Physical Therapy License from Washington to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Kansas — both Washington and Kansas are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Washington is your primary state of residence and your Washington license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Kansas without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kansas, you will need a Kansas license once Kansas becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Washington and Kansas are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Washington is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts — you buy a Kansas compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Washington license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Kansas may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Washington license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Kansas rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Kansas.
What changes, Washington → Kansas
| Washington (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · PT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $80 (original application fee for a physical therapist under WAC 246-915-990 (PTA initial application is $75); active license renewal is $100 annually. Fingerprint/background-check surcharges are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $80 ('application based on certificate of prior examination' (endorsement) fee per K.A.R. 100-29-7; + ~$57 KBI fingerprint-based background-check fee (in notes, not the range). The $65 'compact privilege' fee in the same rule is the PT Compact privilege fee, NOT the endorsement fee.) |
| Processing time | the Department publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications; it warns only that delayed responses lengthen the wait. Military spouses may qualify for expedited processing | the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health) | Kansas State Board of Healing Arts |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas 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 Kansas: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Kansas through the compact commission and complete any Kansas jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Kansas: apply for a Kansas license with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Washington physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Kansas — both Washington and Kansas are active members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Washington is your primary state of residence and your Washington license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Kansas without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Kansas, you will need a Kansas license once Kansas becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Washington to Kansas?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score transfers via the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Kansas does NOT require a jurisprudence exam for initial licensure by endorsement — the Kansas Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM) applies only to biennial renewal in odd-numbered years and to PT Compact privileges (per FSBPT).
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Kansas compact privilege to work while living in Washington: the commission's uniform fee plus Kansas's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Kansas license by endorsement: $80 ('application based on certificate of prior examination' (endorsement) fee per K.A.R. 100-29-7; + ~$57 KBI fingerprint-based background-check fee (in notes, not the range). The $65 'compact privilege' fee in the same rule is the PT Compact privilege fee, NOT the endorsement fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Kansas jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board publishes no processing timeframe for endorsement applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- K.A.R. 100-29-7 — Kansas physical therapist fees (Cornell LII) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- FSBPT — Jurisprudence Assessment Module (JAM), Kansas ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WA DOH - PT/PTA Licensing Information ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WA DOH - Substantially Equivalent States (PT) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WAC 246-915-990 - Physical therapist fees ↗ (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
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