Licensure guide · Kansas
How to get a Kansas occupational therapy license
Occupational therapists in Kansas are licensed by the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. 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 have completed the academic requirements of an occupational therapy educational program recognized by the Board and a period of supervised field work recognized by the Board. [2]
- National exam
- Applicants must pass the board-approved entry-level certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), with a minimum criterion-scaled score of 450. [2]
- Fees
- The Board's occupational therapy application fee is $80.00. [3]
- Where to apply
- Initial occupational therapist applications are submitted using the Initial Licensing Application on the Board's Licensing Forms page. [6] Open the application →
- Processing time
- The Board states the application process takes on average four to eight weeks, though each application is different. [4]
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
Kansas has enacted the OT Compact but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants licensed elsewhere still need a Kansas license for now.
- Licensed in another state
- The Board may waive the examination, education or experience requirements for an applicant with current occupational therapy licensure or registration in another state, the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory whose standards the Board finds equivalent to or higher than Kansas's. [2]
- Interstate compact
- Kansas enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact through HB 2533, which was signed by the Governor and takes effect upon publication in the statute book. [5]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- Applicants who meet all licensure requirements except the examination may receive one temporary permit, which expires one year after issuance and carries an additional $25 nonrefundable fee. [4]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- Occupational therapist licenses must be renewed annually and expire on March 31; the renewal cycle begins February 15 and ends April 30. [4]
- Continuing education
- Licensees must complete at least 40 contact hours of continuing education during the preceding 24 months, submitted with renewal in each odd-numbered year, with at least 30 contact hours from class I, IV, V or VI activities. [2]
Working in Kansas
Pay and openings
Occupational therapists in Kansas earn a mean of $96,150 a year (BLS). We have 1 public occupational therapy opening in Kansas right now, and more searches that are never posted.
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 Kansas board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/
- [2] https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/198/638772180527470000
- [3] https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/departments/licensing/license-fees
- [4] https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/departments/licensing/licensing-faqs/occupational-therapist
- [5] https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2533/
- [6] https://www.ksbha.ks.gov/forms/licensing
Other Kansas licenses
Occupational therapy licenses in other states
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