Licensure guide · Colorado

How to get a Colorado physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Colorado are licensed by the Colorado State Physical 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 completed a physical therapy program that is either accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or determined by the Board to be substantially equivalent. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) developed by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT), at the passing score set by FSBPT. Applicants by examination must graduate and pass the NPTE within the two years immediately preceding the application. [2]
Background check: Applicants must submit fingerprints for a criminal history record check with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants apply online through the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) Online Services system, linked from the board's Applications and Forms page. [3] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Colorado 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 Colorado without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Physical therapists who hold a current, unrestricted license in good standing in another jurisdiction may apply for licensure by endorsement, attesting to an accredited or substantially equivalent education and passage of the NPTE. They must also verify every license held and show at least one year of licensure in a jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice. [2]
Interstate compact: Colorado participates in the PT Compact and compact privileges for Colorado can be purchased: the physical therapist compact privilege fee is $95 total ($50 state fee plus $45 Commission fee), and Colorado has no jurisprudence exam requirement. [5]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Colorado issues a provisional physical therapist license (applied for by the original method). All provisional physical therapist licenses expire 120 days after issuance and cannot be renewed. [3]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Physical therapist licenses expire on October 31 of even-numbered years, and renewals open approximately 4-5 weeks before the expiration date. [3]
Continuing education: Physical therapists must complete at least 30 professional development activity (PDA) hours during each 2-year license period, with at least 20 of them in educational coursework, fellowships or residencies. Continuing competency requirements begin after the first renewal of the license. [4]

Working in Colorado

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Colorado earn a mean of $103,870 a year (BLS). We have 1 public physical therapy opening in Colorado right now, and more searches that are never posted.

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 Colorado board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Colorado licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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