How to Verify an Occupational Therapist License

OT vs. OTA: different verification paths

Both occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants require licensure and, in most states, NBCOT certification — but the education and examination requirements differ:

• Occupational Therapists (OT / OTR) — require a master's or doctoral degree in occupational therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program. The field has transitioned toward the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) as the entry-level degree; as of the ACOTE 2027 mandate, entry-level programs will be doctoral. Graduation is followed by passage of the NBCOT NCBOT examination to earn the OTR (Occupational Therapist Registered) credential. State licensure requires active NBCOT certification in most jurisdictions.
• Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA / COTA) — require an associate's degree from an ACOTE-accredited OTA program and passage of the NBCOT NBOT-A examination to earn the COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) credential. OTAs practice under the supervision of a licensed OT.

Step 1: Verify NBCOT certification

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is the certifying body for OTs and OTAs in the United States. NBCOT certification — OTR for occupational therapists, COTA for assistants — is required by the majority of states as a condition for initial licensure and often for license renewal.

Using NBCOT's OT/OTA Verify tool

NBCOT provides a free public certification verification portal at nbcot.org/verify-certification. Search by name or certification number to confirm:

• Certification type (OTR or COTA)
• Certification status (certified, non-certified, revoked, suspended)
• Certification validity period
• Any disciplinary actions taken by NBCOT

NBCOT PDU and renewal cycle

NBCOT certifications are renewed every three years through Professional Development Units (PDUs). OTRs require 36 PDUs per renewal cycle; COTAs require 24 PDUs. A certification that lapsed due to failure to complete PDUs is a "non-certified" status in NBCOT's database. Confirm the certification is currently active — not just that it was once obtained.

Step 2: Verify with the state occupational therapy board

State OT licensing boards are the authoritative sources for current license status in their jurisdictions. Even if NBCOT certification is active, a state license can be suspended, revoked, or subject to practice conditions independently of NBCOT status. Always verify at the state level.

Finding your state OT board

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) maintains a state regulatory directory at aota.org/practice/ethics/state-regulation. NBCOT also maintains links to state licensing boards at nbcot.org/state-regulation-directory. Search "[state name] occupational therapy board license verification" to reach the relevant state portal. Most state boards offer free public license searches by name or license number.

What to confirm in the state board lookup

1. License is active, not expired, suspended, or revoked
2. License type is correct (OT vs. OTA — different supervisory requirements)
3. License expiration date is current
4. No conditions, supervisory requirements, or disciplinary actions attached
5. License number matches documentation provided by the candidate

Step 3: Verify OT program ACOTE accreditation

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), part of AOTA, is the recognized accreditor for US OT and OTA education programs. ACOTE accreditation is required for graduates to be eligible for NBCOT examinations and state licensure.

Checking ACOTE program accreditation

Search the ACOTE accredited program database at acoteonline.org/accreditation-admitted/find-accredited-programs. Programs may hold full accreditation, accreditation with probation, or developmental accreditation status — graduates of all active accreditation levels are typically eligible for NBCOT exams. Programs with revoked or withdrawn accreditation do not qualify graduates. Verify the program's accreditation status as of the candidate's graduation year.

Degree level and the OTD transition

ACOTE has required all entry-level OT programs to transition to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) by 2027. As of 2026, programs may still offer the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Master of Science in OT (MSOT) at entry-level. Both the OTD and master's-level OT degrees are valid for NBCOT eligibility and state licensure during the transition period. Confirm the program type and verify ACOTE accreditation status for the specific program and graduation year.

Verifying the degree

Confirm degree conferral via the National Student Clearinghouse DegreeVerify or directly with the OT program's registrar. For international graduates, see Step 4 below.

Step 4: Verifying international occupational therapy graduates

Occupational therapists educated outside the United States follow a specific credentialing pathway to obtain US licensure:

• NBCOT credential evaluation for internationally educated candidates — NBCOT evaluates foreign OT education credentials to determine eligibility to sit for the NBCOT examination. This review assesses whether the foreign education is equivalent to US ACOTE standards. Apply through NBCOT's international candidate process.
• NBCOT examination — internationally educated candidates who pass NBCOT's credential evaluation must sit for the standard NBCOT NCBOT examination. There is no alternative examination for international candidates.
• State licensure — after NBCOT certification is obtained, the candidate applies for state licensure. Some states require additional English proficiency documentation or jurisprudence exams for internationally educated candidates.

An internationally educated OT claiming US practice authorization should be able to produce: NBCOT credential evaluation approval, NBCOT certification (OTR or COTA), and a state license. Gaps in this chain require further investigation.

7 red flags in occupational therapy credentials

1. NBCOT certification is "non-certified" or not found — in states that require NBCOT certification for licensure, a non-certified NBCOT status often means the state license is also at risk or already lapsed. Verify both independently and reconcile any discrepancy with the state board directly.
2. State license expired, suspended, or revoked — an expired state OT license prohibits practice in that state regardless of NBCOT certification status. Verify the expiration date from the state board record, not from the candidate's submitted documentation.
3. OT program not found in ACOTE's accredited program database — if the program that issued the candidate's degree is not listed in ACOTE's database, either the program is foreign (requires NBCOT international credential review) or the claim may be fabricated. ACOTE maintains historical records of formerly accredited programs.
4. NBCOT disciplinary action or certification revocation — NBCOT can revoke or suspend certifications for violations of its Standards of Practice or ethics code. The NBCOT verification portal shows disciplinary actions. Any revocation or suspension is disqualifying and must be escalated to compliance.
5. OTD degree claimed but graduation year predates doctoral entry-level programs — entry-level OTD programs became available around 2000-2003. A candidate claiming an OTD with a graduation year earlier than that is likely misrepresenting their credential. Master's-level OT degrees from the 1990s and earlier are valid but should be identified correctly.
6. OTA practicing beyond supervision requirements — OTAs must practice under OT supervision. An OTA working without documented OT supervision is a compliance violation in all US states. For OTA hires, confirm the supervising OT's license is also active and in good standing.
7. International OT unable to document NBCOT international credential evaluation — a foreign-educated OT who cannot produce the NBCOT credential evaluation approval may have bypassed the required pathway. Verify through NBCOT directly if the international credentialing chain cannot be reconstructed.

Verification resources at a glance

Specialty certifications (Board Certified Specialist)

AOTA awards Board Certified Specialist (BCS) credentials to OTs who demonstrate advanced competency in a specialty area. Current AOTA specialty certifications include:

• BCPR — Board Certified in Physical Rehabilitation
• BCG — Board Certified in Gerontology
• BCP — Board Certified in Pediatrics
• BCMH — Board Certified in Mental Health
• BCWH — Board Certified in Women's Health
• BCLDE — Board Certified in Low Vision and Driving & Community Mobility

BCS certifications are separate from NBCOT certification and state licensure — they represent advanced specialization, not basic competency. Verify BCS certifications through AOTA at aota.org/practice/specialty-certifications.

Occupational therapist credential verification checklist