Physical Therapy License from Tennessee to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure ↗
Yes — both Tennessee and Connecticut are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Tennessee is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Tennessee and Connecticut are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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, Tennessee → Connecticut
| Tennessee (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $260–$305 (Rule 1150-01-.06 fee schedule for a PT: $150 application fee + $100 reciprocity fee + $10 biennial state regulatory fee are due when the application is filed ($260); a $45 license fee is then due before the license is issued, for $305 total. PTA equivalents are $140 + $100 + $10 + $45. Background-check vendor 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's rules set no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; they only require the $45 license fee to be received within 30 days of notification that it is due, or the application file is closed | DPH does not publish a processing timeframe for physical therapist applications. |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy (Tennessee 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 current license is an active multistate license in good standing.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Connecticut: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Connecticut Department of Public Health — Physical Therapist Licensure when you move.
- Declare Connecticut as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Connecticut's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- 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 Connecticut accept a Tennessee physical therapy license?
Yes — both Tennessee and Connecticut are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Tennessee is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Tennessee 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 Tennessee: 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.) ($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. (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)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy, Chapter 1150-01 (December 2025 revision) - Rules 1150-01-.04 Qualifications, .05 Procedures, .06 Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Tennessee Department of Health - Board of Physical Therapy ↗ (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 Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]