Physical Therapy License from South Carolina to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in District of Columbia — both South Carolina and District of Columbia are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If South Carolina is your primary state of residence and your South Carolina license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in District of Columbia without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to District of Columbia, you will need a District of Columbia license once District of Columbia becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both South Carolina and District of Columbia are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If South Carolina is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the District of Columbia Board of Physical Therapy (DC Health) — you buy a District of Columbia compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your South Carolina license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: District of Columbia may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your South Carolina license does. If you are genuinely relocating to District of Columbia rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into District of Columbia.
What changes, South Carolina → District of Columbia
| South Carolina (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $110 (Board application fee set by S.C. Code of Regulations 10-30(1); the same application fee applies to endorsement applicants (40-45-240 licenses 'on the payment of the applicable fee'). SLED/FBI fingerprint costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $264 ($264 combined application and license fee paid online (DC Health licensing portal), per the DC endorsement checklist; a separate $50 criminal background check fee is paid online with the application. Licenses run biennially, expiring Jan 31 of odd-numbered years. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | no processing timeframe appears in the Board's statute (S.C. Code Title 40 Chapter 45) or regulations (Chapter 101); llr.sc.gov was unreachable from the research network on the access date, so the board site could not be checked | DC Health does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy Examiners (SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) | District of Columbia Board of Physical Therapy (DC Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in District of Columbia: purchase a PT Compact privilege for District of Columbia through the compact commission and complete any District of Columbia jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to District of Columbia: apply for a District of Columbia license with the District of Columbia Board of Physical Therapy (DC Health); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a South Carolina physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in District of Columbia — both South Carolina and District of Columbia are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If South Carolina is your primary state of residence and your South Carolina license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in District of Columbia without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to District of Columbia, you will need a District of Columbia license once District of Columbia becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from South Carolina to District of Columbia?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is verified through FSBPT (via the FSBPT ID on the NPTE score report). DC also requires the District of Columbia Jurisprudence Examination, which is registered for and taken through FSBPT.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a District of Columbia compact privilege to work while living in South Carolina: the commission's uniform fee plus District of Columbia's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full District of Columbia license by endorsement: $264 ($264 combined application and license fee paid online (DC Health licensing portal), per the DC endorsement checklist; a separate $50 criminal background check fee is paid online with the application. Licenses run biennially, expiring Jan 31 of odd-numbered years. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any District of Columbia jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs DC Health does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- DC Health — Physical Therapist New License Application (Endorsement) Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- D.C. Code § 3-1205.07 — Reciprocity and endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 101 - State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 10-30 - Board of Physical Therapy Examiners fees ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- S.C. Code of Laws Title 40 Chapter 45 - Physical Therapists (incl. 40-45-240 licensure without examination and the PT Compact, 40-45-510 et seq.) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - state status list (Physical Therapy Compact Commission) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]