Physical Therapy License from Arizona to Nebraska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) ↗
Yes — both Arizona and Nebraska are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arizona is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Nebraska now; if you are moving your residence to Nebraska, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Nebraska your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Arizona and Nebraska are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Arizona is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) — you buy a Nebraska compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Arizona license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Nebraska may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Arizona license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Nebraska rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Nebraska.
What changes, Arizona → Nebraska
| Arizona (current) | Nebraska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $190–$260 (original-license application fee per A.A.C. R4-24-107: $260 if applying Sep 1 (even year)-Aug 31 (odd year), $190 if applying in the second half of the biennial cycle; an endorsement is filed as an original-license application. Statutory cap is $300 (A.R.S. 32-2029). AZLAW exam fees (~$65 to FSBPT + ~$29.50 to Prometric) are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $133 (initial license fee stated on the DHHS Physical Therapist application; it drops to $33.25 for licenses issued May-October of odd-numbered years (the tail of the biennium) and is waived entirely for applicants under 26, low-income applicants, and military family members. + $55 Nebraska State Patrol criminal background check fee, which is never waived. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe | DHHS publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that applications are reviewed in the order received and that verification of non-citizenship documents through Homeland Security may take up to 30 days |
| Licensing authority | Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nebraska sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Nebraska: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) when you move.
- Declare Nebraska as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Nebraska's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Nebraska accept a Arizona physical therapy license?
Yes — both Arizona and Nebraska are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arizona is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Nebraska now; if you are moving your residence to Nebraska, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Nebraska your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Arizona to Nebraska?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is transferred to Nebraska through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Nebraska also requires the NELAW (Nebraska jurisprudence) examination, and BOTH the NPTE and the NELAW must be passed with a scaled score of 600 or higher BEFORE the licensure application is submitted..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Nebraska compact privilege to work while living in Arizona: the commission's uniform fee plus Nebraska's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Nebraska license by endorsement: $133 (initial license fee stated on the DHHS Physical Therapist application; it drops to $33.25 for licenses issued May-October of odd-numbered years (the tail of the biennium) and is waived entirely for applicants under 26, low-income applicants, and military family members. + $55 Nebraska State Patrol criminal background check fee, which is never waived. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) (initial license fee stated on the DHHS Physical Therapist application; it drops to $33.25 for licenses issued May-October of odd-numbered years (the tail of the biennium) and is waived entirely for applicants under 26, low-income applicants, and military family members. + $55 Nebraska State Patrol criminal background check fee, which is never waived. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Nebraska jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs DHHS publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that applications are reviewed in the order received and that verification of non-citizenship documents through Homeland Security may take up to 30 days (DHHS publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that applications are reviewed in the order received and that verification of non-citizenship documents through Homeland Security may take up to 30 days).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Nebraska DHHS - Physical Therapist Application Information and Application (exams, fees, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact Commission - Process and Requirements (Nebraska privilege fees and jurisprudence rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R4-24-107 — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R4-24-201 — Application for a Physical Therapist License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- A.R.S. 32-2029 — Board of Physical Therapy fees (statutory cap) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member states map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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