Licensure guide · Ohio

How to get a Ohio occupational therapy license

Occupational therapists in Ohio are licensed by the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board. 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 an occupational therapy program accredited by ACOTE, or show completion of a substantially equivalent educational program. [2]
National exam: Applicants must pass the certification examination of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) for occupational therapists. [3]
State law exam: Applicants must take the Ohio OT Jurisprudence Exam for Licensure Applicants online through myicourse, score at least 90%, and have the transcript sent to the board. [4]
Required courses: Applications for initial OT licensure must include viewing a required presentation about the board's safe haven program. [2]
Background check: Applicants must complete a BCI/FBI criminal records check; if the license is not issued within 6 months of the board receiving the results, new checks are required. [4]
Fees: The non-refundable application fee is $100.00, paid by card with the online application. [4]
Where to apply: Applicants register and apply online through the eLicense Ohio system, linked from the board's OT licensing page. [5] Open the application →
Processing time: The board states that applications are reviewed within five business days of submission, after which the applicant is emailed whether the application is approved or more documentation is needed. [9]

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

Ohio is a OT Compact member and is issuing compact privileges: occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants licensed in another member state can obtain a privilege to practice in Ohio without applying for a new state license.

Licensed in another state: Endorsement applicants must meet the education and NBCOT examination requirements and hold a current, valid OT license in another state or U.S. territory or current, valid NBCOT certification; those out of practice more than five years may face additional requirements. [2]
Interstate compact: Ohio participates in the OT Compact under Ohio Revised Code 4755.14; applicants seeking an Ohio compact privilege must pass the Ohio occupational therapy jurisprudence examination before practicing in Ohio and again before each privilege renewal after the first. [8]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: Military members or spouses of military members who hold a license in another state may apply for a seven-year temporary license. [5]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: OT licenses expire June 30 of odd-numbered years; renewal opens April 1 before expiration, costs $70 plus a $3.50 eLicense Ohio fee, and late renewal is not allowed. [6]
Continuing education: Occupational therapists must complete twenty contact hours of continuing education each two-year renewal cycle, including at least one contact hour of ethics, jurisprudence, or cultural competence and one contact hour of mental health and/or substance use; no continuing education is required for the first renewal. [7]

Working in Ohio

Pay and openings

Occupational therapists in Ohio earn a mean of $97,390 a year (BLS). Most of our Ohio 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 Ohio board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other Ohio licenses

Occupational therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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