Physical Therapy Board of California
Foreign-Educated PT Applicant
Examination Information
The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (Federation) is the PTBC’s examination vendor. You will register, pay, receive your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter, schedule your exam date and location, and receive your examination scores from the Federation (not the PTBC) through email and/or your Federation account.
To be made eligible for the NPTE and CAL-JAM, you must have:
- A completed credential evaluation reflecting your education is equivalent to a professional degree issued by a U.S.- accredited physical therapy educational program.
- Applied to PTBC.
- Registered and paid for the NPTE and CAL-JAM through the Federation.
The Federation’s Examination Deadline Calendar
National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)
The PT NPTE is 250 questions, and you have five hours to complete it. You may take the NPTE three times in a 12-month period.
Cost: $485.00 to the Federation; $100.30 to the Prometric testing center. No examination fees are paid to PTBC.
California Jurisprudence Assessment Module (CAL-JAM)
The CAL-JAM tests applicants’ knowledge of the laws and regulations related to the practice of physical therapy in California. It is the same for both physical therapist and physical therapist assistant applicants. The CAL-JAM consists of 50 questions, and you have one hour to complete it. The CAL-JAM is an online, off-site examination and can be taken on your personal desktop or laptop computer. You do not need to be in California to sit for the CAL-JAM. Upon receipt of the Authorization to Test (ATT) letter, you have 96 hours to take the CAL-JAM.
Cost: $50 to the Federation. No examination fees are paid to PTBC.
The CAL-JAM study materials are compiled by PTBC in the California Laws and Regulations Related to the Practice of Physical Therapy publication. In addition, a CAL-JAM content outline is available on the Federation’s website.
If you are unsuccessful at a CAL-JAM exam attempt, you may register with the Federation again 15 days after the last exam date. You do not need to submit a new application to PTBC if your application is still active and has not reached its expiration date.
Additional Information
For information regarding examination preparation, day-of expectations, and more, please visit the Federation’s website.