Physical Therapy License from Arkansas to Delaware: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Delaware — both Arkansas and Delaware are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and your Arkansas license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Delaware without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Delaware, you will need a Delaware license once Delaware becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Arkansas and Delaware are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Arkansas is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Delaware Examining Board of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers (Division of Professional Regulation) — you buy a Delaware compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Arkansas license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Delaware may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Arkansas license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Delaware rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Delaware.
What changes, Arkansas → Delaware
| Arkansas (current) | Delaware (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $100 (PT Endorsement (Reciprocity) fee is $100 per the Board rules fee schedule (Section VII). A statutory 95% fee reduction cut this to $5 for applications from Jul 1, 2023-Jun 30, 2026; that window closed before this verification date, so the $100 standing fee applies. A $10 online jurisprudence-exam fee and the state/FBI background-check fee are separate. NOT the $50 PT Compact privilege fee.) | $193 ($193 Physical Therapist application fee per the Board fee schedule (the same application fee applies to reciprocity applicants); paid through the DELPROS online portal. The criminal background-check fee is separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | no overall timeframe published; the Board notes criminal background-check results take about 2-6 weeks and no license issues until they are received. A 90-day temporary/provisional license is available on request | The Board does not publish a processing timeframe for reciprocity applications |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) | Delaware Examining Board of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers (Division of Professional Regulation) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Delaware sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Delaware: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Delaware through the compact commission and complete any Delaware jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Delaware: apply for a Delaware license with the Delaware Examining Board of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers (Division of Professional Regulation); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Delaware accept an Arkansas physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Delaware — both Arkansas and Delaware are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and your Arkansas license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Delaware without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Delaware, you will need a Delaware license once Delaware becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Arkansas to Delaware?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is sent to the Board directly by FSBPT or by the original state of licensure. Delaware has no state jurisprudence exam but requires two hours of training in physical therapy ethics.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Delaware compact privilege to work while living in Arkansas: the commission's uniform fee plus Delaware's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Delaware license by endorsement: $193 ($193 Physical Therapist application fee per the Board fee schedule (the same application fee applies to reciprocity applicants); paid through the DELPROS online portal. The criminal background-check fee is separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Delaware jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs The Board does not publish a processing timeframe for reciprocity applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Delaware DPR — Physical Therapist (New Therapist / reciprocity) requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Delaware DPR — Board of Physical Therapy Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas State Board of PT — Application Instructions for Licensure by Reciprocity (PT) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas State Board of PT — Rules (Sec. IV Methods of Licensure; Sec. VII Fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]