Licensure guide · West Virginia

How to get a West Virginia physical therapy license

Physical therapists in West Virginia are licensed by the West Virginia 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 hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree in physical therapy from a CAPTE-accredited program. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE); the board allows qualified applicants to take the NPTE within 90 days of graduation. [2]
Background check: Applicants for an initial license must submit fingerprints for a state and national criminal history record check. [3]
Fees: Physical therapist applicants pay a $25 application fee and a $220 license fee. [4]
Where to apply: Applicants apply online through the board's Application Portal, linked from the board's Exam Applications page (licensed applicants from other states use the Endorsement Applications page). [6] Open the application →
Processing time: The board says overall timelines for initial applications cannot be determined in advance, but once all requirements are received a license is issued within one to two business days. [10]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

West Virginia 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 West Virginia without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Physical therapists already licensed in another state who have taken the NPTE apply by endorsement: they must have FSBPT transfer their NPTE score report, have their school send a conferred transcript, have license verifications sent from every jurisdiction where they have held a license, and complete a criminal history record check. [5]
Interstate compact: West Virginia has been an active PT Compact member state since March 10, 2020; West Virginia-domiciled licensees can obtain privileges to practice in other compact states, and out-of-state licensees can purchase a privilege to practice in West Virginia through ptcompact.org. [9]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Graduates applying to take the NPTE may request a temporary permit if a conferred transcript is on file and they have secured employment; the permit is valid for 90 days and is automatically revoked if they fail the NPTE. [6]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Licenses are renewed every two years; renewal season runs from October 1 to December 31 of the year the license expires, with no grace period, and unrenewed licenses become delinquent. [7]
Continuing education: Licensees must complete 24 hours of board-approved continuing education within each 2-year licensing period and upload proof of it before they can renew. [8]

Working in West Virginia

Pay and openings

Physical therapists in West Virginia earn a mean of $96,880 a year (BLS). Most of our West Virginia 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 West Virginia board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other West Virginia licenses

Physical therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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