Licensure guide · Alaska

How to get a Alaska physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Alaska are licensed by the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board. Below is what the board requires, from education to renewal, with every requirement linked to the board page it comes from. Checked October 22, 2026.

Step by step

Getting licensed

Education: Applicants must have graduated from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy program, with an official transcript of the first professional degree sent directly from the school to the division. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the national physical therapy examination with at least the FSBPT-recommended passing score, which equals a scaled score of 600 on a scale of 200 to 800. [1]
State law exam: All applicants must complete the board's Jurisprudence Questionnaire, answering questions by reviewing Alaska's physical therapy and occupational therapy statutes and regulations and citing where each answer is found. [3]
Background check: Applicants must submit an FD-258 fingerprint card to the board, which forwards it to the Alaska Department of Public Safety for a state and FBI criminal background check; the fingerprint processing fee is $75. [2]
Fees: Applicants pay a $150 nonrefundable application fee, a $200 license fee and a $75 fingerprint processing fee, for total fees due of $425. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants apply by mailing the board's application form to the Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, PO Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811; faxed or emailed applications are not accepted. [4] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Alaska is a PT Compact member and is issuing compact privileges: physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in another member state can obtain a privilege to practice in Alaska without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Physical therapists licensed in another state apply for licensure by credentials, submitting NPTE scores, license verification from every jurisdiction where they have been licensed, and proof of at least 60 hours of physical therapy employment in the prior 24 months (or NPTE passage in that window, or a board-approved 150-hour internship). [4]
Interstate compact: Alaska accepts PT Compact privileges: the board's application states that therapists may purchase a PT Compact Privilege instead of applying for an Alaska license. [4]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: The board may issue a temporary permit that lets a licensure-by-credentials applicant practice while the application is processed; it requires a complete application and an additional $65 temporary permit fee. [4]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Physical therapist licenses are issued for a two-year period and expire on June 30 of even-numbered years, regardless of the date of issuance. [2]
Continuing education: Physical therapists licensed for 12 months or more of the licensing period must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education per period, and renewal also requires 60 hours of practice (or an approved alternative) and the board's jurisprudence questionnaire. [1]

Working in Alaska

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Alaska earn a mean of $115,830 a year (BLS). Most of our Alaska searches are confidential and never posted; tell us what you want and we will match you quietly.

Sources

Every requirement above was checked against the official page listed here on October 22, 2026. Boards change fees and rules, so confirm with the Alaska board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Alaska licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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