Note: As of 1st November 2025, the Physiotherapy Board’s Registration Policy has been updated. For the Specialist Scope of Practice, the work experience requirements have been removed. The competencies required for registration as a Specialist have not changed.
In September 2025, we reviewed the Specialist Scope application process and looked at the common questions coming through from applicants. As a response to this, we have made some improvements to the processes, to make the requirements as clear as possible.
These are not substantive changes, and the eligibility criteria is unchanged.
The main changes are:
- We have updated the forms and templates.
- We have removed the requirement to submit your course curriculum.
- We have removed the requirement to submit your CV.
- We have added the requirement to submit a Qualifications and Experience Narrative.
- We have provided the links to the Multi‐Source Feedback Questionnaires (MFQ) in a guidance document on the webpage.
If you are already part way through your Specialist application, you can continue to use the old templates, or you can switch to the new forms. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about these changes.
Registration in the Specialist Scope of Practice
To obtain registration in the Specialist Scope of Practice, you need to be able to demonstrate the following:
- You have provided evidence to demonstrate that you meet all of the key competencies for the seven roles outlined in the Physiotherapy Specialist Competencies for your nominated area of practice.
- You meet the prescribed qualifications for the Specialist Scope of Practice.
- You meet the requirements for Fitness to Practise, as required under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act 2003.
What is the Specialist Scope of Practice?
Developed by the Board to recognise physiotherapists who are practising at an advanced level, the purpose of the Specialist Scope is to identify physiotherapists who have demonstrated advanced clinical skills and knowledge and contribute to the profession through leadership and research.
Physiotherapy specialists are expert physiotherapists who have advanced education, knowledge and demonstrated competence to practise beyond the level of an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist in a specified vocational area. Physiotherapy specialists provide person and whānau‐centred healthcare to manage the most complex, difficult or critical patient presentations in their area of practice, often as a point of expert review, opinion or referral.
Physiotherapy specialists demonstrate leadership in consultancy, education and research. Physiotherapy specialists work collaboratively with the physiotherapy profession and within the wider health system. Physiotherapy specialists utilise their physiotherapy knowledge and expertise to actively participate and take a leadership role in professional activities, including local and national strategy and policy development.
The Board offers registration as a Physiotherapy Specialist in the following areas:
- Cardiorespiratory
- Hand Therapy
- Musculoskeletal
- Neurology
- Occupational Health
- Older Adults
- Paediatrics
- Pain
- Sports
- Pelvic Health
The Board may give permission for an applicant to apply in an area that is not on the list. Approval is required before such an application is submitted. Please contact the Board for more details.
The title ‘Specialist Physiotherapist’ is protected and only those who are registered in the Specialist Scope of Practice are allowed to use this title.
Who can apply?
Physiotherapists who:
- Hold unrestricted registration in the General Scope of Practice with the Board, and
- Hold a current Annual Practising Certificate (APC), and
- Have successfully completed a minimum of a master’s degree that:
- requires an Aotearoa | New Zealand Bachelor of Physiotherapy (or equivalent) for entry to the degree programme, and
- is relevant to clinical physiotherapy practice.
You will need to provide the following documents:
- *Evidence of Name Change (if applicable)
- Relating to your Masters physiotherapy degree:
* Document must be certified and uploaded into the online application portal, or sent directly to [email protected] by the issuing authority
- Multisource Feedback Questionnaire (MFQ)
Please refer to the MFQ guidance document for the link to the questionnaire and a list of who this needs to be completed by.
- Portfolio
Applicants are required to provide strong supporting evidence to show that they have met/are meeting the Board’s specialist competencies in relation to their nominated area of specialty. These competencies can be found here.
Applicants must list all items of evidence on the Specialist Scope Competency Assessment template.
The portfolio will be made up of two parts:
- Mandatory submissions
- Two Case Studies
- Two Critical Evaluations of Journal Articles
- Specialist Scope Qualifications and Experience Narrative
- Specialist Scope Competency Assessment Template
2. Supporting evidence
Additional documents should be provided to demonstrate you have met each of the Specialist Scope competencies. These should be connected to the relevant competencies on the Specialist Scope Competency Assessment Template. Please refer to the Competency Assessment Guidance for examples of strong supporting evidence.
Document Formatting
Please refer to the templates and guidance documents in the resources section below.
Documents are to be in word format and uploaded directly into the application portal. The mandatory documents are to be uploaded as individual word documents and the remaining documents can be uploaded as a zip file.
Application Templates
Competency Assessment Template for Specialist Scope
Qualification and Experience Narrative for Specialist Scope
Application Resources
Competency Assessment Guidance for Specialist Scope
Case Study Guidance for Specialist Scope
MFQ Guidance Document for Specialist Scope
What is the assessment process for this application?
Phase 1: Document Check
After you submit your application, we will review it for completeness. If documents or evidence are missing or we have concerns about your eligibility, we will email you for further information before your application is sent on for processing.
If your application does not meet eligibility criteria for moving onto the assessment phase, one of the following will occur:
- You are given the opportunity to Withdraw your application.
- Your application is Returned.
- We propose to Decline your application.
If your application is complete and meets eligibility criteria it will move on to the Portfolio Assessment.
Phase 2: Portfolio Assessment
We select two assessors with appropriate experience levels in your nominated area of practice. Both assessors and the applicant are contacted to ensure there is no conflict of interest. If there are no issues, your application is sent out for assessment.
There are two outcomes from the Portfolio Assessment:
- If your application meets criteria, it is put forward for Registration.
- If your application does not meet criteria, you are given an opportunity to resubmit with additional or updated evidence.
- If your additional evidence still does not meet criteria after this second assessment, one of the following will occur:
- You are given the opportunity to Withdraw your application.
- We propose to Decline your application.
- If your additional evidence still does not meet criteria after this second assessment, one of the following will occur:
Phase 3: Registration
Applications deemed to meet the minimum requirement for registration are sent to our Registrar for approval. Once this is completed you will receive an email confirmation.
What happens after registration is granted?
The Public Register of Physiotherapists
If a registrant is successfully granted registration within the Physiotherapy Specialist scope, this will show on the New Zealand Register of Physiotherapists. The register is available for the public to view on the Board’s website.
Recertification following Registration within the Specialist Scope
Physiotherapy Specialists must continue to meet the Board’s standard of competence required for their registration under the General scope of practice: Physiotherapist, as well as meeting the competencies required at the Physiotherapy Specialist level.
Once a physiotherapist has been registered in the Specialist Scope of Practice, they are required to maintain the competencies and requirements set by the Board for the Scope. The continuing professional development requirements for the Specialist Scope of Practice have the same criteria as the Recertification Guidelines, however, the majority of the ‘lifelong learning’ is required to be in the nominated clinical interest area for which they were granted Specialist status. Majority is defined as more than 50% of the total CPD undertaken by the practitioner.
Physiotherapy Specialists can still practice in other areas of physiotherapy that are not their chosen field of specialty to the level required of a physiotherapist registered under the general scope. However, they must not hold themselves out to be a specialist in any area other than the area in which they have successfully gained registration under the specialist scope of practice: Physiotherapy Specialist.
What does the application cost?
Please refer to our Fees Schedule here. Please note that the application fee is non‐refundable.
If you have any questions, please see our comprehensive help page or contact us via [email protected].
We can provide advice on the preparation of your application; however, we are not able to advise you on whether or not it will succeed.