Licensure guide · Iowa

How to get a Iowa occupational therapy license

Occupational therapists in Iowa are licensed by the Iowa Board of Physical & Occupational Therapy. Below is what the board requires, from education to renewal, with every requirement linked to the board page it comes from. Checked October 22, 2026.

Step by step

Getting licensed

Education: Applicants must complete an occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE-accredited program, including supervised fieldwork, with official transcripts sent directly to the board by the school. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the NBCOT exam, with the score sent to the board by NBCOT score transfer. [2]
Fees: The application fee is $120 and is non-refundable. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants apply and pay online through the licensure portal linked from the board's occupational therapist application page. [2] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Iowa has enacted the OT Compact but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants licensed elsewhere still need a Iowa license for now.

Licensed in another state: Applicants previously licensed in another state must submit verification of every state license and show one of: 30 hours of Iowa board-approved continuing education in the prior two years, 2,080 hours of practice as an OT in the prior two years, one year as full-time OT faculty, or a passing NBCOT score within the prior two years. [2]
Interstate compact: Iowa has joined the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact but is still completing rule and database updates to become an active member state. [6]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Graduates awaiting the NBCOT exam may apply for an occupational therapist limited license ($120 application fee) naming a supervising OT; it expires when exam results become available or 6 months after issue, whichever is sooner, and holders who fail the exam must stop practicing. [3]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Occupational therapist licenses renew every two years; the renewal period begins on the sixteenth day of the licensee's birth month and ends on the fifteenth day of the birth month two years later. [4]
Continuing education: Occupational therapists must complete at least 30 hours of board-approved continuing education each two-year renewal period; newly licensed therapists are exempt for their first renewal. [5]

Working in Iowa

Pay and openings

Occupational therapists in Iowa earn a mean of $89,720 a year (BLS). Most of our Iowa searches are confidential and never posted; tell us what you want and we will match you quietly.

Sources

Every requirement above was checked against the official page listed here on October 22, 2026. Boards change fees and rules, so confirm with the Iowa board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Iowa licenses

Occupational therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

Getting licensed in Iowa for a move?

Tell us the setting and the city you want. We will tell you which employers are hiring and how long they will wait for a license.

Start a confidential conversation