# Fla. Stat. § 486.031: 486.031 Physical therapist; licensing requirements; exemption

> Florida · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.031

## Section

- **Citation:** Fla. Stat. § 486.031
- **Heading:** 486.031 Physical therapist; licensing requirements; exemption
- **Jurisdiction:** Florida
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Florida Code / Title XXXII / Chapter 486 / Section 486.031

## Text

(1) To be eligible for licensing as a physical therapist, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria: (a) Be at least 18 years old. (b) Be of good moral character. (c)1. Have graduated from a school of physical therapy which has been approved for the educational preparation of physical therapists by the appropriate accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor or the United States Department of Education at the time of her or his graduation and have passed, to the satisfaction of the board, the American Registry Examination before 1971 or a national examination approved by the board to determine her or his fitness for practice as a physical therapist under this chapter; 2. Have received a diploma from a program in physical therapy in a foreign country and have educational credentials deemed equivalent to those required for the educational preparation of physical therapists in this country, as recognized by the appropriate agency as identified by the board, and have passed to the satisfaction of the board an examination to determine her or his fitness for practice as a physical therapist under this chapter; or 3. Be entitled to licensure by endorsement or without examination as provided in s. 486.081. (d) Have submitted to background screening in accordance with s. 456.0135.

(2) A person licensed as a physical therapist in another state who is practicing under the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact pursuant to s. 486.112, and only within the scope provided therein, is exempt from the licensure requirements of this section.

History: s. 3, ch. 57-67; s. 2, ch. 67-537; s. 39, ch. 77-121; s. 3, ch. 78-278; s. 2, ch. 79-116; s. 362, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 5, 24, ch. 83-86; ss. 17, 18, ch. 86-31; s. 5, ch. 89-124; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 28, ch. 94-310; s. 458, ch. 97-103; s. 177, ch. 97-264; s. 65, ch. 2024-15; s. 32, ch. 2024-243; s. 22, ch. 2024-274.

## Nearby sections

- [Fla. Stat. § 486.011 486.011 Short title.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.011.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.015 486.015 Legislative intent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.015.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.021 486.021 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.021.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.023 486.023 Board of Physical Therapy Practice.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.023.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.025 486.025 Powers and duties of the Board of Physical Therapy Practice.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.025.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.028 486.028 License to practice physical therapy required.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.028.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.031 486.031 Physical therapist; licensing requirements; exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.031.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.041 486.041 Physical therapist; application for license; fee.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.041.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.051 486.051 Physical therapist; examination of applicant.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.051.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.061 486.061 Physical therapist; issuance of license.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.061.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.081 486.081 Physical therapist; issuance of license by endorsement; issuance of license without examination to person passing examination of another authorized examining board in a foreign country; fee; exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.081.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.085 486.085 Physical therapist; renewal of license; inactive status; reactivation of license; fees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.085.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.102 486.102 Physical therapist assistant; licensing requirements; exemption.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.102.md)
- [Fla. Stat. § 486.103 486.103 Physical therapist assistant; application for license; fee.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.103.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXXII_C486_S486.031. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.