District of Columbia is one of the 38 jurisdictions issuing PT Compact privileges. If your home-state license is active and unencumbered and your home state is also a member, you can buy a privilege to practice in District of Columbia rather than applying for a second full license. The privilege is purchased per state and rides on the home-state license, so it is a fraction of the work — but it is not automatic, and it ends the moment that home license does.
District of Columbia PT License Requirements
A District of Columbia jurisprudence exam, passed within 30 days after the privilege is issued, not before.
An active, unencumbered license in your home state — and your home state must also be a compact member
No encumbrance or disciplinary action on any license you hold for the past two years — the Commission states the window explicitly, and it is stricter than most single-state boards
A purchased compact privilege for District of Columbia, which is per-state and not transferable
A degree from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program
A passing score on the NPTE for your discipline
A criminal background check, fingerprint-based in most jurisdictions
Verification of every license you currently hold or have ever held
How Much Does a District of Columbia PT License Cost?
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact privilege — physical therapist | $309 | Paid once per remote state. Includes the $45 Commission fee and District of Columbia's $264 state fee. |
| PT Compact privilege — physical therapist assistant | $309 | Same amount as the PT privilege. |
Fees are subject to change
Source: https://ptcompact.org/process-and-requirements/.
Fees above are paid to the District of Columbia board and FSBPT. Our service fee is separate — see pricing.
We handle the District of Columbia application end-to-end.
Eligibility screening, document prep, board follow-ups, and tracking — so you don't lose a board meeting cycle to a missing form.
View full pricingHow Long Does It Take to Get a District of Columbia PT License?
Where District of Columbia Applications Get Delayed
Buying a privilege while your home state is not a member. The privilege depends on the home-state license being issued by a compact state — a license from a non-member state does not qualify you, however active it is.
Treating a privilege as a license. It ends when the home-state license ends, and a lapse there invalidates every privilege at once.
Letting the home-state license lapse. Everything downstream depends on it, including any privilege already purchased.
Assuming a PTA follows the same route as a PT. The compact covers both, but the eligibility check and the privilege are separate.
What Working with Us Costs
Transparent, a la carte service fees. The state board and FSBPT fees listed above are paid directly to those organizations. Our concierge fee is separate and is the only thing you pay us.
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