Physical Therapy License from Arkansas to Nevada: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Nevada — both Arkansas and Nevada 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 Nevada without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Nevada, you will need a Nevada license once Nevada becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Arkansas and Nevada 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 Nevada Physical Therapy Board — you buy a Nevada compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Arkansas license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Nevada 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 Nevada rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Nevada.
What changes, Arkansas → Nevada
| Arkansas (current) | Nevada (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.) | $300 (Physical Therapist application fee on the Board's published fee schedule; the $25 exam processing fee applies only to examination candidates, not endorsement candidates. + $39 fingerprint fee, which the Department of Public Safety will only accept as a money order or cashier's check. PT license then renews annually at $150. 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 publishes no overall processing timeframe; it warns that the fingerprint/background check alone may take up to 2 months and asks applicants to allow 10 days after submission before requesting a status update |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) | Nevada Physical Therapy Board |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nevada 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 Nevada: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Nevada through the compact commission and complete any Nevada jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Nevada: apply for a Nevada license with the Nevada Physical Therapy Board; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Nevada accept an Arkansas physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Nevada — both Arkansas and Nevada 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 Nevada without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Nevada, you will need a Nevada license once Nevada becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Arkansas to Nevada?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the score must be transferred to the Nevada jurisdiction through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service and the Board states you cannot be licensed until it arrives. Nevada also requires the Nevada Jurisprudence Assessment Module (NV JAM), an open-book exam on NRS/NAC Chapter 640 that must be passed at 80% (16 correct).
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Nevada compact privilege to work while living in Arkansas: the commission's uniform fee plus Nevada's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Nevada license by endorsement: $300 (Physical Therapist application fee on the Board's published fee schedule; the $25 exam processing fee applies only to examination candidates, not endorsement candidates. + $39 fingerprint fee, which the Department of Public Safety will only accept as a money order or cashier's check. PT license then renews annually at $150. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Nevada jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no overall processing timeframe; it warns that the fingerprint/background check alone may take up to 2 months and asks applicants to allow 10 days after submission before requesting a status update.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Nevada Physical Therapy Board - Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Nevada Physical Therapy Board - Endorsement Candidate Application Guide ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact Commission - Process and Requirements (Nevada privilege fees and jurisprudence rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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)
- PT Compact — member states map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]