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Physical Therapist — License Requirements by State
Diagnoses and treats movement and mobility disorders. Requires a DPT and the NPTE administered by FSBPT.
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Physical Therapist license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Physical Therapist license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $160 · Lic $160 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; AZLAW jurisprudence exam required | Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $300 · Lic $150 | — | No — CA is not a PT Compact member; CAL-JAM jurisprudence assessment required | Physical Therapy Board of California ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $180 · Lic $180 | — | No — FL is not a PT Compact member; FL Laws and Rules Examination required | Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice ↗ |
| GA | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $75 · Lic $75 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; GA Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required | Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $100 · Lic $100 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; 3 hours of ethics/jurisprudence CE required per cycle | Illinois Physical Therapy Board (IDFPR) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $220.5 · Lic $220.5 | — | No — MI is not a PT Compact member; jurisprudence exam required (passing 75%) | Michigan Board of Physical Therapy (LARA) ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $294 · Lic $294 | — | No — NY is not a PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions ↗ |
| NC | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $150 · Lic $150 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $100 · Lic $100 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; OH Laws and Rules exam + Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required | Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $30 · Lic $30 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $190 · Lic $190 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; TX Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required each renewal ($48) | Texas Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | 225N · $485 | — | App $80 · Lic $80 | — | Yes — PT Compact member; WA State PT Jurisprudence Exam required | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (DOH) ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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