Licensure guide · Maryland

How to get a Maryland physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Maryland are licensed by the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. 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 educated in the United States must have graduated from a physical therapy program approved by the American Physical Therapy Association or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and completed its clinical education. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the national licensing examination at the criterion-referenced passing score set by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). [3]
State law exam: Applicants must score 90 percent on the Maryland Physical Therapy jurisprudence examination. [3]
Background check: Applicants must submit to a State and national criminal history records check. [3]
Fees: The application fee is $150; fees paid to the Board are nonrefundable, and FSBPT sets the fees for the national exam and the Maryland jurisprudence assessment. [3]
Where to apply: The Board's Licensing page covers the application process, and applicants are responsible for monitoring their own application status. [6] Open the application →
Processing time: The application process can take up to 60 business days, and full licensure is issued within up to 10 business days once all criteria are met. [6]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Maryland 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 Maryland without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: The Board may waive the examination requirement for an applicant licensed in another state who pays the application fee, meets Maryland's other qualifications, and passed a national licensing exam with a score as high as Maryland requires. [4]
Interstate compact: Maryland is a PT Compact member: therapists whose home state is Maryland can purchase compact privileges for other member states, and therapists licensed elsewhere can purchase a privilege to work in Maryland. [5]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: The Board may issue a temporary license, valid up to 90 days, to an applicant who has met the education requirements but not yet passed the exam; the holder must practice under direct supervision and pass the Maryland jurisprudence exam. [3]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses are renewed every 2 years, with even-numbered licenses renewed in even-numbered years and odd-numbered licenses in odd-numbered years; the physical therapist renewal fee is $325. [3]
Continuing education: Physical therapists must earn 30 CE hours per 2-year renewal period, between June 1 and May 31; hours may not be carried over to the next period. [3]

Working in Maryland

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Maryland earn a mean of $110,700 a year (BLS). Most of our Maryland 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 Maryland board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Maryland licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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