1. (a) Licensure by reciprocity.

   1. (1) Required qualifications. An applicant applying for reciprocal licensure shall meet the following requirements:

      1. (A)

2. (i) The applicant shall hold a substantially similar license in another United States jurisdiction.

   1. (ii) A license from another state is substantially similar to an Arkansas physical therapist/physical therapist assistant license if the other state’s licensure qualifications require a licensee to graduate from a physical therapist/physical therapist assistant education program accredited by a national accreditation agency approved by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy.

      1. (iii) The applicant shall hold his or her occupational licensure in good standing.

         1. (iv) The applicant shall not have had a license revoked for:
3. (a) (a) An act of bad faith; or

4. (b) (b) A violation of law, rule, or ethics.

   1. (v) The applicant shall not hold a suspended or probationary license in a United States jurisdiction;

      1. (B) The applicant shall be sufficiently competent in the field of physical therapy as described in subdivision (a)(2)(D) of this section; and
      2. (C) The applicant shall meet the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy’s least restrictive requirements, which are described in subdivision (a)(2)(E) of this section.

   2. (2) Required documentation.

      1. (A) An applicant shall submit:

         1. (i) A fully executed application;
         2. (ii) The required fee; and
         3. (iii) The documentation described below.

      2. (B) As evidence that the applicant’s license from another jurisdiction is substantially similar to Arkansas’s, the applicant shall submit the following information:

         1. (i)
5. (a) (a) Evidence of current and active licensure in that state.

6. (b) (b) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy may verify this information:

   1. (1) (1) Online, if the jurisdiction at issue provides primary source verification on its website;
   2. (2) (2) By telephone to the other state’s licensing board; or

   3. (3) (3) From FSBPT (or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved entity); and

      1. (ii)
7. (a) (a) Evidence that the other state’s licensure requirements match those listed in subdivision (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section.

8. (b) (b) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy may verify this information:

   1. (1) (1) Online;
   2. (2) (2) By telephone to the other state’s licensing board; or

   3. (3) (3) From FSBPT (or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved entity).

      1. (C) To demonstrate that the applicant meets the requirement in subdivisions (a)(1)(A)(iii) – (v) of this section, the applicant shall provide the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy with:

         1. (i) The names of all states in which the applicant is currently licensed or has been previously licensed; and
         2. (ii)
9. (a) (a) Letters of good standing or other information from each state in which the applicant is currently or has ever been licensed showing that the applicant has not had his or her license revoked for the reasons listed in subdivision (a)(1)(A)(iv) of this section and does not hold a license on suspended or probationary status as described in subdivision (a)(1)(A)(v) of this section.

10. (b) (b) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy may verify this information:

    1. (1) (1) Online, if the jurisdiction at issue provides primary source verification on its website; or

    2. (2) (2) By telephone to the other state’s licensing board.

       1. (D) As evidence that the applicant is sufficiently competent in the field of physical therapy, an applicant shall provide the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy with evidence from FSBPT (or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved entity) that a physical therapy applicant has passed the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) or that a physical therapist assistant applicant has passed the NPTE-PTA.

       2. (E) As evidence that the applicant meets the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy’s least restrictive requirements, an applicant shall:

          1. (i) Take and pass an Arkansas jurisprudence exam; and
          2. (ii) Submit to a background check in accordance with:
11. (a) (a) Arkansas Code § 17-93-303 for physical therapist applicants; or

12. (b) (b) Arkansas Code § 17-93-304 for physical therapist assistant applicants.

    1. (3) Temporary and provisional licensure.

       1. (A) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall issue a temporary and provisional license upon request immediately upon receipt of the:

          1. (i) Required fee; and
          2. (ii) Documentation required to show that the applicant has a license from another jurisdiction that is:
13. (a) (a) In good standing; and

14. (b) (b) Substantially similar to an Arkansas physical therapist/physical therapist assistant license.

    1. (B) An applicant shall submit a completed application with all required remaining documentation in order to receive a license.

       1. (C) The temporary license shall be effective for ninety (90) days or until the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy makes a decision on the application, whichever occurs first.

15. (b) Licensure by examination.

    1. (1) Applicants who comply with qualifications in accordance with the Arkansas Physical Therapy Act, Arkansas Code § 17-93-101 et seq., shall be permitted to sit for examination.

    2. (2) Form of examination.

       1. (A) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy selects and approves the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for Arkansas physical therapist applicants and the NPTE-PTA for Arkansas physical therapist assistant applicants.

