Licensure guide · Vermont
How to get a Vermont physical therapy license
Physical therapists in Vermont are licensed by the Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation. 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 professional physical therapy education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) or another national accreditation agency approved by the Director. [2]
- National exam
- Applicants must pass the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) examination or an equivalent examination approved by the Director. [2]
- Background check
- Applicants must complete a fingerprint-supported criminal background check; a person who already completed one for an OPR physical therapist license and has had no lapse in licensure does not need to repeat it. [3]
- Fees
- The application fee for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants is $120. [4]
- Where to apply
- Applications are submitted online through the OPR Online Services System, linked from the physical therapist forms and instructions page. [3] Open the application →
- Processing time
- OPR asks applicants to allow 3 to 5 business days for application processing; criminal background check results can take 12 weeks to reach OPR. [5]
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
Vermont 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 Vermont without applying for a new state license.
- Licensed in another state
- Applicants licensed in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements may apply by endorsement; those actively licensed or certified in good standing elsewhere for three or more years preceding the application qualify for Fast Track Endorsement. [5]
- Interstate compact
- Vermont has been a member of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact since July 1, 2024 and went live on March 1, 2025, so Vermont licensees are now eligible for compact privileges. [7]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- A 90-day provisional license can be issued when all application requirements are complete except the official verification of licensure or the results of the criminal background check. [3]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- Licenses renew every two years on a fixed schedule, by September 30 of even-numbered years, and must be renewed before they expire. [2]
- Continuing education
- Physical therapists must show completion certificates for at least 24 credits of continuing education completed within the two-year renewal cycle. [6]
Working in Vermont
Pay and openings
Physical therapists in Vermont earn a mean of $95,870 a year (BLS). Most of our Vermont 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 Vermont board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://sos.vermont.gov/physical-therapists
- [2] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/physical_therapist/physical_therapist_administrative_rules.pdf
- [3] https://sos.vermont.gov/physical-therapists/forms-instructions
- [4] https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/03/005/00125
- [5] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/physical_therapist/physical_therapist_assistant_application_instructions.pdf
- [6] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/physical_therapist/physical_therapist_renewal_instructions.pdf
- [7] https://sos.vermont.gov/physical-therapists/physical-therapy-licensure-compact
Other Vermont licenses
Physical therapy licenses in other states
Getting licensed in Vermont for a move?
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