New Pathways to Licensure: Board Streamlines Rules Effective December 31, 2025

In May 2023, the Washington State Legislature passed Second Substitute House Bill 1724. The new law, RCW 18.130.077, requires disciplining authorities to waive education, training, experience, and exam requirements for applicants already credentialed in another state with substantially equivalent standards.

Under the law, applicants must be licensed for at least two years immediately before applying in Washington, with no gap in licensure longer than 90 days and no disciplinary action.

Board action

To comply with the new law, the Board of Physical Therapy updated several rules in WAC 246-915. The Board also amended its endorsement rules to create a licensure pathway for applicants licensed in other states for less than two years.

The Board also clarified when foreign-educated applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

In addition, the Board removed the jurisprudence exam as a prelicensure requirement. The exam is now a continuing education (CE) requirement.

What these changes mean for applicants:

Applicants licensed for at least two years

Applicants licensed for at least two years in a substantially equivalent state, with no disciplinary action and no gaps in licensure longer than 90 days, will only need to submit:

• An application
• License fees
• Verification of licensure from all states where they hold a health care license
• These applicants no longer need to submit National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) scores or transcripts.

Applicants licensed for less than two years

Applicants licensed for less than two years in a substantially equivalent state, with no disciplinary action and no licensure gaps longer than 90 days, may qualify for licensure by endorsement. They must submit:

• An application
• Licensing fees
• Verification of licensure from all states where they hold or have held a health care license
• A signed attestation confirming graduation from a CAPTE-accredited program and passage of the NPTE
• An employer verification form attesting to at least 200 hours of lawful practice in the state of licensure within the two years immediately before applying

Foreign-educated applicants

Applicants under the foreign-educated pathway do not need to take the TOEFL if they provide:

• Evidence that English is the native language of their country of origin, or
• Documentation sent directly to the department verifying their physical therapy program was taught in English

Jurisprudence exam requirement

New applicants, regardless of pathway to licensure, are no longer required to take the jurisprudence exam before licensure. The exam must be completed once during the first full CE cycle after licensure. After that, it will remain available as an optional free CE hour in future cycles.

Rule adoption and effective date

The Board filed a permanent rule-making order in April 2025. The changes aim to reduce licensure barriers, align rules with recent legislation, and streamline the licensure process for endorsed and foreign-educated applicants.

All changes take effect December 31, 2025.