Physical Therapy License from Washington to Utah: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Utah — both Washington and Utah 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 Utah without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Utah, you will need a Utah license once Utah becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Washington and Utah 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 Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) — you buy a Utah compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Washington license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Utah 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 Utah rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Utah.
What changes, Washington → Utah
| Washington (current) | Utah (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.) | not verified - dopl.utah.gov and le.utah.gov were both unreachable from the research network on 2026-08-07 (Cloudflare 403 and connection refused respectively), and the Utah Administrative Rules portal returned no R156-24b content, so no Utah endorsement fee is asserted |
| 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 | not verified - the Utah Division of Professional Licensing site could not be retrieved on the access date |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health) | Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Utah 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 Utah: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Utah through the compact commission and complete any Utah jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Utah: apply for a Utah license with the Utah Physical Therapy Licensing Board (Utah Division of Professional Licensing, DOPL); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Utah accept a Washington physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Utah — both Washington and Utah 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 Utah without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Utah, you will need a Utah license once Utah becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Washington to Utah?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is moved to the destination board through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service ($90 per report). Whether Utah also requires a state law/jurisprudence examination could not be verified from a Utah source on the access date - see notes.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Utah compact privilege to work while living in Washington: the commission's uniform fee plus Utah's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Utah license by endorsement: not verified - dopl.utah.gov and le.utah.gov were both unreachable from the research network on 2026-08-07 (Cloudflare 403 and connection refused respectively), and the Utah Administrative Rules portal returned no R156-24b content, so no Utah endorsement fee is asserted.
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Utah jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs not verified - the Utah Division of Professional Licensing site could not be retrieved on the access date.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- PT Compact - state status list (Physical Therapy Compact Commission); Utah listed under Member States, actively issuing and accepting privileges ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - Licensing Authorities Contact Information (Utah licensing authority and board URL) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- FSBPT - NPTE Score Transfer Service ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- 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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