Physical Therapy Compact

Physical Therapy Compact (Act 524)

On May 23, 2018, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed Senate Bill 203, the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact, into law in Louisiana (Act 524).

As of Monday, July 22, 2019 Louisiana is an active member state in the PT Compact. Licensees who are domiciled in Louisiana are eligible to apply through the Compact Commission for a privilege to practice physical therapy in other states participating in the Compact without having to go through the process of getting licensed in the states where they are not domiciled. To view the PT Compact Commission's official press release, click here.

Some eligibility requirements apply. For individuals who are not eligible, Louisiana-domiciled licensees can practice in other states by obtaining a license in each state where they wish to practice. For Louisiana-domiciled licensees who obtain a privilege to practice in the states where the Compact is in effect, those licensees will only need to renew their Louisiana license on the date when the Louisiana license expires. At the time of renewal, the Louisiana-domiciled licensee may choose which other states they wish to apply for a privilege to practice and all privileges to practice will expire on the date that the Louisiana license expires. Should a licensee move entirely to a new state, they will need to seek licensure in the state where they are domiciled.

To access the Physical Therapy Compact Comission Rules, please click here.


Read Carefully

 

If you are a Louisiana licensee seeking a privilege in another state:

  • To review the fees and Jurisprudence requirements in the state in which you wish to purchase a privilege to practice, click here
  • To purchase your privilege to practice, visit www.ptcompact.org

If you are from another state and seeking a privilege in Louisiana:

  • Louisiana requires that you pass our Jurisprudence exam prior to purchasing your privilege to practice in Louisiana. 
  • You must take the exam through the link provided on the Compact Comission's website which can be found here.

If you are a former Louisiana licensee:

  • You may not login to your old licensee account to access the Jurisprudence exam.
  • Former licensees seeking a Compact privilege must create a new account using a different email address than the one associated with their old licensee account. You will setup a new dashboard for Compact privilege holders and take the Jurisprudence. To create your new Compact privilege user dashboard, click here.

Verify a Compact Privilege:

  • To verify an indivdiual's compact privilege to practice in Louisiana, please click here to be redirected to the Compact Commission's verification page.

How to Get Compact Privileges in Louisiana

 

 


FAQ:

  • I just moved to Louisiana long-term. Can I practice under a Compact privilege or do I need to apply for a license?

    • You must apply for a license. The Compact currently uses driver's licenses to verify home state residence. Per the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, new residents in Louisiana must transfer their out of state license to Louisiana within 30 days of establishing residency. Please see the link from the OMV to read more: Click Here. In addition, Compact Rule 3.1(C) requires Compact holders to notify the Commission of a change of address/home state within 30 days of such change.
  • My short-term contract became an offer of long-term employment. Do I need to apply for a license?
    • Yes. If you are offered employment in Louisiana which would require you to relocate and make our state your primary residence, you are required to be licensed. You may work under your Compact privilege while you complete your application in order to avoid a gap in employment but must work towards being licensed in a timely manner.
  • I have an expired license in Louisiana but am now interested in getting a Compact privilege. Can I use my old licensee account to take the Jurisprudence exam?
    • No. All Compact holders are required to create and maintain a Compact User Dashboard. Click Here to register for a new Compact User Dashboard. Be advised, you may only use an email address once with our website. If the email address you'd like to use is still on file under your expired licensee account, please contact our office for assistance. If you complete the Jurisprudence via an expired licensee account, a staff member will contact you to rectify the situation.
  • I'm doing Telehealth in Louisiana. What should I put as my Louisiana worksite in my Compact User Dashboard?
    • On the address line, please put Telehealth. 
  • I don't know my work dates or Louisiana worksite location yet. What do I put in my Compact User Dashboard?
    • You may login to your dashboard at any time to update these fields. If you do not have a work assignment when you create your account, please put 'Worksite TBD' in the address line. Once you receive your employment information, please login and update your account.
  • I live near the Louisiana state border in another state (TX, AR, & MS) and have a permanent worksite in Louisiana. I don't have employment start/end dates. What should I put in my Dashboard?
    • You may leave the worksite start/end dates blank. The worksite start/end dates are for those who are traveling/on contract.
  • I created a New Applicant account by mistake and took the Juriprudence. Will this be sufficient to complete the Jurisprudence requirement?
    • No. All individuals seeking a Compact privilege in Louisiana must create a Compact User Dashboard to take their Jurisprudence and report their contact information. A staff member monitors all transactions and will be in contact if the wrong account is created to provide you with instructions to rectify the issue.
  • I don't see the answer to my question here. Who should I contact? 
      • The Assistant Executive Director is the best contact in our office for inquiries related to the PT Compact. You may also contact the PT Compact directly via their website.

**Reminder: you must maintain a license in the state in which you are domiciled (permanent address).