Missouri Physical Therapist License Requirements 2026

Missouri requires all practicing physical therapists to hold a current Physical Therapist License issued by the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, administered with guidance from the Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists. As of January 14, 2025, all applications are submitted through Missouri’s new online licensing system, MOPRO, at mopro.mo.gov. Paper applications remain available for those who cannot apply online.

Missouri’s application fees are among the lowest in the country — $25 for both examination and reciprocity pathways. However, Missouri has one of the more comprehensive application documentation requirements: applicants must submit an activities statement covering all employment and professional activities from high school graduation (or the past 10 years), official transcripts from every college attended, and verification from every state or jurisdiction where a PT or PTA license has ever been held. The Board advises allowing a minimum of 6 weeks for processing after receipt of the application and fee.

Missouri requires both the NPTE and a state-specific Jurisprudence Examination. The jurisprudence exam consists of 20 true/false questions covering Missouri PT laws and rules, with a 75% minimum passing score required. Missouri also requires a jurisprudence exam before a PT Compact Privilege can be issued — travel PTs should plan for this before pursuing Missouri assignments.

What Makes Missouri Different

Missouri’s application requirements are notably more comprehensive than most states. Beyond transcripts and exam scores, applicants must submit a complete activities statement documenting all employment, professional, and nonprofessional activities from high school graduation to the date of application (or the last 10 years, whichever is more recent). This includes non-PT employment. Applicants must also submit legal name change documents for all name changes since birth, and license verifications from every jurisdiction where PT or PTA privileges have ever been held — verification must come directly from the licensing agency, not the applicant.

Missouri also requires applicants to provide satisfactory evidence of good moral character and innocence of unprofessional conduct, and confirms they are at least 21 years of age. Applicants who cannot meet these standards may be subject to Board review.

PT Compact and Missouri

Missouri is a PT Compact member state. Missouri’s Compact participation allows eligible out-of-state PTs to practice in Missouri through a compact privilege without obtaining a full Missouri license.

If Missouri is your home state:

Missouri-licensed PTs in good standing may purchase Compact Privileges to practice in other member states through the PT Compact Commission at ptcompact.org. Your Missouri license serves as your home state license for Compact purposes and must remain active and in good standing to maintain Compact Privileges in other states.

If you are licensed elsewhere and want to practice in Missouri:

You may apply for a Missouri Compact Privilege ($20 Missouri state fee plus the PT Compact Commission fee) rather than a full Missouri license. Missouri requires completion of the Missouri Jurisprudence Examination before a compact privilege is issued. Apply through MOPRO at mopro.mo.gov after passing the jurisprudence exam. Compact Privilege holders must comply with Missouri law and scope of practice while practicing in the state.

For travel PTs:

Missouri’s PT Compact membership is an efficient pathway for travel PTs. The $20 Missouri state compact fee is among the lowest in Compact member states. Factor in the time needed to complete the Missouri Jurisprudence Exam before planning assignment start dates. Verify current Compact member state status at ptcompact.org/ptc-states.

Missouri PT Licensing Requirements

Missouri Jurisprudence Examination

All applicants for initial licensure and compact privilege must pass the Missouri Jurisprudence Examination. The exam consists of 20 true/false questions covering the Missouri PT Practice Act (RSMo §§334.500–334.685) and the related administrative rules (20 CSR 2150). A minimum passing score of 75% (15 of 20 questions correct) is required. The exam is administered by the Board. The exam study guide is available from the Board at pr.mo.gov/boards/healingarts/therapists/PT-PTAjpexam.pdf.

NPTE

Examination candidates must pass the NPTE administered by FSBPT. Register directly with FSBPT at fsbpt.org. NPTE scores must be sent directly from FSBPT to the Missouri Board.

Criminal Background Check

All applicants must complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check through the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Fingerprint instructions are provided as part of the application process through MOPRO.

