Physical Therapy License from Virginia to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Indiana — both Virginia and Indiana are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Virginia is your primary state of residence and your Virginia license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Indiana without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Indiana, you will need an Indiana license once Indiana becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Virginia and Indiana are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Virginia is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) — you buy an Indiana compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Virginia license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Indiana may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Virginia license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Indiana rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Indiana.
What changes, Virginia → Indiana
| Virginia (current) | Indiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $140 (licensure-by-endorsement application fee for a physical therapist under 18VAC112-20-27 (most recently amended June 18, 2025); the PTA endorsement fee is $100. Active PT renewal is $135 biennially. The $50 compact privilege fee and the $75 direct access certification fee in the same section are separate charges. Criminal background check costs are not included.) | $100 (the IPLA fee schedule lists 'Physical Therapist License by Reciprocity' at $100.00, the same as licensure by examination; all fees are non-refundable. The criminal background check is paid separately to the vendor. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | the Board publishes no processing timeframe; its FAQ states only that an application remains valid for one year before a new application and fee are required | IPLA publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; it states only that an application is abandoned without Board action if all requirements are not submitted within one year of filing |
| Licensing authority | Virginia Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health Professions) | Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana 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 Indiana: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Indiana through the compact commission and complete any Indiana jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Indiana: apply for an Indiana license with the Indiana Physical Therapy Board (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana accept a Virginia physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Indiana — both Virginia and Indiana are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Virginia is your primary state of residence and your Virginia license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Indiana without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Indiana, you will need an Indiana license once Indiana becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Virginia to Indiana?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken. Indiana's published reciprocity checklist relies on verification of your existing out-of-state license rather than a submitted NPTE score report. Indiana requires no jurisprudence exam for licensure or for a compact privilege, though 2 of the 22 biennial continuing-competency hours must be in ethics and Indiana jurisprudence.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying an Indiana compact privilege to work while living in Virginia: the commission's uniform fee plus Indiana's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Indiana license by endorsement: $100 (the IPLA fee schedule lists 'Physical Therapist License by Reciprocity' at $100.00, the same as licensure by examination; all fees are non-refundable. The criminal background check is paid separately to the vendor. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Indiana jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs IPLA publishes no processing timeframe for reciprocity applications; it states only that an application is abandoned without Board action if all requirements are not submitted within one year of filing.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Physical Therapy Licensing Information (reciprocity checklist, fee schedule, PT Compact) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Physical Therapy Home ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — Compact Privilege Fee, Jurisprudence and Waiver Table ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — States by Category ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 18VAC112-20-27 - Fees (Virginia Board of Physical Therapy) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 18VAC112-20-65 - Requirements for licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Virginia Board of Physical Therapy - Licensure FAQ ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - member state map ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact - how to get privileges (state fee and jurisprudence table) ↗ (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]