Licensure guide · North Dakota
How to get a North Dakota physical therapy license
Physical therapists in North Dakota are licensed by the North Dakota State 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 have an official transcript showing completion of an accredited physical therapist program sent directly from the school (electronic transcripts from the school are accepted) before a license is issued. [2]
- National exam
- Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), registering online through the FSBPT; FSBPT, not the North Dakota board, determines exam eligibility. [2]
- State law exam
- Applicants must pass an open-book jurisprudence exam on the North Dakota PT rules and practice act, which is included in the online application, before a license is issued. [2]
- Background check
- Applicants must complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check, required since July 1, 2018; the $43.00 BCI fee is paid to the board with the application and the board mails a fingerprint packet. [3]
- Fees
- Physical therapist applicants must pay a non-refundable $200 application fee plus the criminal background check fee. [2]
- Where to apply
- Applicants apply through the board's online license application, linked from the Physical Therapist Initial Application Instructions page. [2] Open the application →
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
North Dakota 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 North Dakota without applying for a new state license.
- Licensed in another state
- Physical therapists licensed in another state apply by endorsement: they complete the online application and jurisprudence exam, have every state where they hold or held a license send verification, have FSBPT forward their NPTE scores, and upload employment verification from their last two employers. [2]
- Interstate compact
- North Dakota is a PT Compact member state; a North Dakota compact privilege for a PT costs $85 in total ($40 state fee plus $45 commission fee), and the jurisprudence exam must be passed before applying. [4]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- Licenses renew every year by January 31st, and the renewal fee is $100; a license not renewed by that date is expired. [2]
- Continuing education
- Physical therapists must obtain twenty-five units of continuing competence every two years to be eligible for renewal, with no carryover of units to the next reporting period. [2]
Working in North Dakota
Pay and openings
Physical therapists in North Dakota earn a mean of $92,480 a year (BLS). Most of our North Dakota 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 North Dakota board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://www.ndbpt.org/
- [2] https://www.ndbpt.org/apply/pt_licensure.asp
- [3] https://www.ndbpt.org/regulation/backgroundcheck.asp
- [4] https://www.ptcompact.org/process-and-requirements
Other North Dakota licenses
Physical therapy licenses in other states
Getting licensed in North Dakota for a move?
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