Physical Therapy License from North Dakota to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Connecticut — both North Dakota and Connecticut are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Dakota is your primary state of residence and your North Dakota license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Connecticut without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, you will need a Connecticut license once Connecticut becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both North Dakota and Connecticut are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If North Dakota 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 Dakota 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 Dakota 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 Dakota → Connecticut
| North Dakota (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $200 (Non-refundable application fee set by NDAC 61.5-02-03-01(1); the same application fee applies to licensure by endorsement. Annual renewal is $100 for physical therapists ($60 for PTAs) and the late renewal fee is $50. The criminal-history background check is billed separately at cost. The $40 'compact fee' in the same rule is North Dakota's PT Compact privilege fee, not the endorsement application fee.) | $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 | Neither the North Dakota Administrative Code nor the Board's rules state a processing timeframe for endorsement applications | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications |
| Licensing authority | North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy | 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 home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Connecticut: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Connecticut through the compact commission and complete any Connecticut jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Connecticut: apply for a Connecticut license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a North Dakota physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Connecticut — both North Dakota and Connecticut are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Dakota is your primary state of residence and your North Dakota license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Connecticut without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, you will need a Connecticut license once Connecticut becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from North Dakota 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 Dakota: 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.).
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.
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)
- North Dakota Administrative Code 61.5-02-03 - Fees (ND Legislative Branch) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- North Dakota Administrative Code 61.5-02-02 - Licensure (general requirements and types of licensure incl. endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- North Dakota Administrative Code Title 61.5 - ND Board of Physical Therapy (index) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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