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LicenseReciprocity

Occupational Therapy License from Arizona to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Arizona to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance), verify your Arizona license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under MOBILE endorsement, if you hold current NBCOT certification you list your certification number and Board staff verify it with NBCOT. If your certification is not current, you list your original exam information and ask NBCOT to send a score transfer to the Board. The standard (examination-route) application also accepts current or lapsed NBCOT certification, verified by certification number. No Florida jurisprudence exam is listed..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

The compact plays no part here, since neither state is issuing privileges. You apply to the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) as an OT licensed in another state, with NBCOT passage verified and your Arizona license confirmed, plus whatever Florida adds such as fingerprints or a jurisprudence exam.

What changes, Arizona → Florida

Side-by-side: Arizona vs Florida (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Arizona (current)Florida (destination)
OT Compact statusOT Compact enacted — not yet issuingLicensure by endorsement
Application fee$235 (total OT fees stated on the Licensure by Examination page, which is the path for anyone who has never held an Arizona license (OTA $170); fees are set in A.A.C. R4-43-102. The universal-license-recognition page does not state its fee. Initial-license fees are waived for low-income applicants, military spouses and recently discharged veterans. + fingerprint clearance card cost paid to Arizona DPS. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Arizona's state fee as $0).)$180 ($100 nonrefundable application fee + $75 initial license fee + $5 unlicensed activity fee, all due with the application (same total for MOBILE endorsement and the examination route); + electronic fingerprinting vendor fee)
Processing timeA.A.C. R4-43-205 gives the Board 60 days to review an application; the FAQ says applications are generally approved at the beginning of each month and licenses are mailed five working days after approval, and recommends applying at least one month before you need the licensefor MOBILE endorsement the Board allows up to five business days for initial review and issues the license within seven days once all requirements are met (s. 456.0145(2)(e), F.S.); Florida law requires initial review within 30 days, and documents received after initial review are processed within 14 business days; no end-to-end range is published
Licensing authorityArizona Board of Occupational Therapy ExaminersFlorida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Florida's current requirements on the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold an active, unencumbered OT license issued by another state, DC or a U.S. territory (MOBILE endorsement, s. 456.0145, F.S.).
  5. Have actively practiced as a licensed OT for at least two of the four years before applying.
  6. Have no National Practitioner Data Bank report (unless removed on appeal or for conduct that is not a Florida violation), no pending discipline, and no discipline in the prior five years.
  7. Complete electronic fingerprinting for background screening (required since HB 975, 2024).
  8. Have each state that licensed you send license verification (online verifications that show discipline are accepted).
  9. Pay the fees ($180 ($100 nonrefundable application fee + $75 initial license fee + $5 unlicensed activity fee, all due with the application (same total for MOBILE endorsement and the examination route); + electronic fingerprinting vendor fee)) and allow for MOBILE endorsement the Board allows up to five business days for initial review and issues the license within seven days once all requirements are met (s. 456.0145(2)(e), F.S.); Florida law requires initial review within 30 days, and documents received after initial review are processed within 14 business days; no end-to-end range is published.

Official links

Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) ↗Florida application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Florida → ArizonaOccupational Therapy in ArizonaOccupational Therapy in FloridaAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Arizona occupational therapy license in Florida?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Arizona to Florida by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance), verify your Arizona license, and meet Florida's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under MOBILE endorsement, if you hold current NBCOT certification you list your certification number and Board staff verify it with NBCOT. If your certification is not current, you list your original exam information and ask NBCOT to send a score transfer to the Board. The standard (examination-route) application also accepts current or lapsed NBCOT certification, verified by certification number. No Florida jurisprudence exam is listed..

Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Arizona to Florida?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under MOBILE endorsement, if you hold current NBCOT certification you list your certification number and Board staff verify it with NBCOT. If your certification is not current, you list your original exam information and ask NBCOT to send a score transfer to the Board. The standard (examination-route) application also accepts current or lapsed NBCOT certification, verified by certification number. No Florida jurisprudence exam is listed.

How much does a Florida OT license cost for someone licensed in Arizona?

$180 ($100 nonrefundable application fee + $75 initial license fee + $5 unlicensed activity fee, all due with the application (same total for MOBILE endorsement and the examination route); + electronic fingerprinting vendor fee).

How long does Florida take to process the application?

for MOBILE endorsement the Board allows up to five business days for initial review and issues the license within seven days once all requirements are met (s. 456.0145(2)(e), F.S.); Florida law requires initial review within 30 days, and documents received after initial review are processed within 14 business days; no end-to-end range is published.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Florida?

Not for this move. Florida has not enacted the OT Compact. A Florida license by endorsement is required.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]