Physical Therapy License from New Jersey to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) ↗
Yes — both New Jersey and Indiana are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If New Jersey is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Indiana now; if you are moving your residence to Indiana, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Indiana 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 New Jersey and Indiana are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If New Jersey is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) — you buy a Indiana compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your New Jersey license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Indiana may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your New Jersey license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Indiana rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Indiana.
What changes, New Jersey → Indiana
| New Jersey (current) | Indiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $125 (non-refundable application fee. A separate initial license fee is billed only after the board finds you eligible: $110 for a PT in the first year of the biennial period (February of an even year through January of an odd year) or $55 in the second year; PTA is $100/$50. + the applicant's cost of the fingerprint-based criminal history background check. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $100 (the IPLA fee schedule lists 'Physical Therapist License by Reciprocity' at $100.00, the same as licensure by examination; all fees are non-refundable. The criminal background check is paid separately to the vendor. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | 5–9 weeks (board-published phases: Phase I initial review 2-3 weeks, Phase II background-check results 2-4 weeks, Phase III approval 1-2 weeks; add 4-6 weeks if criminal history or extra board review is involved, plus 10-15 business days for the license to arrive after the license fee is paid) | IPLA publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; it states only that an application is abandoned without Board action if all requirements are not submitted within one year of filing |
| Licensing authority | New Jersey State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (Division of Consumer Affairs) | Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana 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 Indiana: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) when you move.
- Declare Indiana as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Indiana'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 Indiana accept a New Jersey physical therapy license?
Yes — both New Jersey and Indiana are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If New Jersey is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Indiana now; if you are moving your residence to Indiana, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Indiana your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from New Jersey to Indiana?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken. Indiana's published reciprocity checklist relies on verification of your existing out-of-state license rather than a submitted NPTE score report. Indiana requires no jurisprudence exam for licensure or for a compact privilege, though 2 of the 22 biennial continuing-competency hours must be in ethics and Indiana jurisprudence..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Indiana compact privilege to work while living in New Jersey: the commission's uniform fee plus Indiana's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Indiana license by endorsement: $100 (the IPLA fee schedule lists 'Physical Therapist License by Reciprocity' at $100.00, the same as licensure by examination; all fees are non-refundable. The criminal background check is paid separately to the vendor. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) (the IPLA fee schedule lists 'Physical Therapist License by Reciprocity' at $100.00, the same as licensure by examination; all fees are non-refundable. The criminal background check is paid separately to the vendor. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Indiana jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs IPLA publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; it states only that an application is abandoned without Board action if all requirements are not submitted within one year of filing (IPLA publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; it states only that an application is abandoned without Board action if all requirements are not submitted within one year of filing).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Physical Therapy Licensing Information (reciprocity checklist, fee schedule, PT Compact) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Physical Therapy Home ↗ (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)
- NJ State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners - Helpful Information Regarding the Application Process (fees, endorsement, JAM, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJ Board of Physical Therapy Examiners - Phases and Timelines ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NJ Board of Physical Therapy Examiners - Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact Commission - Process and Requirements (New Jersey privilege fees and jurisprudence rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]