Every student in grades 7 through 12 who wants to play a school-sponsored sport in Ohio must submit a completed OHSAA pre-participation physical form before the first practice or tryout. The packet runs 13 pages and moves through three hands: the family fills out the history and signature pages, a licensed provider performs the exam and marks eligibility, and the school records the finished document. Download the current version from the OHSAA Sports Medicine page at ohsaa.org/medicine/physicalexamform, or ask your athletic department for a printed copy.1Ohio High School Athletic Association. Pre-Participation Physical Exam Form
What’s in the 13-Page Packet
The most common early mistake is printing only a few pages and arriving at the appointment without the rest. Print all 13. The packet is organized so each party knows which pages belong to them.2Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation 2025-26
- Pages 1–2: Health History, completed at home by the student and parent.
- Page 3: Athletes with Disabilities Supplement, used only when applicable.
- Pages 4–5: Physical Examination and Medical Eligibility, completed by the provider.
- Page 6: Authorization Form for the school to receive and share health information.
- Page 7: Eligibility and Authorization Statement, including informed consent and emergency treatment consent.
- Pages 8–12: Ohio Department of Health Concussion Information Sheet and signature page.
- Page 13: Lindsay’s Law signature form on sudden cardiac arrest.
Filling Out the Health History at Home
Complete pages 1 and 2 before the appointment so the provider can review answers as part of the exam. The history asks about surgeries, chronic conditions, current prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and supplements. A PHQ-4 screening for anxiety and depression sits at the top of page 1.2Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation 2025-26
The cardiac questions deserve careful attention. You’ll be asked whether the student has ever passed out or nearly passed out during exercise, had unexplained shortness of breath, or experienced chest pain during activity. A separate block covers family history: any relative who died of heart problems or had an unexplained sudden death before age 35, or diagnoses like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, or Marfan syndrome. A “yes” answer does not disqualify the student; it tells the provider to look more closely.
Page 2 continues with bone and joint questions, menstrual history for female athletes, and additional medical questions. Athletes with sickle cell trait should note their status, since strenuous activity in heat or at altitude can cause complications in carriers.3Ohio High School Athletic Association. Sickle Cell Trait and Athletes Both the student and a parent sign the bottom of page 2.
Authorizations and Consents (Pages 6–7)
Page 6 authorizes the school to receive and share the student’s health information with designated school personnel for eligibility and emergencies. The form notes that while providers are covered by HIPAA, the school itself is not a HIPAA-covered entity and school-held records fall under FERPA and state education records law.4Cincinnati Public Schools. OHSAA Authorization Form Without this signature, the school cannot process the paperwork.
Page 7 combines a Student Code of Responsibility, informed consent about the risk of athletic injury, consent for emergency medical treatment if a parent cannot be reached, and permission to release school records for eligibility verification. Student and parent both sign.
Concussion Signature Page (Pages 8–12)
Ohio law requires every interscholastic athlete and parent to receive the Department of Health’s concussion information sheet each sport season.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3707.52 – Concussion and Head Injury Information Sheet Pages 8 through 11 are that sheet: warning signs, symptoms, dangers of returning too soon, guidance for returning to school, and the activity progression for returning to play. Both student and parent sign page 12 to confirm they read it.
Lindsay’s Law Signature (Page 13)
Page 13 covers sudden cardiac arrest under Lindsay’s Law. It defines SCA, lists warning signs like fainting or seizure-like activity during exercise, and explains the protocol for removing a symptomatic athlete. Student and parent sign to acknowledge the risks and the removal-from-play rules.2Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation 2025-26 The law applies to youth, middle school, and high school athletes.6Nationwide Children’s Hospital. A School Administrator’s Guide to Sudden Cardiac Arrest
The Provider Exam and Eligibility Decision
An MD, DO, DC (chiropractor), NP, or PA licensed to practice in Ohio can perform the exam and sign the form.7St. Francis de Sales School. OHSAA Physical Examination Form 2025-26 If you’re unsure whether your school accepts a particular provider type, call the athletic office before scheduling.
Page 4 records height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and vision, then works through the heart, lungs, abdomen, skin, and neurological function. A musculoskeletal section evaluates the neck, back, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. The provider also reviews the family-completed history and follows up on any “yes” answers.2Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation 2025-26 Routine sports physicals do not include an ECG or echocardiogram; if something in the history or exam raises a cardiac concern, the provider refers the student for further testing before clearing them.
On page 5 the provider selects one of five eligibility outcomes:2Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation 2025-26
- Medically eligible for all sports without restriction.
- Medically eligible for all sports without restriction, with recommendations for further evaluation or treatment.
- Medically eligible for certain sports (the provider specifies which are approved and which are restricted).
- Not medically eligible pending further evaluation.
- Not medically eligible for any sports.
Page 5 also has a Shared Emergency Information section where the provider flags conditions coaches should know about, such as an inhaler for exercise-induced asthma or an EpiPen for severe allergies. The provider’s signature and date on this page start the validity clock.
What It Costs
Without insurance, expect roughly $40 to $75 out of pocket at an urgent care or retail clinic. With insurance, the visit may be fully covered or subject to a standard office-visit copay. Some schools organize discounted group sports physical events early in the summer; ask the athletic department.
How to Submit the Completed Form
Most Ohio districts collect athletic paperwork through FinalForms, where parents upload a scan or photo of the completed PPE.8Olentangy High School. Forms – Athletics Your school’s athletic department can provide the district’s portal link. Some schools still take paper copies at the athletic director’s office or through the school nurse. Include every page with a required signature. Uploading only the exam pages and skipping the concussion or Lindsay’s Law signature pages will delay clearance.
The completed form must be on file before the student’s first practice or tryout. Coaches cannot let a student participate in any capacity, including conditioning, until the school has verified the paperwork.9Ohio High School Athletic Association. Eligibility Guide for Participation in 7th-8th Grade Athletics The same rule applies to students joining a team midseason.
How Long the Physical Stays Valid
Under OHSAA Bylaw 3-5-1, a completed physical is valid for 13 months from the date of the provider’s signature on the Medical Eligibility page. One exception applies: an exam performed between May 1 and June 1 covers a full calendar year plus the remainder of that school year’s spring sports season, extending validity through mid-June.10Ohio High School Athletic Association. OHSAA Consent Form FAQs
For a multi-sport athlete, late May or early June is the practical window. One exam covers fall, winter, and spring. If the form expires midseason, the athlete becomes ineligible until a new exam is completed and recorded. Track the provider’s signature date, not the submission date, to know when the 13-month window closes.
If a Student Is Pulled From Play
A valid PPE does not keep a student eligible after removal for a concussion or another serious injury. Ohio law requires an athlete pulled for concussion symptoms to sit out the rest of that day, and they cannot return to any practice or game until a physician or authorized licensed provider gives written clearance.11Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3707.511 – Concussion and Head Injury Requirements
Clearance goes on a separate OHSAA “Authorization to Reenter” form, not the original PPE. The clearing provider (an MD, DO, or another licensed professional working in consultation with or under the supervision of an MD or DO) completes it and submits it to a school administrator before the student resumes participation.12Ohio High School Athletic Association. Authorization to Reenter OHSAA recommends that the physician who restricted the student also be the one to release them. The school keeps the Authorization to Reenter form indefinitely as part of the student’s permanent record.