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Physical Therapy Compact - Licensure
The PT Compact facilitates practicing across the country. Perfect for traveling PTs! There are lots of advantages to having Compact privileges as a PT; let's take a quick look.
What are the requirements for PT Compact licensure?
To begin with, you must have an active PT or PTA license in your home state, and your home state must be a member of the Compact. At present, a majority of US states are either actively issuing and accepting compact privileges, or have enacted / introduced legislation to do so. Only five states have not yet introduced legislation.
According to the ptcompact.org, as of 2024, PT Compact states include:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
The following states have enacted legislation but are not yet issuing or accepting Compact privileges:
Your current state PT license must be free of any encumbrances. And you must have a valid driver's license. Your valid driver's license will be used to determine your home state.
If you are eligible for Compact privileges, most states will require you to pass a Jurisprudence Exam. A passing score will confirm that you are knowledgeable about the governing rules of physical therapy practice in the state(s) where you are seeking Compact privileges. The Jurisprudence Exam for each state is also likely to cover legal/ethical obligations and potential liabilities.
There is a separate fee for securing compact privileges in each state. Fees currently range from approximately $50 (AZ, SC) to as high as $300 (DC), with most in the $75 to $120 range. In general, applying for compact privileges will cost less than obtaining a standard permanent PT license in multiple states, and the Compact application turnaround time can
be as fast as several days.
Are Compact Privileges Worth the Investment?
If you are considering a traveling physical therapist assignment, and you know your target destination, securing Compact privileges in that state will speed up the process. However, depending on your time and
budget, you may not want to devote the resources to a Compact membership until you are sure about where you will practice. Many travel therapy staffing agencies will reimburse you for securing licensure if needed, so be sure to ask about your situation when you connect with a recruiter.
Visit the PT Compact official site for full requirements.
