Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy Arkansas Department of Health

Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy

Criminal Background Checks

Effective February 20, 2020, the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy will implement fingerprint-based criminal background checks under ArCA §17-93-303(b) and ArCA §17-93-304(b). This requirement will apply to all new applicants and reinstatements as of February 20, 2020. Please review the applications for licensure form and reinstatement form for instructions pertaining to this new requirement.

Physical Therapy Licensure Compact

The Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PTLC) is a state-based solution to the challenges of interstate licensure portability for physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs). It will improve patient access to physical therapy services by giving eligible licensees in participating states a faster, less expensive alternative to traditional licensure.

On March 5, 2019, Governor Hutchinson signed into law HB 1421, which establishes the Interstate Physical Therapy Licensure Compact in Arkansas. The PT Compact Commission has continued to work on establishing the various systems necessary to issue Compact Privileges and Arkansas will actively issue and accept Compact Privileges beginning February 28, 2020.

The Compact Commission has set a fee of $45, and the Arkansas fee of $50 was adopted by the Arkansas Board on July 18, 2019, to be effective after new Rules are adopted.

Information regarding the availability of compact privileges and the procedure for applying for a privilege is available online at www.ptcompact.org.

Individuals applying for a compact privilege to Arkansas must pass the AR state Board of Physical Therapy Jurisprudence Exam. The exam is to be completed on the Board's website.

Board Staff

Nancy Worthen, Executive Director

Lyndsey R. Kinsey, Administrative Specialist III

Board Meetings:

Resources: