Licensure guide · Louisiana
How to get a Louisiana occupational therapy license
Occupational therapists in Louisiana are licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. 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 successfully completed the academic and supervised fieldwork requirements needed to sit for the occupational therapist certification examination. [2]
- National exam
- Applicants for a full license must be currently certified by NBCOT, and the score report must be sent directly from NBCOT to the board. [3]
- Background check
- A background check is required for licensure; the board sends instructions for completing it after the application has been received. [3]
- Fees
- The non-refundable licensure fee for an occupational therapist is $150.00; a temporary license applicant pays $200.00, which includes a $50.00 temporary license fee and the $150.00 licensure fee. [3]
- Where to apply
- Applicants begin a new online initial application through the LSBME LaMED DashBoard, linked from the board's OT application instructions page. [3] Open the application →
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
Louisiana has enacted the OT Compact but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants licensed elsewhere still need a Louisiana license for now.
- Licensed in another state
- The board may waive the examination and license an applicant who holds current OT licensure in another state, the District of Columbia, or a US territory with equivalent standards that grants similar privileges to Louisiana licensees. [4]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- The board lists a temporary license issued for 3 months to recent graduates who have registered for NBCOT certification, but the same page states the LSBME will no longer routinely grant temporary permits/licenses. [3]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- OT licenses must be renewed annually on or before the expiration date, with the renewal fee and proof of continuing education; a license expired 60 days or less can be renewed with a late fee. [4]
- Continuing education
- Licensees must complete at least 14 contact hours (1.4 CEUs) each year, including 1 hour of ethics approved by AOTA, LOTA, or NBCOT and a 1-hour LSBME course on the rules and regulations for OTs and COTAs. [4]
Working in Louisiana
Pay and openings
Occupational therapists in Louisiana earn a mean of $92,940 a year (BLS). Most of our Louisiana 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 Louisiana board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://www.lsbme.la.gov/
- [2] https://a.storyblok.com/f/150540/x/0940335e75/occupational-therapy-practice-act-may-2024.pdf
- [3] https://www.lsbme.la.gov/content/application-instructions-initial-licensure-occupational-therapistassistant
- [4] https://a.storyblok.com/f/150540/x/924e4b4a69/occupational-therapists-assistants-may-2025rev.pdf
Other Louisiana licenses
Occupational therapy licenses in other states
Getting licensed in Louisiana for a move?
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