Licensure guide · Nebraska

How to get a Nebraska physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Nebraska are licensed by the Nebraska Board of Physical Therapy. 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 graduate from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) or meeting equivalent standards set by the Board, with an official transcript sent directly from the school. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE), administered by FSBPT, with a scaled score of 600 or higher before applying. [3]
State law exam: Physical therapist applicants must also pass Nebraska's jurisprudence exam; effective July 1, 2025 it moved to a new online format called the Nebraska Jurisprudence Assessment Module (NE JAM), scheduled through FSBPT. [1]
Background check: Applicants must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check through the Nebraska State Patrol, which charges a $75 fee. [3]
Fees: The initial physical therapist license fee is $133 unless the applicant qualifies for a fee waiver (young worker, low-income or military family); the fee chart lists a reduced $33.25 fee for licenses issued in certain months. [3]
Where to apply: Applicants download the Physical Therapist License Application from the DHHS Physical Therapy page and mail it, with the fee, to the DHHS Licensure Unit. [1] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Nebraska 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 Nebraska without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Applicants who have taken the NPTE and hold or have held a license in another state apply by reciprocity, and must have each state where they hold or held a license send verification directly to the Nebraska Licensure Unit. [3]
Interstate compact: Nebraska is a PT Compact state that grants compact privileges; to obtain one, a therapist must hold an unencumbered active license in, and permanently reside in, a PT Compact member state, have no disciplinary actions for at least two years, and apply through the PT Compact. [1]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Nebraska's Physical Therapy Practice Act allows an applicant who is a military spouse to apply for a temporary license under the Uniform Credentialing Act's military spouse provision. [4]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Physical therapist licenses expire November 1 of each odd-numbered year. [1]
Continuing education: Physical therapists must complete at least 20 hours of acceptable continuing education during the preceding 24-month period, by November 1 of each odd-numbered year; the Board does not approve courses, and activities must relate to physical therapy. [2]

Working in Nebraska

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Nebraska earn a mean of $95,890 a year (BLS). Most of our Nebraska 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 Nebraska board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Nebraska licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

Getting licensed in Nebraska 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