Physical Therapy License from North Dakota to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions) ↗
A physical therapy license transfers from North Dakota to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions), verify your North Dakota license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. NPTE is not retaken; scores are transferred from FSBPT to the New York State Education Department, which then reviews them to decide whether they are satisfactory. New York has no state jurisprudence or law exam for physical therapists..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from North Dakota into New York leaves the compact behind: New York has not joined the compact, so no North Dakota privilege reaches it. You transfer by licensure by endorsement with the New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions) — your NPTE score moves through the FSBPT rather than being retaken, and New York adds its own jurisprudence exam and background check. Your North Dakota license and any privileges you hold elsewhere stay valid as long as your residence remains in North Dakota; file New York's application before you rely on income there.
What changes, North Dakota → New York
| North Dakota (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | Licensure by endorsement |
| 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.) | $294 (combined fee for licensure and first registration as a physical therapist; the same $294 applies whether you qualify by endorsement or by the standard route (PTA is $103). An optional limited permit costs a further $70, is non-refundable, and is valid 6 months. New York is not a PT Compact state, so no privilege fee exists.) |
| Processing time | Neither the North Dakota Administrative Code nor the Board's rules state a processing timeframe for endorsement applications. | the Office of the Professions publishes no processing timeframe for physical therapy applications |
| Licensing authority | North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy | New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Be at least 21 years old and of good moral character as determined by the Department.
- File the Application for Licensure (Form 1) with the $294 licensure and first-registration fee.
- Have license verification (Form 3) sent directly from every jurisdiction in which you are or have been licensed.
- For the endorsement route, document at least 3 years of acceptable physical therapy practice in the 7 years immediately preceding the application, using Form 4 (supervisors) and Form 4A (colleague verification).
- Have education verified on Form 2 by your CAPTE-accredited program, or through an approved credentials verification organization if your program was not CAPTE-accredited.
- Pay the fees ($294 (combined fee for licensure and first registration as a physical therapist; the same $294 applies whether you qualify by endorsement or by the standard route (PTA is $103). An optional limited permit costs a further $70, is non-refundable, and is valid 6 months. New York is not a PT Compact state, so no privilege fee exists.)) and allow the Office of the Professions publishes no processing timeframe for physical therapy applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New York accept a North Dakota physical therapy license?
A physical therapy license transfers from North Dakota to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Board for Physical Therapy (NYSED Office of the Professions), verify your North Dakota license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. NPTE is not retaken; scores are transferred from FSBPT to the New York State Education Department, which then reviews them to decide whether they are satisfactory. New York has no state jurisprudence or law exam for physical therapists..
Do I retake the NPTE moving from North Dakota to New York?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; scores are transferred from FSBPT to the New York State Education Department, which then reviews them to decide whether they are satisfactory. New York has no state jurisprudence or law exam for physical therapists..
What does the move cost?
$294 (combined fee for licensure and first registration as a physical therapist; the same $294 applies whether you qualify by endorsement or by the standard route (PTA is $103). An optional limited permit costs a further $70, is non-refundable, and is valid 6 months. New York is not a PT Compact state, so no privilege fee exists.) (combined fee for licensure and first registration as a physical therapist; the same $294 applies whether you qualify by endorsement or by the standard route (PTA is $103). An optional limited permit costs a further $70, is non-refundable, and is valid 6 months. New York is not a PT Compact state, so no privilege fee exists.).
How long will it take?
the Office of the Professions publishes no processing timeframe for physical therapy applications — the Office of the Professions publishes no processing timeframe for physical therapy applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- NYSED Office of the Professions - Physical Therapy License Requirements (fees, licensure by endorsement, limited permits) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- NYSED Office of the Professions - Physical Therapy License Application Forms ↗ (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
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