Physical Therapy License from North Dakota to Utah: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) ↗
Yes — both North Dakota and Utah 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 Utah now; if you are moving your residence to Utah, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Utah your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both North Dakota and Utah 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 Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) — you buy a Utah compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your North Dakota license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Utah 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 Utah rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Utah.
What changes, North Dakota → Utah
| North Dakota (current) | Utah (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.) | not verified - dopl.utah.gov and le.utah.gov were both unreachable from the research network on 2026-08-07 (Cloudflare 403 and connection refused respectively), and the Utah Administrative Rules portal returned no R156-24b content, so no Utah endorsement fee is asserted |
| Processing time | Neither the North Dakota Administrative Code nor the Board's rules state a processing timeframe for endorsement applications. | not verified - the Utah Division of Professional Licensing site could not be retrieved on the access date |
| Licensing authority | North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy | Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Utah 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 Utah: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) when you move.
- Declare Utah as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Utah'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 Utah accept a North Dakota physical therapy license?
Yes — both North Dakota and Utah 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 Utah now; if you are moving your residence to Utah, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Utah your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from North Dakota to Utah?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is moved to the destination board through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service ($90 per report). Whether Utah also requires a state law/jurisprudence examination could not be verified from a Utah source on the access date - see notes..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Utah compact privilege to work while living in North Dakota: the commission's uniform fee plus Utah's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Utah license by endorsement: not verified - dopl.utah.gov and le.utah.gov were both unreachable from the research network on 2026-08-07 (Cloudflare 403 and connection refused respectively), and the Utah Administrative Rules portal returned no R156-24b content, so no Utah endorsement fee is asserted (not verified - dopl.utah.gov and le.utah.gov were both unreachable from the research network on 2026-08-07 (Cloudflare 403 and connection refused respectively), and the Utah Administrative Rules portal returned no R156-24b content, so no Utah endorsement fee is asserted).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Utah jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs not verified - the Utah Division of Professional Licensing site could not be retrieved on the access date (not verified - the Utah Division of Professional Licensing site could not be retrieved on the access date).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- PT Compact - state status list (Physical Therapy Compact Commission); Utah listed under Member States, actively issuing and accepting privileges ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - Licensing Authorities Contact Information (Utah licensing authority and board URL) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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