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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>368432</law_id><section_number>54.1-2955</section_number><catch_line>Restriction of titles</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="118" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="3" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="10" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="4" identifier="4">Licensure and Certification of Other Practitioners of the Healing Arts</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is unlawful for any person not holding a current and valid license from the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> to practice as a respiratory therapist or to assume the title &#x201C;Respiratory Therapist&#x201D; or to use, in conjunction with his name, the letters &#x201C;RT.&#x201D; <a id="paragraph-1372294" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2955/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, a person who has graduated from an accredited respiratory therapy education program may practice with the title &#x201C;Respiratory Therapist, License Applicant&#x201D; or &#x201C;RT-Applicant&#x201D; until he has received a failing score on any examination required by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> for licensure or six months from the date of graduation, whichever occurs sooner. Any person practicing pursuant to this subsection as shall be identified with the title &#x201C;Respiratory Therapist, License Applicant&#x201D; or &#x201C;RT-Applicant&#x201D; on any identification issued by an employer and in conjunction with any signature in the course of his practice. <a id="paragraph-1372295" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2955/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1985, c. 347, &#xA7; 54-281.11; 1988, c. 765; 1990, c. 920; 1998, c. 557; 2015, c. 302; 2022, c. 764.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
