FAQs for Consumers
According to the National Athletic Training Association, athletic trainers (ATs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education, training and the state's statutes, rules and regulations. As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. In the State of Alabama this includes skills such as dry needling (reference requirements for athletic trainers to perform dry needling). Athletic trainers are recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as an allied health care profession and athletic trainers are not to be confused with personal trainers.
Athletic trainers must graduate from an accredited baccalaureate or master’s program, and 70% of ATs have a master’s degree. Athletic trainers are certified by the NATA Board of Certification (NATA-BOC) and must be licensed by the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers to practice in Alabama as an athletic trainer. Learn more about the education of athletic trainers.
Using this search for licensee verification on the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers (ABAT) website satisfies primary source verification needs; however, it does not satisfy the requirement for a formal or official verification of licensure to another state. To request an official verification, please contact the Board at athletictrainers@alstateboard.com.
Complaints are accepted in writing on the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers’ official complaint form. Anonymous or oral complaints are not accepted. Individuals may make an inquiry about filing a complaint to the Executive Secretary via phone, mail, email, or fax. If an individual decides to make a formal complaint, the Executive Secretary will provide this individual with an official complaint form. After receiving the complaint form, the individual fills it out, signs and has it notarized, and mails it back to the Executive Secretary. For more information refer to the Complaints Tab on the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers (ABAT) website.
FAQs for Athletic Trainers
The ABAT is the licensing and regulatory organization created to safeguard the public from incompetent, unprofessional, and unlawful athletic training practices by promoting the laws which ensure high quality athletic training services for all Alabama citizens. The ALATA is the professional membership organization for all athletic training professionals and students in Alabama. The ALATA is a not-for-profit organization dealing with the concerns of its members and the profession of athletic training.
Athletic Trainers are required to have an Alabama athletic training license to practice in Alabama with few exceptions (see the HR 302/S.808 Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act).
The Board provides an online platform for submitting an initial license application. The application can be found here (clickable link to Licensee page). Athletic Trainers will need to provide a passport-type photograph taken within the last six months, proof of United States citizenship or lawful presence of non-citizen, BOC card or written verification of certification, Alabama-licensed supervising physician (name, phone number, office address and email address), active certificates of licensure held in states other than Alabama, and a valid credit card or bank routing number and account number for payment of fee. There is a one-hundred-dollar ($100) application fee and seventy-five-dollar ($75) dollar license fee.
The Alabama Athletic Trainers Licensure Act which mandates that athletic trainers hold a current license to practice athletic training in our State. According to Code of Alabama, Section 34-40-12, to practice without a license is punishable by law and, upon conviction, violators shall be punished and fined as provided by law.
HR 302/S.808 Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act was signed into law in 2018. This provides legal protection for athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals who travel across state lines with an athletic team to provide care for that specific team. For liability, health care services provided by a covered athletic trainer or sports medicine professional to an athlete, athletic team or staff member athlete or athletic team in a secondary state will be deemed to have occurred in the professional’s primary state of licensure.
We will begin accepting Applications for Renewal on annually on October 15th. The Board continues to provide an online platform for submitting your renewal application. Your Application for Renewal must be submitted electronically no later than November 30th. The renewal fee is $75 if you renew by November 30th; after that date, they are considered late, and the electronic system will apply a $50 late fee as appropriate. Athletic Trainers can login to the Online Renewal Application through the link found on our website at www.athletictrainers.alabama.gov.
All licenses expire annually on December 31st. The following information is required to apply for licensure renewal: Supervisory Physician email address, BOC Number, Emergency Cardiac Care Certification information, and Alabama License Number.
Submit your written request for address or email address change via email to AthleticTrainers@alstateboard.com
To request a name change, submit a copy of a marriage license, divorce decree, or court order via email at AthleticTrainers@alstateboard.com
Mailing Address:
Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers
2777 Zelda Road
Montgomery, Alabama 36106
Telephone:
(334) 264-1929
(277) 271-3399
Fax: (334) 263-6115
Email:
AthleticTrainers@alstateboard.com