Transfer Your Physical Therapy License to Idaho: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) ↗
No compact privilege reaches Idaho: it is a non-member state, so the only route is licensure by endorsement through the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses). Expect $50 (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.) and processing of the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407; your NPTE passing score transfers via the FSBPT, so the exam is not repeated.
Moving to Idaho from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Plan the timeline first, because Idaho recognizes no compact privilege at all. You cannot legally treat a single Idaho patient — in person or by telehealth — until the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) issues your license, and there is no travel or telehealth shortcut around that. The steps below are the endorsement path, which is the only path into Idaho.
Idaho is NOT a PT Compact state, and the Board has said so deliberately: its published FAQ states the Board 'has elected to defer membership in the Compact at this time,' reasoning that Idaho law already exempts certain personnel and that the Board 'provides quick issuance of licensure to applicants at minimal cost and inconvenience.' A compact privilege therefore cannot be used to work in Idaho — an endorsement license is the only route. Idaho also does not issue temporary licenses. The $50 endorsement fee is among the lowest in the country; a search-engine summary circulating a '$187.00 endorsement fee' figure could NOT be confirmed on any Board page and was rejected. No fingerprint or criminal background check is required as a standard condition of licensure — the application uses disclosure questions instead.
Idaho requirements at a glance
| Exam | NPTE is not retaken; official documentation of your passing NPTE score must be sent to the Board directly from the national board (FSBPT). In place of a proctored jurisprudence exam, Idaho requires a completed open-book examination on the Idaho physical therapy laws and rules. |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $50 (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.) |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407 |
Step by step
- Confirm Idaho's current requirements on the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the application form signed and notarized (an acknowledgement is not accepted — it must be a jurat).
- Attach a color copy of a government-issued photo ID as proof of age.
- Complete the Board's open-book examination on the Idaho physical therapy laws and rules.
- Attach a copy of your diploma as evidence of graduation (endorsement applicants).
- Submit two completed professional reference forms.
- Have license certification sent directly to the Board from every state where you have held a license.
- Pay the fees ($50 (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.)) and allow the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Idaho:
Frequently asked questions
Does my physical therapy license transfer to Idaho?
No compact privilege reaches Idaho: it is a non-member state, so the only route is licensure by endorsement through the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses). Expect $50 (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.) and processing of the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407; your NPTE passing score transfers via the FSBPT, so the exam is not repeated.
Do I have to retake the NPTE to get licensed in Idaho?
No. NPTE is not retaken; official documentation of your passing NPTE score must be sent to the Board directly from the national board (FSBPT). In place of a proctored jurisprudence exam, Idaho requires a completed open-book examination on the Idaho physical therapy laws and rules.. No state requires a second NPTE.
How much does it cost to transfer a PT license to Idaho by endorsement?
$50 (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.) (the endorsement checklist states a total of $50.00, made up of the $25.00 application fee plus the $25.00 licensure fee. The extra $20.00 NPTE registration fee applies only to applicants sitting for the exam through Idaho, not to endorsement applicants. Returned checks incur a $20 fee. IDAPA 24.13.01 Section 400 confirms fees are non-refundable but the current schedule is published on the application form rather than in rule.).
How long does Idaho take to process an endorsement application?
the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407 — the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it states only that incomplete applications delay licensure and that military applicants may qualify for expedited processing under Idaho Code 67-9401 to 67-9407.
Is Idaho in the PT Compact?
No. Idaho has not joined the compact as of 2026-08-07, so no compact privilege authorizes practice there and endorsement is the only route.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Idaho DOPL — Physical Therapy Board (FAQ, including compact membership statement) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board — Application for Licensure (PT), endorsement checklist and fees ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- IDAPA 24.13.01 — Rules of the Idaho Physical Therapy Licensure Board ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — States by Category ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]