Two examinations must be passed to receive a license to practice physical therapy in the State of Montana. The first examination is the Jurisprudence Examination, which is an open book examination covering current rules and regulations, Montana physical therapy statutes, rules and regulations, subject to Title 37, Chapters 1 and 11, Montana Code Annotated (MCA) and Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM), Chapters 101 and 177. To pass the examination an applicant must score at least a 90%. Applicants failing the Jurisprudence Examination shall retake the examination until passed. A fee of $25.00 will be charged for each retake. Enclosed in the application packet will be a Jurisprudence Examination that needs to be completed and returned with the Licensure Application.
The second examination which must be passed is the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) or the National Physical Therapy Assistant Examination (NPTAE). These examinations are computer-based (taken on a computer). The applicant must register and pay fees to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) to take the NPTE or NPTAE. FSBPT administers the examination, designates the testing sites, and provides the applicant with an authorization to test letter. The testing site is at a local Sylvan Learning Center.
To pass the licensing examination an applicant must score a passing grade equal to or greater than a scaled score of 600.
Applicants may register and sit for the NPTE or NPTAE prior to graduation. Those applicants will need a letter from and bearing the signature of the program director, department chairperson, or similarly authorized official in a board-approved physical therapy school or physical therapist assistant curriculum stating that the applicant is a student at the physical therapy school or physical therapist assistant curriculum, is in good standing, and is expected to graduate at the next scheduled graduation date.
