Physical Therapist License Reciprocity by State (2026)
Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact)
Physical therapists transfer through the PT Compact, but it works differently from nursing: you keep your home-state licence and buy a separate compact privilege for each state where you want to practise.
- Covers:
- Physical therapists (PT) and physical therapist assistants (PTA).
- Governing body:
- Physical Therapy Compact Commission
What to know before you rely on it
- A compact privilege is not a licence. It rides on an active, unencumbered home-state licence.
- You buy a privilege per state, and each state sets its own fee and jurisprudence requirement.
- Both your home state and the destination state must be actively issuing privileges.
- An active disciplinary action on your home-state licence blocks eligibility.
Jurisdictions where Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact) is active (38)
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Enacted but not yet usable: Maine, Michigan, Rhode Island
Verify this first: Check the PT Compact map for whether both your home state and your destination are actively issuing privileges.
PT Compact — compact map ↗State-by-state reciprocity notes
12 of 51 states have a published reciprocity note in our dataset. For the remaining states, the note is not published — check both state boards before you move. Diagnoses and treats movement and mobility disorders. Requires a DPT and the NPTE administered by FSBPT.
| State | Reciprocity note | Verify with |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Yes — PT Compact member; AZLAW jurisprudence exam required | Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| California | No — CA is not a PT Compact member; CAL-JAM jurisprudence assessment required | Physical Therapy Board of California ↗ |
| Florida | No — FL is not a PT Compact member; FL Laws and Rules Examination required | Florida Board of Physical Therapy Practice ↗ |
| Georgia | Yes — PT Compact member; GA Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required | Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| Illinois | Yes — PT Compact member; 3 hours of ethics/jurisprudence CE required per cycle | Illinois Physical Therapy Board (IDFPR) ↗ |
| Michigan | No — MI is not a PT Compact member; jurisprudence exam required (passing 75%) | Michigan Board of Physical Therapy (LARA) ↗ |
| New York | No — NY is not a PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions ↗ |
| North Carolina | Yes — PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners ↗ |
| Ohio | Yes — PT Compact member; OH Laws and Rules exam + Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required | Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Yes — PT Compact member; no separate jurisprudence exam required | Pennsylvania State Board of Physical Therapy ↗ |
| Texas | Yes — PT Compact member; TX Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) required each renewal ($48) | Texas Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners ↗ |
| Washington | Yes — PT Compact member; WA State PT Jurisprudence Exam required | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (DOH) ↗ |
| Alabama | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Alaska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Arkansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Colorado | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Connecticut | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Delaware | check both state boards | board site pending |
| District of Columbia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Hawaii | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Idaho | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Indiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Iowa | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kentucky | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Louisiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maine | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maryland | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Massachusetts | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Minnesota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Mississippi | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Missouri | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Montana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nebraska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nevada | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Hampshire | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Jersey | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Mexico | check both state boards | board site pending |
| North Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oklahoma | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oregon | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Rhode Island | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Carolina | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Tennessee | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Utah | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Vermont | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| West Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wisconsin | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wyoming | check both state boards | board site pending |
Frequently asked questions
How does a Physical Therapist license transfer between states?
Physical therapists transfer through the PT Compact, but it works differently from nursing: you keep your home-state licence and buy a separate compact privilege for each state where you want to practise.
Which states accept a Physical Therapist license under Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact)?
Physical Therapy Compact Commission lists 38 jurisdictions where this is active today: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin. Also enacted, but not yet usable: Maine, Michigan, Rhode Island. Membership changes, so confirm on the official source before you rely on it.
Does Physical Therapy Compact (PT Compact) mean I skip the exam entirely?
Not automatically. A compact privilege is not a licence. It rides on an active, unencumbered home-state licence. The only reliable answer for your situation comes from the destination board, so verify before you pay application fees.
Can I transfer my Physical Therapist license to another state?
In our dataset, 12 states have a published reciprocity note (see the table). For every other state the rule is not published here — check both state boards before moving.
What does reciprocity mean for a license?
Reciprocity lets an already-licensed professional from one state qualify for a license in another state without repeating the full education and exam process. Some states have formal agreements or compacts; others require a state-specific exam or extra coursework even when they accept your license. Many states do not grant a license on reciprocity at all — they grant it by comity or endorsement, meaning you still file an application and meet their requirements.
Why do some states say "check both state boards"?
State reciprocity tables are not consistently published in machine-readable form. When a state has not published an official note in our verified sources, we point you to both boards rather than guess. That is the safest answer for a decision that can affect your eligibility to work.
Does holding a license in one state guarantee a license in another?
No. Every state sets its own licensing law. Even in states with reciprocity or a compact, you typically still file an application, pay a fee, pass a background check and sometimes pass a state-specific exam. Always confirm directly with the destination state board.
Plan your move with Physical Therapist data
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Reciprocity rules and compact membership change frequently and are set by each state legislature and board. “Check both state boards” means the note is not published in our dataset — it is not a negative answer. Mechanism data retrieved 2026-09-13; always verify with both boards before relocating.