Physical Therapy License from Tennessee to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) ↗
Yes — both Tennessee and Oregon 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 Oregon now; if you are moving your residence to Oregon, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Oregon your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Tennessee and Oregon 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 Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) — you buy a Oregon compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Tennessee license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Oregon 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 Oregon rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Oregon.
What changes, Tennessee → Oregon
| Tennessee (current) | Oregon (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.) | $187 (OAR 848-005-0020(1) sets the PT/PTA Endorsement Application fee at $187.00 plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background verification. Distinct items in the same rule: PT license renewal $200 (plus workforce survey and background verification costs), PTA renewal $130, military spouse temporary permit $99, temporary permit $50. The PT/PTA compact privilege fee of $102.00 in that rule is the PT Compact privilege charge, not the endorsement 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 | The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page. |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health) | Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Oregon: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board) when you move.
- Declare Oregon as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Oregon'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 Oregon accept a Tennessee physical therapy license?
Yes — both Tennessee and Oregon 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 Oregon now; if you are moving your residence to Oregon, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Oregon your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Tennessee to Oregon?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; if Oregon was not designated as a score recipient when you sat the exam, request a Score Transfer directly from FSBPT and it is sent to the Board. Oregon additionally requires the Oregon Jurisprudence Examination (OR-JAM), a timed 90-minute, 50-question multiple-choice exam on Oregon statutes and administrative rules, which must be taken within the six months immediately preceding approval of your application..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Oregon compact privilege to work while living in Tennessee: the commission's uniform fee plus Oregon's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Oregon license by endorsement: $187 (OAR 848-005-0020(1) sets the PT/PTA Endorsement Application fee at $187.00 plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background verification. Distinct items in the same rule: PT license renewal $200 (plus workforce survey and background verification costs), PTA renewal $130, military spouse temporary permit $99, temporary permit $50. The PT/PTA compact privilege fee of $102.00 in that rule is the PT Compact privilege charge, not the endorsement fee.) (OAR 848-005-0020(1) sets the PT/PTA Endorsement Application fee at $187.00 plus the actual cost to the Board of conducting a nationwide background verification. Distinct items in the same rule: PT license renewal $200 (plus workforce survey and background verification costs), PTA renewal $130, military spouse temporary permit $99, temporary permit $50. The PT/PTA compact privilege fee of $102.00 in that rule is the PT Compact privilege charge, not the endorsement fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Oregon jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page. (The Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications in its rules or on its Applying for Licensure page.).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- OAR 848-005-0020 Board Fees and Refunds (Oregon Secretary of State, Oregon Administrative Rules Database) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Oregon Board of Physical Therapy - Applying for Licensure (OR-JAM, background check, score transfer, license verifications) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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