       2. (B)

          1. (i) The examination will be administered by Prometric or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved examination administrator.
          2. (ii) Written guidelines and procedures will be provided at the time of application.
       3. (C) The examination must be completed by the date provided by FSBPT (or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved entity) or a portion of the fee will be forfeited.
    3. (3) Passing level. For each examination given on or after March 1996, a passing score will be established by the FSBPT.

    4. (4) Scoring and reporting of examinations.

       1. (A) Results of the examinations will be kept on file by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy.
       2. (B) Examination scores will be reported directly to each candidate by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy.

    5. (5) Failure to pass examination.

       1. (A)

          1. (i) A candidate who fails to pass the examination will be notified.
          2. (ii) The candidate is ineligible for a license in Arkansas as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant until the examination is passed.

       2. (B)

          1. (i) Upon payment of an appropriate fee, applicants who do not pass the examination after the first attempt may retake the examination one (1) additional time without reapplication for licensure.
          2. (ii) This must occur within six (6) months from the first failure.

       3. (C)

          1. (i) Prior to being approved by the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy for each subsequent test beyond two (2) attempts, individuals shall reapply and demonstrate evidence satisfactory to the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy of having successfully completed additional education.
          2. (ii) Additional education may be one (1) or more of the following:
16. (a) (a) A commercial review course; or

17. (b)

    1. (1) (b)(1) An individual tutorial.
    2. (2) (2) The completed tutorial must be signed by the tutor and include the tutor’s curriculum vitae.
    3. (3) (3) If the applicant is applying for a PT license, the tutor must be a licensed PT.

    4. (4) (4) If the applicant is applying for a PTA license, the tutor must be a licensed PT or a licensed PTA.

       1. (D) An applicant may not sit for the exam more than six (6) times without approval from both the:

          1. (i) Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy; and
          2. (ii) FSBPT (or another Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy-approved entity).
          3. (c) Licensure of active duty service members, returning military veterans, and spouses.

    5. (1) As used in this subsection:

       1. (A) “Uniformed service member” means:

          1. (i) An active or reserve component member of the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Coast Guard, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Space Force, or National Guard;
          2. (ii) An active component member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps; or
          3. (iii) An active or reserve component member of the United States Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service; and
       2. (B) “Uniformed service veteran” means a former member of the United States uniformed services discharged under circumstances other than dishonorable.

    6. (2) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall grant expedited licensure to an individual who is:

       1. (A) A uniformed service member stationed in the State of Arkansas;
       2. (B) A uniformed service veteran who resides in or establishes residency in Arkansas; or

       3. (C) The spouse of:

          1. (i) A person under subdivisions (c)(2)(A) or (c)(2)(B) of this section;
          2. (ii) A uniformed service member who is assigned a tour of duty that excludes the uniformed service member’s spouse from accompanying the uniformed service member and the spouse relocates to this state; or
          3. (iii) A uniformed service member who is killed or succumbs to his or her injuries or illness in the line of duty if the spouse establishes residency in the state.

    7. (3) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall grant such expedited licensure upon receipt of all the below:

       1. (A) Payment of the initial licensure fee;
       2. (B) An application showing the applicant meets the licensure requirements, including passing the required examinations, in the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy’s statutes and rules;
       3. (C) Evidence that the applicant is a qualified applicant under subdivision (c)(2) of this section; and
       4. (D) Results of a background check in accordance with Arkansas Code § 17-93-303 for physical therapist applicants or Arkansas Code § 17-93-304 for physical therapist assistant applicants, if the background check does not reveal a felony conviction.

    8. (4) Military temporary.

       1. (A) The Director of the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall issue a temporary license immediately upon receipt of the documentation required under subdivisions (c)(3)(A) – (C) of this section.
       2. (B) The temporary license shall be effective for ninety (90) days or until the Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy receives the results of the background check described in subdivision (c)(3)(D) of this section.
    9. (5) The expiration date of a license for a deployed uniformed service member or spouse will be extended for one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the uniformed service member’s return from deployment.
    10. (6) A full exemption from continuing education requirements will be allowed for a deployed uniformed service member or spouse until one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the uniformed service member’s return from deployment.

    11. (7) The Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy shall accept relevant and applicable uniformed service education, training, national certification, or service-issued credential toward licensure qualifications or requirements when considering an application for initial licensure of an individual listed in subdivision (c)(2) of this section.

        1. (d) Licensure under Physical Therapy Licensure Compact. Any person who desires to exercise the privilege to practice under the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact must complete the terms and provisions of the compact as prescribed in Arkansas Code § 17-93-501 et seq.

Codification Notes: "NPTE-PTA" means National Physical Therapy Exam for physical therapist assistants.