Occupational Therapy License from Arkansas to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Arkansas occupational therapy license in Maryland?
Yes, for working in Maryland — both Arkansas and Maryland are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and your Arkansas license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Maryland without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Maryland, you will need a Maryland license once Maryland becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Arkansas and Maryland both issue OT Compact privileges, so this move has two versions. Working in Maryland while you keep living in Arkansas: buy a Maryland privilege through the commission ($75 plus Maryland's fee), meet any Maryland jurisprudence requirement, and keep your Arkansas license active, because the privilege ends when it does. Moving to Maryland: Maryland becomes your home state and you need a Maryland license, by converting the privilege where the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice offers that route or by endorsement.
What's different between Arkansas and Maryland
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maryland. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Arkansas to Maryland (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Maryland to Arkansas (the reverse move): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Arkansas matter?
Coming from Arkansas matters here: only 10 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Maryland.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Arkansas and Maryland are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Maryland while Arkansas is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Maryland needs a Maryland license.
- Application fee
Maryland lists $200 for an out-of-state applicant and Arkansas lists $4 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Maryland and Arkansas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Maryland (this move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Maryland asks for verification of INITIAL NBCOT certification or examination; screenshots from NBCOT's verification site are accepted. Current NBCOT certification is not required. An applicant who is not currently NBCOT-certified submits a Continuing Competency Requirement Compliance Report showing 24 contact hours in the preceding 24 months. Every applicant must also complete the Maryland jurisprudence exam, an open-book exam on Health Occupations Article Title 10 and COMAR 10.46, answered on paper or online.
- Arkansas (the reverse move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Applicants who have passed the exam have NBCOT send a Verification of Certification directly to the Arkansas State Medical Board. The packet does not say whether that certification must be current. Arkansas also requires a signed Medical Practices Act and Rules Affidavit and a completed 10-question OT Practice Act questionnaire, both returned with the application. This is an open-book questionnaire, not a proctored jurisprudence exam.
What changes, Arkansas → Maryland
| Arkansas (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $4 (The ASMB application packet (rev. 10/11/2024) and fee schedule list a $4 OT application fee (OTA $3; temporary permit $1), payable by check or money order. The fee schedule says this is a reduced fee under Act 114 of 2023, in effect July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027, which 'may or may not apply in future years'. + $39.36 state and federal criminal background check (ASMB fee schedule). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee: an Arkansas privilege costs a $4 state fee (OTA $3) plus the $75 Commission fee.) | $200 (Application for initial licensure is $200 (COMAR 10.46.05.01B). It is non-refundable and includes a first temporary license. The fingerprinting vendor fee is extra; the Board does not state the amount. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee: Maryland's privilege costs $125 (COMAR 10.46.05.01M) plus the $75 Commission fee.) |
| Processing time | the Board says a permanent license application 'will take several weeks to complete', that applications are processed in order of receipt, and that the federal portion of the background check 'can take several weeks or more'; no numeric range is published | The Board publishes no processing timeframe |
| Licensing authority | Arkansas State Medical Board (Occupational Therapy Examining Committee) | Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Maryland: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Maryland through the compact commission and complete any Maryland jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Maryland: apply for a Maryland license with the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Arkansas to Maryland?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Do I need a Maryland license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Arkansas and your Arkansas license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Maryland, you need a Maryland license from the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.
What does it cost?
A Maryland compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Maryland's privilege fee. A Maryland license by endorsement, for a relocation: $200 (Application for initial licensure is $200 (COMAR 10.46.05.01B).
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Arkansas board and any Maryland jurisprudence step. A Maryland license by endorsement: The Board publishes no processing timeframe.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Forms (Necessary Forms for an Initial License) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Application for Licensure (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Applicant's Checklist (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- COMAR 10.46.05 Collection of Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Maryland accepting applications since April 15, 2026; $125 privilege fee; jurisprudence required) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, OT / OTA page ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, Occupational Therapy Licensure Information Packet (rev. 10/11/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, Fee Schedule (Act 114 of 2023 fee reduction, July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, home page ('OT Compact implementation is scheduled to begin October 5, 2026') ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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