Physical Therapy License from Washington to Vermont: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Yes, for working in Vermont — both Washington and Vermont 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 Vermont without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Vermont, you will need a Vermont license once Vermont becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Both Washington and Vermont 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 Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State (Physical Therapists) — you buy a Vermont compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Washington license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Vermont 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 Vermont rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Vermont.
What changes, Washington → Vermont
| Washington (current) | Vermont (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.) | $120 (physical therapist application fee (code 040) on OPR's Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees & Dates schedule updated 7/1/2025; the license then renews at $180 biennially on September 30 of even years. Fingerprint/background-check vendor costs are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege 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 | OPR publishes no processing timeframe for PT endorsement applications; it states a 90-day provisional license can issue when everything except the licensure verification or background-check result is complete |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Board of Physical Therapy (Department of Health) | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State (Physical Therapists) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Vermont 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 Vermont: purchase a PT Compact privilege for Vermont through the compact commission and complete any Vermont jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Vermont: apply for a Vermont license with the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation, Secretary of State (Physical Therapists); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Vermont accept a Washington physical therapy license?
Yes, for working in Vermont — both Washington and Vermont 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 Vermont without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Vermont, you will need a Vermont license once Vermont becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Washington to Vermont?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; OPR accepts the passing score through the FSBPT Score Transfer Service (the OPR endorsement instructions link a 'Physical Therapists Score Transfer' step). Vermont imposes no state jurisprudence examination - neither the Physical Therapy Rule nor the PT Compact Commission's state requirements table lists one.
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Vermont compact privilege to work while living in Washington: the commission's uniform fee plus Vermont's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Vermont license by endorsement: $120 (physical therapist application fee (code 040) on OPR's Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees & Dates schedule updated 7/1/2025; the license then renews at $180 biennially on September 30 of even years. Fingerprint/background-check vendor costs are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Vermont jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs OPR publishes no processing timeframe for PT endorsement applications; it states a 90-day provisional license can issue when everything except the licensure verification or background-check result is complete.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Vermont OPR - Physical Therapist Forms & Instructions ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Vermont OPR - Initial Licensing/Renewal Fees & Dates (updated 7/1/2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Vermont OPR - Administrative Rules for Physical Therapists (eff. June 1, 2013) ↗ (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)
- 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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