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Licensure guide · California

How to get a California physical therapy license

Physical therapists in California are licensed by the Physical Therapy Board of California. 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
You must complete a physical therapist program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). [2]
National exam
You must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), administered through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). The PT exam has 225 questions over five hours and can be taken up to three times in 12 months. [3]
State law exam
California requires its law exam, the CAL-JAM (California Jurisprudence Assessment Module). It is taken online through FSBPT, costs $50, has 50 questions, and you pass by answering 80% correctly, with no limit on attempts. [4]
Background check
All applicants must be fingerprinted for a DOJ and FBI background check. Use Live Scan if you will be in California during the process; out-of-state applicants who will not be in California use fingerprint hard cards ($49 processing fee). [5]
Fees
For a physical therapist, the application processing fee is $300 (nonrefundable) and the initial license fee is $150, for $450 total. Fingerprint hard cards add $49. [6]
Where to apply
Apply online through DCA BreEZe; the board's Apply Now page linked here has the link. [12] Open the application →
Processing time
The PTBC acknowledges receipt of an application within 30 days. Once all deficiencies are resolved and exam scores are received, it generally issues the license within 45 days. [11]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

California is not a member of the PT Compact: physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in another state need a full California license before starting.
Licensed in another state
PTs already licensed in another U.S. state apply by Endorsement through BreEZe. They must still pass the CAL-JAM, submit fingerprints and a passport-style photo, and pay the application and initial license fees. [7]
Interstate compact
California is not a member of the PT Compact. The compact commission lists it among non-member states, so compact privileges cannot be used to practice in California. [10]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license
California grants License Applicant Status (PTLA), which lets an applicant work under supervision before the full license is issued. You may work as a PTLA only after the PTBC sends a notice granting that status. [8]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal
A PT license must be renewed every two years. It expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month. The biennial renewal fee is $300. [9]
Continuing education
PTs need 30 hours of continuing competency per two-year renewal, including 4 hours of basic life support (hands-on) and 2 hours of ethics, laws and regulations. A first renewal paid on time needs 15 hours. [9]

Working in California

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in California earn a mean of $122,580 a year (BLS). Most of our California 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 California board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

  1. [1] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/
  2. [2] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/licensees/military_resources.shtml
  3. [3] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/new_grad/exam.shtml
  4. [4] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/caljam.shtml
  5. [5] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/endorsement/fingerprint.shtml
  6. [6] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/endorsement/fees.shtml
  7. [7] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/endorsement/index.shtml
  8. [8] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/endorsement/ptla.shtml
  9. [9] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/licensees/license_renewal.shtml
  10. [10] https://ptcompact.org/compact-map/
  11. [11] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/index.shtml
  12. [12] https://www.ptbc.ca.gov/applicants/endorsement/apply.shtml

Other California licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

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