Physical Therapy License from North Dakota to Nebraska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) ↗
Yes — both North Dakota and Nebraska are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Dakota is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Nebraska now; if you are moving your residence to Nebraska, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Nebraska your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both North Dakota and Nebraska 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 Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) — you buy a Nebraska compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your North Dakota license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Nebraska 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 Nebraska rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Nebraska.
What changes, North Dakota → Nebraska
| North Dakota (current) | Nebraska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| 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.) | $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.) |
| Processing time | Neither the North Dakota Administrative Code nor the Board's rules state a processing timeframe for endorsement applications. | 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 |
| Licensing authority | North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nebraska 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 Nebraska: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit (Board of Physical Therapy) when you move.
- Declare Nebraska as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Nebraska'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 Nebraska accept a North Dakota physical therapy license?
Yes — both North Dakota and Nebraska are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If North Dakota is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Nebraska now; if you are moving your residence to Nebraska, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Nebraska your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from North Dakota to Nebraska?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is transferred to Nebraska through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Nebraska also requires the NELAW (Nebraska jurisprudence) examination, and BOTH the NPTE and the NELAW must be passed with a scaled score of 600 or higher BEFORE the licensure application is submitted..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Nebraska compact privilege to work while living in North Dakota: the commission's uniform fee plus Nebraska's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Nebraska license by endorsement: $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.) (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.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Nebraska jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs 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 (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).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- 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)
- 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)
- PT Compact - member state map ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]