Physical Therapy License from Nebraska to Arkansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) ↗
Yes — both Nebraska and Arkansas are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Nebraska is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arkansas now; if you are moving your residence to Arkansas, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arkansas your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Nebraska and Arkansas are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Nebraska is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) — you buy a Arkansas compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Nebraska license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Arkansas may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Nebraska license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Arkansas rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Arkansas.
What changes, Nebraska → Arkansas
| Nebraska (current) | Arkansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $133 (initial license fee stated on the DHHS Physical Therapist application; it drops to $33.25 for licenses issued May-October of odd-numbered years (the tail of the biennium) and is waived entirely for applicants under 26, low-income applicants, and military family members. + $55 Nebraska State Patrol criminal background check fee, which is never waived. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $100 (PT Endorsement (Reciprocity) fee is $100 per the Board rules fee schedule (Section VII). A statutory 95% fee reduction cut this to $5 for applications from Jul 1, 2023-Jun 30, 2026; that window closed before this verification date, so the $100 standing fee applies. A $10 online jurisprudence-exam fee and the state/FBI background-check fee are separate. NOT the $50 PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | DHHS publishes no processing timeframe; it states only that applications are reviewed in the order received and that verification of non-citizenship documents through Homeland Security may take up to 30 days | no overall timeframe published; the Board notes criminal background-check results take about 2-6 weeks and no license issues until they are received. A 90-day temporary/provisional license is available on request. |
| Licensing authority | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) | Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arkansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Arkansas: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (Arkansas Department of Health) when you move.
- Declare Arkansas as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Arkansas'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 Arkansas accept a Nebraska physical therapy license?
Yes — both Nebraska and Arkansas are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Nebraska is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arkansas now; if you are moving your residence to Arkansas, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arkansas your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Nebraska to Arkansas?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; evidence of the passing score is provided to the Board through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Arkansas also requires passing its online jurisprudence exam (70% to pass; $10)..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Arkansas compact privilege to work while living in Nebraska: the commission's uniform fee plus Arkansas's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Arkansas license by endorsement: $100 (PT Endorsement (Reciprocity) fee is $100 per the Board rules fee schedule (Section VII). A statutory 95% fee reduction cut this to $5 for applications from Jul 1, 2023-Jun 30, 2026; that window closed before this verification date, so the $100 standing fee applies. A $10 online jurisprudence-exam fee and the state/FBI background-check fee are separate. NOT the $50 PT Compact privilege fee.) (PT Endorsement (Reciprocity) fee is $100 per the Board rules fee schedule (Section VII). A statutory 95% fee reduction cut this to $5 for applications from Jul 1, 2023-Jun 30, 2026; that window closed before this verification date, so the $100 standing fee applies. A $10 online jurisprudence-exam fee and the state/FBI background-check fee are separate. NOT the $50 PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Arkansas jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs no overall timeframe published; the Board notes criminal background-check results take about 2-6 weeks and no license issues until they are received. A 90-day temporary/provisional license is available on request. (no overall timeframe published; the Board notes criminal background-check results take about 2-6 weeks and no license issues until they are received. A 90-day temporary/provisional license is available on request.).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Arkansas State Board of PT — Application Instructions for Licensure by Reciprocity (PT) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas State Board of PT — Rules (Sec. IV Methods of Licensure; Sec. VII Fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member states map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nebraska DHHS - Physical Therapist Application Information and Application (exams, fees, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact Commission - Process and Requirements (Nebraska privilege fees and jurisprudence rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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