Physical Therapy License from Nevada to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Kentucky — both Nevada and Kentucky are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Nevada is your primary state of residence and your Nevada license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Kentucky without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kentucky, you will need a Kentucky license once Kentucky becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Nevada and Kentucky are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Nevada is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy — you buy a Kentucky compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Nevada license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Kentucky may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Nevada license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Kentucky rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Kentucky.
What changes, Nevada → Kentucky
| Nevada (current) | Kentucky (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $300 (Physical Therapist application fee on the Board's published fee schedule; the $25 exam processing fee applies only to examination candidates, not endorsement candidates. + $39 fingerprint fee, which the Department of Public Safety will only accept as a money order or cashier's check. PT license then renews annually at $150. NOT the PT Compact privilege 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.) |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no overall processing timeframe; it warns that the fingerprint/background check alone may take up to 2 months and asks applicants to allow 10 days after submission before requesting a status update | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Nevada Physical Therapy Board | Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky 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 Kentucky: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Kentucky through the compact commission and complete any Kentucky jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Kentucky: apply for a Kentucky license with the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky accept a Nevada physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Kentucky — both Nevada and Kentucky are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Nevada is your primary state of residence and your Nevada license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Kentucky without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kentucky, you will need a Kentucky license once Kentucky becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Nevada to Kentucky?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the applicant registers with the FSBPT Score Transfer Service to have the passing score (criterion-referenced standard of 600) sent to Kentucky. Kentucky also requires completion of the state open-book jurisprudence examination for the current biennium.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Kentucky compact privilege to work while living in Nevada: the commission's uniform fee plus Kentucky's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Kentucky license by endorsement: $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.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Kentucky jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- Nevada Physical Therapy Board - Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Nevada Physical Therapy Board - Endorsement Candidate Application Guide ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact Commission - Process and Requirements (Nevada privilege fees and jurisprudence rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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