US-Educated PT/PTA Applicant-Endorsement—Physical Therapy Board of California

PT/PTA Endorsement Applicant Process Map Exam Information Exam Accommodations Fingerprinting Photo Fees License Applicant Status Military Expedite Summary/Checklist

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US-Educated PT/PTA Applicant — Endorsement

If you already hold a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant license in another U.S. physical therapy licensing jurisdiction, you will apply for licensure in California by way of Endorsement. All application requirements and process information are available on this page using the navigation bar to the left. Please review all information prior to selecting Apply Now.

As an applicant, you are personally responsible for all information disclosed on your application form as well as all supporting materials. An application may be denied based upon omission, falsification, or misrepresentation of any item or response on the application or any attachment. PTBC considers violations of an ethical nature to be a serious breach of professional conduct.

If you would like PTBC to disclose information regarding the processing of your application to another party, you must provide PTBC a letter authorizing release of your application information to that party.

Due Diligence

Pursuant to CCR § 1398.21, an application shall be denied without prejudice when, at the discretion of PTBC, an applicant does not exercise due diligence in the completion of his or her application, in furnishing information or documentation requested, or in the payment of fees.

Grounds for Denial

Each applicant’s credentials for licensure in California are evaluated on an individual basis. PTBC has the authority to deny licensure based upon an applicant’s act of dishonesty, unprofessional conduct, conviction of a crime, discipline of professional license of a jurisdiction in the United States, or inability to practice safely.

COMMON ACRONYMS AND TERMS
PTBC	Physical Therapy Board of California	PTBC is the state agency charged with protecting physical therapy consumers and enforcing the Physical Therapy Practice Act.
Federation or FSBPT	Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy	The Federation is a national organization comprised of the 54 U.S. physical therapy licensing jurisdictions.
Prometric	Prometric testing center	Prometric testing centers are where the NPTE and CAL–Law are administered.
NPTE	National Physical Therapy Examination	The NPTE is a standard and defensible measure of entry–level competency that applies equally to all licensure candidates.
CAL–JAM	California Jurisprudence Assessment Module	The CAL–JAM is a state–specific examination that tests applicants' knowledge of laws and regulations specific to physical therapy practice in California.
CAPTE	Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education	CAPTE is an accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and grants specialized accreditation status to qualified entry–level physical therapy programs.
Live Scan	Live Scan fingerprinting	Live Scan is a method of fingerprinting that enables electronic fingerprint submission for processing.
DOJ	Department of Justice	For applications, the DOJ conducts background checks using Live Scan fingerprint submissions.
FBI	Federal Bureau of Investigation	For applications, the FBI conducts background checks using Live Scan fingerprint submissions.
BreEZe	BreEZe	BreEZe is a one–stop online shop for consumers, licensees, and applicants. Consumers can verify a provider's license status and file a complaint; applicants can apply for licensure; and licensees can submit a license renewal and access a variety of other services relating to licensure.