Physical Therapy License from Maryland to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Virginia — both Maryland and Virginia are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Maryland is your primary state of residence and your Maryland license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Virginia without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Virginia, you will need a Virginia license once Virginia becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Maryland and Virginia are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Maryland is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) — you buy a Virginia compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Maryland license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Virginia may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Maryland license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Virginia rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Virginia.
What changes, Maryland → Virginia
| Maryland (current) | Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $150 (non-refundable $150 application fee for Licensure by Endorsement (both U.S.-graduate and foreign-educated tracks), payable by credit or debit card only. The MD JAM fee is paid separately to FSBPT and the criminal history records check is paid separately to DPSCS. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $140 (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.) |
| Processing time | up to 14 weeks (the Board states the application process can take up to 60 business days (~12 weeks) because of response times from outside organizations, plus up to 10 business days (~2 weeks) to complete full licensure once all criteria are met; no minimum is published. Only Licensure by Examination applicants may request a temporary 90-day license.) | the Board publishes no processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required |
| Licensing authority | Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (Maryland Department of Health) | Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia 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 Virginia: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Virginia through the compact commission and complete any Virginia jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Virginia: apply for a Virginia license with the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Virginia accept a Maryland physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Virginia — both Maryland and Virginia are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Maryland is your primary state of residence and your Maryland license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Virginia without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Virginia, you will need a Virginia license once Virginia becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Maryland to Virginia?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; 18VAC112-20-65 requires documentation that the board-prescribed national examination was passed, and FSBPT transfers the score to the licensing authority. Virginia's endorsement regulation imposes no state jurisprudence examination, and the PT Compact Commission lists no Virginia jurisprudence requirement.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Virginia compact privilege to work while living in Maryland: the commission's uniform fee plus Virginia's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Virginia license by endorsement: $140 (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Virginia jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- 18VAC112-20-27 - Fees (Virginia Board of Physical Therapy) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 18VAC112-20-65 - Requirements for licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Virginia Board of Physical Therapy - Licensure FAQ ↗ (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)
- Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners — Licensing (Licensure by Endorsement requirements, fees, processing time) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners — Physical Therapy Compact Privilege ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — Compact Privilege Fee, Jurisprudence and Waiver Table ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — States by Category ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]