Physical Therapy License from North Carolina to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure ↗
Yes — both North Carolina and Connecticut are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Carolina is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both North Carolina and Connecticut are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If North Carolina is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure — you buy a Connecticut compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your North Carolina license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Connecticut may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your North Carolina license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Connecticut rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Connecticut.
What changes, North Carolina → Connecticut
| North Carolina (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | The Board's fee rule is 21 NCAC 48F .0102 (readopted eff. May 1, 2019), but on 2026-08-07 neither the rule text nor the Board's published Schedule of Fees could be retrieved from an official source - the Board's application host (www2.ncptboard.org) returned 403 and the NC OAH / NC Rules code servers were unreachable. No amount is stated rather than guess. Confirm the current endorsement application fee directly with the Board. | $285 ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing timeframe; 21 NCAC 48B .0102(a) provides only that each endorsement application is considered on an individual basis. | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications. |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners | Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut 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 Connecticut: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure when you move.
- Declare Connecticut as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Connecticut'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 Connecticut accept a North Carolina physical therapy license?
Yes — both North Carolina and Connecticut are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Carolina is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from North Carolina to Connecticut?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; Connecticut requires proof of passing the NPTE (administered by FSBPT), and the score is verified to the Department. Connecticut does not administer a separate state jurisprudence or law exam..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Connecticut compact privilege to work while living in North Carolina: the commission's uniform fee plus Connecticut's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Connecticut license by endorsement: $285 ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a PT Compact privilege fee.) ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Connecticut jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications. (DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications.).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- CT DPH — Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 376, Sec. 20-71 — licensure without examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member state map (Connecticut listed as actively issuing/accepting privileges) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NC Office of Administrative Hearings - rule text, 21 NCAC 48B .0102 Licenses by Endorsement (with 48E .0104, 48F .0101, 48G .0105, 48G .0203) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NC OAH - G.S. 150B-21.3A periodic review report for 21 NCAC 48, Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (rule inventory incl. 48E .0105, 48E .0113, 48F .0102) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NC Board of Physical Therapy Examiners - official site ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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