Licensure guide · New Mexico
How to get a New Mexico physical therapy license
Physical therapists in New Mexico are licensed by the New Mexico 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 be graduates of an accredited physical therapy program approved by the board. [2]
- National exam
- Applicants must pass the national physical therapy examination approved by the board (the NPTE, administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy), with the FSBPT score report sent directly to the board. [2]
- State law exam
- Applicants must pass New Mexico's open-book jurisprudence exam on the state's physical therapy rules and regulations with a score of 80% or better; the exam fee is $25. [3]
- Background check
- Physical therapist applicants for initial licensure must complete a New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) state criminal history background check; instructions are sent after the initial application is submitted. [4]
- Fees
- The physical therapist application fee is $250, plus a $25 jurisprudence exam fee and a $25 administrative approval fee for the national exam. [3]
- Where to apply
- Applications for initial licensure and renewal must be submitted through the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department's online portal (NM-PLUS), linked from the board's licensing page. [2] Open the application →
- Processing time
- Once all required licensing information is received, the board has up to five business days to issue a license; applications with prior discipline or criminal history are held for review at the next board meeting. [3]
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
New Mexico is not a member of the PT Compact: physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in another state need a full New Mexico license before starting.
- Licensed in another state
- The board issues an expedited license to a physical therapist who holds a valid unrestricted license from another United States licensing jurisdiction. [2]
- Interstate compact
- New Mexico is listed as a non-member of the Physical Therapy Compact, so PT Compact privileges are not available in New Mexico. [6]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- Only new graduates are eligible for a temporary license while waiting to take the national exam; it is valid for 180 days, is canceled immediately if the candidate fails the exam, and requires a notarized temporary supervisory form. The temporary licensure fee is $35. [3]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- Licenses are renewed every two years and expire on February 1; renewals postmarked after February 1 incur a late fee of $250 for a physical therapist. [2]
- Continuing education
- Physical therapists must complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years, earned during the renewal period of February 1 through January 31, with no carryover; no continuing education is required for the first renewal. [5]
Working in New Mexico
Pay and openings
Physical therapists in New Mexico earn a mean of $110,060 a year (BLS). Most of our New Mexico 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 New Mexico board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/physical-therapy/
- [2] https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/physical-therapy/licensing-registration-and-renewal/
- [3] https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/physical-therapy/faqs/
- [4] https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/physical-therapy/background-report-instructions/
- [5] https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/physical-therapy/instructors-training-requirements-and-continuing-education/
- [6] https://ptcompact.org/compact-map
Other New Mexico licenses
Physical therapy licenses in other states
Getting licensed in New Mexico for a move?
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