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LicenseReciprocity

Physical Therapy License from Ohio to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) ↗

Yes — both Ohio and Georgia are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Ohio is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Georgia now; if you are moving your residence to Georgia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Georgia your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.

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Verdict

Compact multistate — already covered

Both Ohio and Georgia are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Ohio is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) — you buy a Georgia compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Ohio license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Georgia may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Ohio license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Georgia rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Georgia.

What changes, Ohio → Georgia

Side-by-side: Ohio vs Georgia (Physical Therapy (PT/PTA)), verified 2026-08-07
Ohio (current)Georgia (destination)
PT Compact statusPT Compact member — multistate license honoredPT Compact member — multistate license honored
Application fee$100 (OAC 4755-4-01(B)(1) (effective August 21, 2025) caps the initial licensing fee - the fee an endorsement applicant pays - at one hundred dollars, and states that the current amount is published on the Board's website. otptat.ohio.gov and codes.ohio.gov were unreachable from the research environment on 2026-08-07, so only the rule maximum is given rather than an unverified exact figure. Biennial renewal is likewise capped at $100. The BCI/FBI criminal records check is billed separately by the record providers. This is not the PT Compact privilege fee.)$85 ($75 physical therapist application fee plus the $10 paper-application processing fee; the Board states the online application is NOT available to endorsement/reciprocity applicants, so the $5 online processing fee does not apply. Fingerprint/background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor, and the GA JAM is $65 paid to FSBPT. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.)
Processing timeNeither the Ohio Revised Code nor the Board's rules state a processing timeframe; OAC 4755:2-1-01(E) provides only that an application still incomplete one year after filing is abandoned.3–5 weeks (the Board states individual application documents are generally reviewed within 15 business days (~3 weeks), and up to 25 business days (~5 weeks) when deficiencies are found; applications requiring full Board review take longer and must be complete two weeks before a meeting)
Licensing authorityOhio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Athletic Trainers Board (OTPTAT Board) - Physical Therapy SectionGeorgia State Board of Physical Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
  2. If you are moving your primary residence to Georgia: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) when you move.
  3. Declare Georgia as your new primary state of residence on that application.
  4. Complete Georgia's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
  5. 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 Georgia accept a Ohio physical therapy license?

Yes — both Ohio and Georgia are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Ohio is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Georgia now; if you are moving your residence to Georgia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Georgia your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.

Do I retake the NPTE moving from Ohio to Georgia?

No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; you request FSBPT to send an official copy of your NPTE score directly to the Board. Georgia additionally requires passing the Georgia Jurisprudence Assessment Module (GA JAM), administered by FSBPT..

What does the move cost?

If you are buying a Georgia compact privilege to work while living in Ohio: the commission's uniform fee plus Georgia's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Georgia license by endorsement: $85 ($75 physical therapist application fee plus the $10 paper-application processing fee; the Board states the online application is NOT available to endorsement/reciprocity applicants, so the $5 online processing fee does not apply. Fingerprint/background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor, and the GA JAM is $65 paid to FSBPT. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) ($75 physical therapist application fee plus the $10 paper-application processing fee; the Board states the online application is NOT available to endorsement/reciprocity applicants, so the $5 online processing fee does not apply. Fingerprint/background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor, and the GA JAM is $65 paid to FSBPT. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).

How long will it take?

A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Georgia jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs 3–5 weeks (the Board states individual application documents are generally reviewed within 15 business days (~3 weeks), and up to 25 business days (~5 weeks) when deficiencies are found; applications requiring full Board review take longer and must be complete two weeks before a meeting) (the Board states individual application documents are generally reviewed within 15 business days (~3 weeks), and up to 25 business days (~5 weeks) when deficiencies are found; applications requiring full Board review take longer and must be complete two weeks before a meeting).

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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]