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Physical Therapy Certification and Licensing

If you want to be a practicing physical therapist you'll need to get licensed—all 50 states require it.

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Physical Therapy Licensing Requirements

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All 50 states require you to go through a physical therapy licensing process in order to practice. All but five states also require licensure or registration for physical therapy assistants.

After graduating from a physical therapy program that is approved by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, you must then pass the National Physical Therapist Examination (NPTE) which is developed by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. 

 
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National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)

The NPTE, for both physical therapists and physical therapy assistants, is computer-based. The PT examination is five hours and the PTA exam is four hours. You may sit for the examination at any of the approximately 300 testing centers in the United States, U.S. territories and Canada. Upon passing the exam you will need to meet any additional requirements your state licensing board may have before they will allow you to practice.

State Physical Therapy Licensing Authorities

All state physical therapy licensing authorities require applicants to be graduates of a program that is approved by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education in addition to receiving a passing score on the NPTE. Individual states may have additional requirements.

 
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