needling Requirements FAQ
Can physical therapists perform dry needling in every state?
No. Each state sets its own rules. A small number of states do not allow physical therapists to perform dry needling, while most allow it with conditions such as minimum training hours, supervised practice, or board registration. Check your state on the map above, then confirm with your state physical therapy board.
How many hours of dry needling training does a PT need?
It depends on the state. Some states have no hour minimum, while others require roughly 24–27, 50–59, 74–80, or 100+ hours of training. Washington State has one of the highest requirements, with 325 hours plus supervised clinical experience and a dry needling endorsement. Select your state on the map for its exact requirement.
How many training hours do ICE Physio dry needling courses provide?
The 2-day Lower Body and Upper Body courses provide 27 hours of training (two 9-hour in-person days plus 9 hours of online content). 3-day courses provide 36 hours. Taking multiple courses lets you build toward higher state minimums.
Which dry needling course should I take first?
Start with either Lower Body or Upper Body Dry Needling. There is no required order between them. Advanced Dry Needling requires completion of Lower or Upper Body first, and Pelvic Floor Dry Needling is designed for experienced dry needling clinicians and builds on Lower Body Dry Needling.
How do I earn the ICE Physio Dry Needling Certification?
Complete Lower Body DN, Upper Body DN, and Advanced DN. Each course includes a practical skills competency assessment (safety and psychomotor competence, observed by faculty) and a written exam.