Physical Therapy License from Louisiana to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Washington — both Louisiana and Washington are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Louisiana is your primary state of residence and your Louisiana license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Washington without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Washington, you will need a Washington license once Washington becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Louisiana and Washington are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Louisiana is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health) — you buy a Washington compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Louisiana license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Washington may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Louisiana license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Washington rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Washington.
What changes, Louisiana → Washington
| Louisiana (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $250 (PT license application fee per LAC 46:LIV §501, paid by domestic cashier's check or money order only (personal checks are returned). The $95 'compact state fee' in the same rule is the PT Compact privilege fee, NOT the reciprocity application fee.) | $80 (original application fee for a physical therapist under WAC 246-915-990 (PTA initial application is $75); active license renewal is $100 annually. Fingerprint/background-check surcharges are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications | the Department publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it warns only that delayed responses lengthen the wait. Military spouses may qualify for expedited processing |
| Licensing authority | Louisiana Physical Therapy Board (Louisiana State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners) | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington 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 Washington: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Washington through the compact commission and complete any Washington jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Washington: apply for a Washington license with the Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington accept a Louisiana physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Washington — both Louisiana and Washington are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Louisiana is your primary state of residence and your Louisiana license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Washington without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Washington, you will need a Washington license once Washington becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Louisiana to Washington?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is sent to the Department by the exam host (FSBPT Score Transfer Service). Washington additionally requires out-of-state applicants to pass the Washington PT jurisprudence exam.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Washington compact privilege to work while living in Louisiana: the commission's uniform fee plus Washington's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Washington license by endorsement: $80 (original application fee for a physical therapist under WAC 246-915-990 (PTA initial application is $75); active license renewal is $100 annually. Fingerprint/background-check surcharges are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Washington jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Department publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it warns only that delayed responses lengthen the wait. Military spouses may qualify for expedited processing.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- WA DOH - PT/PTA Licensing Information ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WA DOH - Substantially Equivalent States (PT) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WAC 246-915-990 - Physical therapist fees ↗ (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)
- LAC 46:LIV §501 — Louisiana physical therapy fees (Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- LAC 46:LIV §151 — Application (jurisprudence exam + background check) (Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana PT Board — Reciprocity for PTs and PTAs (Non-Foreign Educated) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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