Physical Therapy License from South Dakota to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Colorado — both South Dakota and Colorado are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If South Dakota is your primary state of residence and your South Dakota license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Colorado without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Colorado, you will need a Colorado license once Colorado becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both South Dakota and Colorado are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If South Dakota is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) — you buy a Colorado compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your South Dakota license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Colorado may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your South Dakota license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Colorado rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Colorado.
What changes, South Dakota → Colorado
| South Dakota (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $120 (application fee payable to the SD Board of Physical Therapy per the Board's published licensing-requirements checklist; fingerprint/DCI background-check costs and the $90 FSBPT score-transfer fee are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | The fee is set administratively by the DORA Director (C.R.S. 12-285-110 provides for 'a fee in an amount determined by the director') and is not stated in the rule; the DORA/DPO fee schedule could not be verified on an accessible official page because dpo.colorado.gov blocks automated access. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no overall processing timeframe; it states only that DCI background-check processing averages 3-4 weeks and is outside the Board's control, and that late fingerprint submission delays application review | The Division of Professions and Occupations publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications on an accessible page |
| Licensing authority | South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy (South Dakota Department of Health) | Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado 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 Colorado: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Colorado through the compact commission and complete any Colorado jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Colorado: apply for a Colorado license with the Colorado State Physical Therapy Board (Division of Professions and Occupations, DORA); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept a South Dakota physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Colorado — both South Dakota and Colorado are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If South Dakota is your primary state of residence and your South Dakota license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Colorado without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Colorado, you will need a Colorado license once Colorado becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from South Dakota to Colorado?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is transferred to the Board through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Colorado does not require a separate state jurisprudence or law exam for physical therapists.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Colorado compact privilege to work while living in South Dakota: the commission's uniform fee plus Colorado's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Colorado license by endorsement: The fee is set administratively by the DORA Director (C.R.S. 12-285-110 provides for 'a fee in an amount determined by the director') and is not stated in the rule; the DORA/DPO fee schedule could not be verified on an accessible official page because dpo.colorado.gov blocks automated access. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Colorado jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs The Division of Professions and Occupations publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications on an accessible page.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Colorado State Physical Therapy Board — Licensure Rules 4 CCR 732-1.5 (Cornell LII reproduction of the official regulation) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- C.R.S. 12-285-112 — Licensure by endorsement (Colorado Revised Statutes) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- C.R.S. 12-285-110 — Licensure by examination; fee set by the director ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SD Board of Physical Therapy - Licensing Requirements (application checklist and fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SD Board of Physical Therapy - board home page ↗ (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
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