Physical Therapy License from Connecticut to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Kentucky — both Connecticut and Kentucky 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 Kentucky without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kentucky, you will need a Kentucky license once Kentucky becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Connecticut and Kentucky 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 Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy — you buy a Kentucky compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Connecticut license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Kentucky 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 Kentucky rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Kentucky.
What changes, Connecticut → Kentucky
| Connecticut (current) | Kentucky (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.) | $225 (initial credentialing fee per 201 KAR 22:135 §2; the fee schedule lists no separate 'by endorsement' fee, so endorsement applicants pay this initial credentialing fee. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure | Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky 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 Kentucky: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Kentucky through the compact commission and complete any Kentucky jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Kentucky: apply for a Kentucky license with the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky accept a Connecticut physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Kentucky — both Connecticut and Kentucky 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 Kentucky without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kentucky, you will need a Kentucky license once Kentucky becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Connecticut to Kentucky?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the applicant registers with the FSBPT Score Transfer Service to have the passing score (criterion-referenced standard of 600) sent to Kentucky. Kentucky also requires completion of the state open-book jurisprudence examination for the current biennium.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Kentucky compact privilege to work while living in Connecticut: the commission's uniform fee plus Kentucky's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Kentucky license by endorsement: $225 (initial credentialing fee per 201 KAR 22:135 §2; the fee schedule lists no separate 'by endorsement' fee, so endorsement applicants pay this initial credentialing fee. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Kentucky jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- 201 KAR 22:020 — Eligibility and credentialing procedure (endorsement, §7) (Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 201 KAR 22:135 — Board of Physical Therapy fees (Cornell LII) ↗ (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)
- PT Compact — member state map (Connecticut listed as actively issuing/accepting privileges) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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