Physical Therapy License from South Dakota to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Connecticut — both South Dakota and Connecticut 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 Connecticut without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, you will need a Connecticut license once Connecticut becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both South Dakota and Connecticut 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 Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure — you buy a Connecticut compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your South Dakota license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Connecticut 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 Connecticut rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Connecticut.
What changes, South Dakota → Connecticut
| South Dakota (current) | Connecticut (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.) | $285 ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a 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 | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications |
| Licensing authority | South Dakota Board of Physical Therapy (South Dakota Department of Health) | Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut 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 Connecticut: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Connecticut through the compact commission and complete any Connecticut jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Connecticut: apply for a Connecticut license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut accept a South Dakota physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Connecticut — both South Dakota and Connecticut 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 Connecticut without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, you will need a Connecticut license once Connecticut becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from South Dakota to Connecticut?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; Connecticut requires proof of passing the NPTE (administered by FSBPT), and the score is verified to the Department. Connecticut does not administer a separate state jurisprudence or law exam.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Connecticut compact privilege to work while living in South Dakota: the commission's uniform fee plus Connecticut's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Connecticut license by endorsement: $285 ($285.00 online application fee stated on the DPH Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements page; this is the fee for a PT licensed elsewhere applying by endorsement (licensure without examination under C.G.S. Sec. 20-71). NOT a PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Connecticut jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- CT DPH — Physical Therapist Licensing Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 376, Sec. 20-71 — licensure without examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member state map (Connecticut listed as actively issuing/accepting privileges) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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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