Travel Therapy Licensure,
Simplified for Every State
A licensing guide for travel PTs, PTAs, OTs, COTAs, and SLPs: the boards and fees for the District and the states, PT & OT Compact privileges, and state-specific tips.
Browse by Discipline
Select your therapy discipline for a tailored licensing overview, national certification requirements, and compact privileges.
Physical Therapist (PT)
NPTE, state licensure, PT Compact privileges
PT Assistant (PTA)
NPTE-PTA, supervision requirements, compact eligibility
Occupational Therapist (OT)
NBCOT, state licensure, OT Compact privileges
OT Assistant (COTA)
NBCOT-COTA, supervision, compact eligibility
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
ASHA CCCs, CCC-SLP, state licensing requirements
Interstate Compact Guides
🔎 Check your exact route
Being a member state and issuing privileges are different things — 3 jurisdictions have enacted the PT Compact without issuing any yet. The Compact Eligibility Checker takes your home state and your destination and tells you whether a privilege is available today: 38 PT, 11 OT and 4 ASLP-IC jurisdictions are issuing, as each compact’s own list showed on November 3, 2026.
PT and OT Compacts allow expedited licensure in member states — no full application required. Learn how to leverage compact privileges for faster assignment starts. See our 2026 compact update — member states, costs, and activation timelines for where all three stand.
🤝 PT Compact
Physical therapists and PTAs can buy a compact privilege in any of the 38 states that issue them, one state at a time. Learn who qualifies, how to activate privileges, and the full member state list.
PT Compact Guide →✋ OT Compact
OTs and COTAs can activate expedited licensure in member states through the OT Compact Commission. See the current member list and activation steps.
OT Compact Guide →🗣️ SLP Compact
The SLP compact is live and issuing privileges. States join one at a time, so see whether your home state has onboarded, and the endorsement route where it hasn't.
SLP Compact Status →All 50 States — Licensure Info
Click any state to see its licensing board, fees, processing times, compact membership, and traveler tips. PT = PT Compact member OT = OT Compact member
Get Personalized Licensing Help
Not sure which compact states you qualify for, or how to start a new state application? A travel therapy recruiter who specializes in licensing can walk you through the process — for free.
- Compact privilege activation guidance
- Multi-state application strategy
- Application document checklists
- Processing time estimates by state
Free Licensing Consultation
A recruiter emails you about your request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PT Compact and who qualifies?
The PT Compact lets PTs and PTAs buy a compact privilege: in the PT Compact Commission’s words, the authorization to practice in a compact member state other than your home state, and the legal equivalent to a state-issued license. To qualify you need a current, valid PT or PTA license in your home state, meaning the state of your primary residence. That state must be a member actively issuing privileges, and you must have no active encumbrance or recent disciplinary action on any of your licenses.
Can SLPs, OTs and COTAs use a compact?
Yes. The SLP compact, the ASLP-IC, is live and issuing privileges. States join one at a time, so check whether your home state has onboarded before you count on it; where it hasn't, SLPs still use each state's endorsement process. See our SLP Compact page for the latest status on multistate licensure for speech-language pathologists.
OTs and COTAs have their own compact: the OT Compact Commission says OTs and OTAs licensed in good standing in a Compact member state will be eligible to practice in other member states via a compact privilege. Enacting the compact and issuing privileges are separate steps. So check the issuing counts near the top of this page and the Commission’s Before You Apply list for your home state and your destination.
How long does it take to get licensed in a new state as a travel therapist?
According to the PT Compact Commission, a PT Compact privilege is in most cases issued within minutes of purchase. A state’s jurisprudence exam can add time before you can buy it. Endorsement times vary by state, and each board publishes its own. Always apply as early as possible.
Can I use compact privileges if I'm a new grad?
Yes, once your home-state license is issued. The PT Compact Commission sets no requirement on how long you must hold a license or be practicing before you buy a privilege. But your home state, the state of your primary residence, must be a member issuing privileges. Before that license, a temporary license or permit is a state board’s own route with its own conditions, such as the onsite supervision Texas requires on its temporary license.
Do I need to renew licenses in states I no longer work in?
Only if you want to keep practicing there. A PT Compact privilege expires on the same date as the home state license in effect when you bought it. You renew your home state license before you can renew the privilege. If you let a state-issued license lapse, the PT Compact Commission notes that you will need to reinstate it should you later move to that state.
How much does it cost to get licensed in each state?
It depends on the state and discipline: each board sets its own application fee. A PT Compact privilege costs the Commission’s fee plus an optional state fee for each state. The renewal fee is the same as the first purchase. Every state’s amount is in our full PT Compact guide.