Licensure guide · Kansas

How to get a Kansas physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Kansas are licensed by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. 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 the academic requirements of a board-approved physical therapy educational program; applicants from a program not approved by the board must present an evaluation from a board-approved entity showing the program met the board's criteria. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE); graduates of CAPTE-accredited programs register through FSBPT under the Board's Alternate Approval Pathway, while non-CAPTE graduates must first be approved to test by the Board. [3]
State law exam: Physical therapist applicants must complete the Kansas jurisprudence exam and submit it with the application; a score of 80% or higher is required. [4]
Background check: As of December 01, 2025, physical therapist applicants must submit fingerprints for state and national background checks, and the criminal background report fee is $57. [5]
Fees: The Board's physical therapy application fee is $80.00, whether the application is based on examination or on a certificate of prior examination. [6]
Where to apply: Initial physical therapist applications are submitted using the Initial Licensing Application on the Board's Licensing Forms page. [8] Open the application →
Processing time: The Board states the application process takes on average four to eight weeks, though each application is different. [3]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Kansas 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 Kansas without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: The Board may license a physical therapist without examination if the applicant shows they passed the board-approved examination or an examination before another state's licensing board whose standards the Board finds to be as high as Kansas's. [2]
Interstate compact: Kansas is a PT Compact member state; the PT Compact Commission lists member states as actively issuing and accepting compact privileges. [7]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Applicants who meet all licensure requirements except the examination may receive one temporary permit, which expires three months after issuance and carries an additional $25 nonrefundable fee. [3]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Physical therapist licenses must be renewed annually and expire on December 31; the renewal cycle begins November 15 and ends January 31. [3]
Continuing education: Physical therapists must complete at least 40 contact hours of continuing education within the preceding two-year period, submitted with renewal in odd-numbered years, and must complete the Kansas physical therapy jurisprudence assessment module during each continuing education cycle. [2]

Working in Kansas

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Kansas earn a mean of $95,540 a year (BLS). Most of our Kansas 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 Kansas board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Kansas licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

Getting licensed in Kansas for a move?

Tell us the setting and the city you want. We will tell you which employers are hiring and how long they will wait for a license.

Start a confidential conversation