Licensure guide · Vermont
How to get a Vermont occupational therapy license
Occupational therapists in Vermont are licensed by the Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation. 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 therapist program accredited by ACOTE and at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork experience (or meet the fieldwork standards in effect when they graduated). [2]
- National exam
- Applicants must hold NBCOT certification and upload it within the online application. [3]
- Fees
- The general application fee for licensure is $115; occupational therapists are not among the listed exceptions. [4]
- Where to apply
- Applications are submitted online through the OPR Online Services System, linked from the occupational therapy forms and instructions page. [7] Open the application →
- Processing time
- OPR asks applicants to allow 3 to 5 business days for application processing. [3]
Moving to the state
Already licensed somewhere else?
Vermont has enacted the OT Compact but is not yet issuing compact privileges, so occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants licensed elsewhere still need a Vermont license for now.
- Licensed in another state
- Applicants licensed or certified in another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements may apply by endorsement with NBCOT certification and license verification; those actively licensed in good standing for three or more years qualify for Fast Track Endorsement. [3]
- Interstate compact
- Vermont has adopted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, but it is not yet active in Vermont; until it is, a person holding a compact license in another state must also hold a Vermont license to practice in Vermont. [7]
Before your full license
New graduates and clinical fellows
- Temporary or provisional license
- A temporary license is available to applicants awaiting the examination or endorsement processing who practice under a supervising occupational therapist; it is valid for 90 days from issuance and cannot be renewed or extended. [5]
After you are licensed
Keeping the license active
- Renewal
- Licenses are renewed every two years upon payment of the renewal fee and completion of the required continuing competence. [2]
- Continuing education
- Licensees must earn 20 hours of continuing competence in each two-year renewal period; those renewing for the first time owe 10 hours per full year of licensure. [6]
Working in Vermont
Pay and openings
Occupational therapists in Vermont earn a mean of $92,960 a year (BLS). Most of our Vermont 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 Vermont board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice.
- [1] https://sos.vermont.gov/occupational-therapy
- [2] https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/26/071
- [3] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/occupational_therapy/occupational_therapy_therapist_assistant_application_instructions.pdf
- [4] https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/03/005/00125
- [5] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/occupational_therapy/occupational_therapy_therapist_assistant_temporary_license_application_instructions.pdf
- [6] https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/office_professional_regulation/professions/occupational_therapy/occupational_therapy_administrative_rules.pdf
- [7] https://sos.vermont.gov/occupational-therapy/forms-instructions
Other Vermont licenses
Occupational therapy licenses in other states
Getting licensed in Vermont for a move?
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