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LicenseReciprocity

Transfer Your Physical Therapy License to Rhode Island: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health) ↗

Rhode Island has enacted the PT Compact but is not yet issuing or accepting compact privileges (as of 2026-08-07), so no privilege authorizes practice there yet. Every incoming PT or PTA needs a Rhode Island license by endorsement through the Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health): $155 (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.), your NPTE score transferred via the FSBPT rather than retaken, processing neither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.

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Verdict

PT Compact enacted — not yet issuing

Rhode Island is in the compact's waiting room: the law is on the books but the board is not yet issuing or accepting privileges (as of 2026-08-07). Treat Rhode Island exactly like a non-member state for now — a full endorsement application, no privilege shortcut in either direction. When Rhode Island activates, PTs residing there will be able to buy privileges into other member states; this page is updated when that happens.

Rhode Island has ENACTED the PT Compact but is not yet issuing or accepting compact privileges (PT Compact Commission lists RI under 'Enacted Legislation', not 'Member States', as of 2026-08-07), so every out-of-state PT who wants to work in RI must obtain a full RI license by endorsement. The regulation explicitly bars practice until the endorsement license is issued. health.ri.gov blocks automated retrieval (HTTP 403), so the board_url shown is the RI Department of Health PT licensing page listed in FSBPT's official licensing-authority directory; the substantive requirements and the $155 fee were read directly from the RI Secretary of State's official rules site.

Rhode Island requirements at a glance

Out-of-state physical therapy license transfer requirements for Rhode Island, verified 2026-08-07
ExamNPTE is not retaken; the FSBPT-approved national examination scores must be submitted directly to the Board (FSBPT Score Transfer Service, $90 per report). The Rhode Island PT regulation imposes no separate state jurisprudence exam.
Additional requirements
  • Submit a licensure-status statement from the physical therapy board of every state where you hold or have held a license
  • Have your FSBPT-approved national examination scores sent directly to the Board
  • Submit a full Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) report; out-of-state applicants obtain it from their state of residence
  • Do not practice physical therapy in Rhode Island until the endorsement license has actually been issued
Fees$155 (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.)
Processing timeneither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications

Step by step

  1. Confirm Rhode Island's current requirements on the Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health) website — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Submit a licensure-status statement from the physical therapy board of every state where you hold or have held a license.
  5. Have your FSBPT-approved national examination scores sent directly to the Board.
  6. Submit a full Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) report; out-of-state applicants obtain it from their state of residence.
  7. Do not practice physical therapy in Rhode Island until the endorsement license has actually been issued.
  8. Pay the fees ($155 (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.)) and allow neither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.

Official links

Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health) ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Rhode Island:

California → Rhode IslandFlorida → Rhode IslandGeorgia → Rhode IslandIllinois → Rhode IslandMichigan → Rhode IslandNew York → Rhode IslandNorth Carolina → Rhode IslandOhio → Rhode IslandPennsylvania → Rhode IslandTexas → Rhode Island

Frequently asked questions

Does my physical therapy license transfer to Rhode Island?

Rhode Island has enacted the PT Compact but is not yet issuing or accepting compact privileges (as of 2026-08-07), so no privilege authorizes practice there yet. Every incoming PT or PTA needs a Rhode Island license by endorsement through the Rhode Island Board of Physical Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health): $155 (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.), your NPTE score transferred via the FSBPT rather than retaken, processing neither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.

Do I have to retake the NPTE to get licensed in Rhode Island?

No. NPTE is not retaken; the FSBPT-approved national examination scores must be submitted directly to the Board (FSBPT Score Transfer Service, $90 per report). The Rhode Island PT regulation imposes no separate state jurisprudence exam.. No state requires a second NPTE.

How much does it cost to transfer a PT license to Rhode Island by endorsement?

$155 (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.) (physical therapist initial application fee (examination or endorsement) per the RI DOH fee structure, 216-RICR-10-05-2; non-refundable. PTA is $50. BCI/background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT a PT Compact privilege fee - Rhode Island does not issue privileges.).

How long does Rhode Island take to process an endorsement application?

neither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications — neither the Board's regulation (216-RICR-40-05-13) nor the DOH fee structure states a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.

Is Rhode Island in the PT Compact?

Rhode Island has enacted the compact but is not yet an active member — it is not issuing or accepting privileges as of 2026-08-07. Endorsement is the only working path in.

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]