Licensure guide · Tennessee

How to get a Tennessee physical therapy license

Physical therapists in Tennessee are licensed by the Tennessee 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 for licensure by examination must be graduates of a physical therapy program accredited by CAPTE and must be of good moral character. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), applying for it directly with FSBPT; the passing point is a scaled score of 600. [2]
Required courses: Foreign-educated applicants for licensure by examination must submit proof of completing 4 hours of ethics and jurisprudence training within 6 months of applying for licensure. [2]
Background check: Applicants must complete a criminal background check as specified by the Board during the application process. [2]
Fees: The physical therapist application fee is $150 and is nonrefundable; applicants also pay a $10 state regulatory fee, a $45 license fee before the license is issued, and, if applying by reciprocity, a $100 reciprocity fee. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants apply online for an initial license through the Tennessee Department of Health's online licensure system, linked from the Board's Applications section, and can pay by credit card, debit card or e-check. [1] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Tennessee 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 Tennessee without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Physical therapists licensed elsewhere may apply for licensure by reciprocity if they hold a current, unrestricted license from another U.S. jurisdiction, graduated from a CAPTE-accredited program, passed the licensing exam, and obtain verification of licensure from every state where they hold or have held a license. [2]
Interstate compact: Tennessee participates in the PT Compact and compact privileges can be purchased for Tennessee; the total privilege fee for a physical therapist is $240, and a Tennessee jurisprudence course must be completed within 30 days after the privilege is issued. [3]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: A provisional license is issued to internationally or foreign educated applicants who meet every licensure qualification except the supervised clinical practice period; it is valid for 12 to 48 weeks, cannot be renewed, and requires direct on-site supervision by a Tennessee-licensed physical therapist. [2]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses renew every two years (the biennial renewal fee is $140 for physical therapists), and renewal is due by the expiration date indicated on the licensee's renewal certificate. [2]
Continuing education: Physical therapists must complete 30 hours of continuing competence in the 24 months before the renewal month, at least 20 of them from Class I activities, including 4 hours of ethics and jurisprudence every renewal cycle; new licensees by examination must complete those 4 hours during their initial licensure period. [2]

Working in Tennessee

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in Tennessee earn a mean of $98,260 a year (BLS). Most of our Tennessee 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 Tennessee board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Tennessee licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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