Athletic Trainers (ATs) do important work in the communities they serve. With this growing recognition and need for ATs, the Council of State Governments (CSG), Department of Defense (DoD), and Board of Certification (BOC) have partnered to develop a new interstate compact to allow licensed Athletic Trainers to practice across state lines physically and remotely.

On the surface, license portability creates more employment opportunities and enhances care delivery. Specifically, the compact offers five significant benefits to licensed ATs, including:

• Improved Multistate Practice Experience: A single qualifying license, obtained through a “compact privilege,” reduces the need for multiple individual state licenses.
• Digital Health Support: The compact supports the expansion of telehealth services by ATs across state lines, increasing patient access to care.
• Enhanced Information Sharing: A central data system will allow member states to quickly share license verification and disciplinary information, improving transparency and public protection.
• State Authority Maintained: The compact respects individual state sovereignty, allowing states to retain control over the specific scope of practice laws and initial licensing requirements.
• Streamlined Process for Military Families: The compact aims to ease the licensure portability challenges military personnel and their spouses face when relocating.

For athletic trainers, this compact reinforces the need for and creates access to the important care they provide. To learn more about the National Center for Interstate Compacts and the Board of Certification for Athletic Trainers, we invite you to explore the Athletic Trainers – National Center for Interstate Compacts.