Physical Therapy License from Kentucky to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Oregon — both Kentucky and Oregon are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Kentucky is your primary state of residence and your Kentucky license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Oregon without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Oregon, you will need an Oregon license once Oregon becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Kentucky and Oregon are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Kentucky is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) — you buy an Oregon compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Kentucky license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Oregon may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Kentucky license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Oregon rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Oregon.
What changes, Kentucky → Oregon
| Kentucky (current) | Oregon (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application 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.) | $187 (OAR 848-005-0020(1) sets the PT/PTA Endorsement Application fee at $187.00 plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background verification. Distinct items in the same rule: PT license renewal $200 (plus workforce survey and background verification costs), PTA renewal $130, military spouse temporary permit $99, temporary permit $50. The PT/PTA compact privilege fee of $102.00 in that rule is the PT Compact privilege charge, not the endorsement fee.) |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications | The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page |
| Licensing authority | Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy | Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon 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 Oregon: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Oregon through the compact commission and complete any Oregon jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Oregon: apply for an Oregon license with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Oregon accept a Kentucky physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Oregon — both Kentucky and Oregon are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Kentucky is your primary state of residence and your Kentucky license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Oregon without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Oregon, you will need an Oregon license once Oregon becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Kentucky to Oregon?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; if Oregon was not designated as a score recipient when you sat the exam, request a Score Transfer directly from FSBPT and it is sent to the Board. Oregon additionally requires the Oregon Jurisprudence Examination (OR-JAM), a timed 90-minute, 50-question multiple-choice exam on Oregon statutes and administrative rules, which must be taken within the six months immediately preceding approval of your application.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying an Oregon compact privilege to work while living in Kentucky: the commission's uniform fee plus Oregon's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Oregon license by endorsement: $187 (OAR 848-005-0020(1) sets the PT/PTA Endorsement Application fee at $187.00 plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background verification. Distinct items in the same rule: PT license renewal $200 (plus workforce survey and background verification costs), PTA renewal $130, military spouse temporary permit $99, temporary permit $50. The PT/PTA compact privilege fee of $102.00 in that rule is the PT Compact privilege charge, not the endorsement fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Oregon jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- OAR 848-005-0020 Board Fees and Refunds (Oregon Secretary of State, Oregon Administrative Rules Database) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Oregon Board of Physical Therapy - Applying for Licensure (OR-JAM, background check, score transfer, license verifications) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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