Physical Therapy License from Connecticut to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Arizona — both Connecticut and Arizona are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Connecticut is your primary state of residence and your Connecticut license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Arizona without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Arizona, you will need an Arizona license once Arizona becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Connecticut and Arizona are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Connecticut is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy — you buy an Arizona compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Connecticut license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Arizona may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Connecticut license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Arizona rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Arizona.
What changes, Connecticut → Arizona
| Connecticut (current) | Arizona (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $285 ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a PT Compact privilege 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.) |
| Processing time | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications | the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe |
| Licensing authority | Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure | Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona 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 Arizona: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Arizona through the compact commission and complete any Arizona jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Arizona: apply for an Arizona license with the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Arizona accept a Connecticut physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Arizona — both Connecticut and Arizona are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Connecticut is your primary state of residence and your Connecticut license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Arizona without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Arizona, you will need an Arizona license once Arizona becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Connecticut to Arizona?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is verified/transferred to the Board via the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Arizona also requires passing the AZLAW jurisprudence exam (50 questions; a scaled score of 600 to pass).
What does the move cost?
If you are buying an Arizona compact privilege to work while living in Connecticut: the commission's uniform fee plus Arizona's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Arizona license by endorsement: $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.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Arizona jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- 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)
- CT DPH — Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 376, Sec. 20-71 — licensure without examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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