Physical Therapy License from Missouri to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) ↗
Yes — both Missouri and Oregon are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Missouri is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Oregon now; if you are moving your residence to Oregon, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Oregon your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Missouri and Oregon are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Missouri 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 a Oregon compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Missouri 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 Missouri 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, Missouri → Oregon
| Missouri (current) | Oregon (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $25 ($25.00 application fee for the physical therapist application — the same form and fee used by an applicant already licensed in another state. A temporary licence costs an extra $10.00 but is available to first-time examination applicants only. The Board cannot take credit or debit cards for the initial application fee. Fingerprint background-check costs are paid separately to the state vendor. This is 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 | 6–10 weeks (the Board asks applicants to allow a minimum of 4-6 weeks for initial processing once the application and fee are in office, plus a further 2-4 weeks after the file goes to final review for approval; deficiencies or Board backlog lengthen this) | The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page. |
| Licensing authority | Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts — Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists (Division of Professional Registration) | 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 current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Oregon: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) when you move.
- Declare Oregon as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Oregon's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Oregon accept a Missouri physical therapy license?
Yes — both Missouri and Oregon are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Missouri is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Oregon now; if you are moving your residence to Oregon, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Oregon your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Missouri 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 a Oregon compact privilege to work while living in Missouri: 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.) (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. (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)
- Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts — Instructions for the Physical Therapist Application (fees, processing times, jurisprudence exam, background check, FSBPT score transfer) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Missouri Division of Professional Registration — Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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