Licensure guide · South Carolina

How to get a South Carolina occupational therapy license

Occupational therapists in South Carolina are licensed by the South Carolina Board of 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 have graduated from an occupational therapy program approved by ACOTE (or another AOTA-endorsed accreditor, or a substantially equivalent program) and completed at least six months of supervised fieldwork. [2]
National exam: Applicants for initial licensure must pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. [3]
State law exam: Applicants must also pass the board's Jurisprudence Exam, which tests knowledge of the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Practice Act and Regulations. [3]
Background check: The Occupational Therapy Practice Act requires a national fingerprint-based FBI criminal records check, which the statute ties to determining eligibility for a compact privilege; the applicant pays the cost. [4]
Fees: The initial application fee is $135 for an occupational therapist, paid by certified check or money order with a paper application. [2]
Where to apply: Applicants can apply through the board's online application, submitting the board's online application forms as part of the process; paper applications are also available. [9] Open the application →

Moving to the state

Already licensed somewhere else?

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

Licensed in another state: The board may license without examination an occupational therapist who holds a current, valid license in another state with substantially equivalent requirements and who is certified and in good standing with NBCOT. [4]
Interstate compact: The OT Compact Commission lists South Carolina as not yet accepting applications for OT Compact privileges. [8]

Before your full license

New graduates and clinical fellows

Temporary or provisional license: The board discontinued temporary licenses for new graduates on July 15, 2003, citing NBCOT's on-demand exam scheduling. [5]

After you are licensed

Keeping the license active

Renewal: Occupational therapist licenses are renewed every two years; the current reporting period runs March 16, 2025 to March 15, 2027, and the renewal deadline is March 15, 2027. NBCOT certification must stay active. [6]
Continuing education: Occupational therapists must complete sixteen hours of continuing education per biennium and remain certified and in good standing with NBCOT; no specific mandatory topics are listed. [7]

Working in South Carolina

Pay and openings

Occupational therapists in South Carolina earn a mean of $97,180 a year (BLS). Most of our South Carolina 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 South Carolina board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Other South Carolina licenses

Occupational therapy licenses in other states

State-by-state license guides →

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