Physical Therapy License from Arkansas to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) ↗
Yes — both Arkansas and Virginia are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Virginia now; if you are moving your residence to Virginia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Virginia your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Arkansas and Virginia 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 Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) — you buy a Virginia compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Arkansas license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Virginia 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 Virginia rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Virginia.
What changes, Arkansas → Virginia
| Arkansas (current) | Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| 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.) | $140 (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.) |
| 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 processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) | Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia 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 Virginia: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) when you move.
- Declare Virginia as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Virginia'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 Virginia accept a Arkansas physical therapy license?
Yes — both Arkansas and Virginia are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Virginia now; if you are moving your residence to Virginia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Virginia your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Arkansas to Virginia?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; 18VAC112-20-65 requires documentation that the board-prescribed national examination was passed, and FSBPT transfers the score to the licensing authority. Virginia's endorsement regulation imposes no state jurisprudence examination, and the PT Compact Commission lists no Virginia jurisprudence requirement..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Virginia compact privilege to work while living in Arkansas: the commission's uniform fee plus Virginia's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Virginia license by endorsement: $140 (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.) (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Virginia jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required (the Board publishes no processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- 18VAC112-20-27 - Fees (Virginia Board of Physical Therapy) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 18VAC112-20-65 - Requirements for licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Virginia Board of Physical Therapy - Licensure FAQ ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - how to get privileges (state fee and jurisprudence table) ↗ (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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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