Education

Applicants must have graduated from a physical therapy program approved as reputable by the Board. Applicants who graduated after December 31, 2002 must present evidence that their PT degree is equivalent in content to the first professional degree in physical therapy in the United States as defined by FSBPT. Graduation from a CAPTE-accredited program satisfies this requirement. Official transcripts with the school seal affixed must be submitted from every college or university attended, showing courses, grades, degrees awarded, and dates awarded.

Activities Statement

All applicants must submit a written activities statement documenting all employment, professional, and nonprofessional activities from high school graduation to the date of application, or for the last 10 years — whichever is more recent. This requirement applies to all pathways and is more comprehensive than most states’ requirements. The activities statement is part of the MOPRO application form.

License Verifications

All applicants must provide verification submitted directly from every licensing jurisdiction where a PT or PTA license, registration, or certification has ever been held. The verification must include the type of license, issue and expiration dates, and information on any disciplinary or investigative actions. The Board will reject verifications sent by the applicant.

Reciprocity (Out-of-State Licensed PTs)

Out-of-state licensed PTs may apply through the Reciprocity pathway — Missouri’s term for endorsement. The $25 application fee applies. All other application requirements apply, including the jurisprudence examination, activities statement, transcripts, and license verifications. Missouri uses “reciprocity” for what many states call endorsement — PTs searching for Missouri PT endorsement are following this pathway.

Temporary License

A Temporary License ($10) is available for eligible applicants. Contact the Board through MOPRO for current temporary license eligibility requirements and conditions of practice.

Lawful Presence and Photograph

Missouri requires proof of lawful presence for all new applications through MOPRO. U.S. citizens must provide a copy of a birth certificate or U.S. passport. Non-citizens must be lawfully present pursuant to a visa or other authority under 8 U.S.C.A. §1621 and provide a copy of that documentation. This is a Division of Professional Registration requirement that applies across all Missouri professional license applications.

Missouri regulations also require submission of at least one recent photograph with the initial application. Photograph specifications are provided in the MOPRO application workflow.

International Graduates

International applicants must submit their credentials to the Foreign Credentialing Commission of Physical Therapy (FCCPT) for educational equivalency evaluation. TOEFL and TSE scores are required — minimum TOEFL paper-based score of 560 (55 in each section) and TSE minimum of 50, or TOEFL iBT minimum total of 89. International applicants must also provide proof of licensure as a physical therapist in their country of graduation.

How to Apply for a Missouri PT License

1. Create an account at mopro.mo.gov and begin the application
2. Complete the application including the activities statement (all employment from high school graduation or last 10 years)
3. Pay the $25 application fee by credit or debit card through MOPRO
4. Complete the fingerprint-based criminal background check through Missouri State Highway Patrol
5. Request official transcripts from every college attended — sent directly from the institution to the Board
6. Request license verifications from every jurisdiction where a PT or PTA license has ever been held — sent directly from each board
7. Provide proof of lawful presence — U.S. citizens: birth certificate or U.S. passport; non-citizens: visa or other lawful presence documentation per 8 U.S.C.A. §1621
8. Submit a recent photograph as required by Missouri regulation
9. Submit all legal name change documents since birth (if applicable)
10. Register for and pass the NPTE through FSBPT at fsbpt.org (examination candidates)
11. Pass the Missouri Jurisprudence Examination — 20 true/false questions, 75% passing score
12. Allow a minimum of 6 weeks from receipt of complete application for processing

Relevant Statutes and Regulations

• RSMo §334.507 — Physical Therapist Licensing and CE Requirements
• 20 CSR 2150-3.010 — Applicants for Licensure as Professional Physical Therapists
• 20 CSR 2150-3.201 — Continuing Education Requirements
• Missouri Advisory Commission for Physical Therapists — Licensing Page

Related Pages

• Missouri Physical Therapist License Renewal
• Physical Therapist Licensing by State

Frequently Asked Questions