Occupational Therapy License from California to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from California to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, verify your California license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. 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..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This is an endorsement move with a benefit attached. California is outside the issuing group, so no privilege applies; you apply to the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice for a Maryland license, with NBCOT passage verified rather than retaken. If you then live in Maryland, that license can anchor privileges in the other issuing states.
What changes, California → Maryland
| California (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice |
| Application fee | $50 ($50 application fee paid in BreEZe. A separate initial license fee, prorated by your birth date and the month of issue, is stated in the approval letter and paid after approval, so it is not in this range. + $49 fingerprint-card fee if you are not using Live Scan (Live Scan fees are paid to the vendor).) | $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 | 3–4 weeks (the Board states 'Processing time for all applications is 3-4 weeks'; 16 CCR 4112 gives the Board 30 days to review an application and notify the applicant of any deficiency; licenses issue once the approved applicant completes the online form and pays the initial license fee) | The Board publishes no processing timeframe. |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Occupational Therapy | 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 Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the Application for Licensure (paper or online) with the $200 fee.
- Complete the Maryland jurisprudence exam.
- Complete a State and FBI Criminal History Records Check (CJIS LiveScan); results are valid for only 30 days, so submit the application within 30 days of fingerprinting.
- Provide license verifications from every state or country where you have been licensed (screenshots from board verification sites are accepted).
- If NBCOT certification is not current, or you graduated more than one year ago, or you have been out of practice 3+ years, submit Continuing Competency Requirement documentation (24 contact hours).
- Pay the fees ($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.)) and allow The Board publishes no processing timeframe..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my California occupational therapy license in Maryland?
A occupational therapy license transfers from California to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, verify your California license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. 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..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from California to Maryland?
No. 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.
How much does a Maryland OT license cost for someone licensed in California?
$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.).
How long does Maryland take to process the application?
The Board publishes no processing timeframe..
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Maryland?
Not for this move. Maryland issues privileges, but only to therapists whose home state is also issuing; California is not. A Maryland license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Forms (Necessary Forms for an Initial License) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Application for Licensure (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Applicant's Checklist (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- COMAR 10.46.05 Collection of Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Maryland accepting applications since April 15, 2026; $125 privilege fee; jurisprudence required) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- California Board of OT, Application page (Internet Archive copy of 2026-01-22; bot.ca.gov refused connections from this environment on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- California Board of OT, Applicants FAQ (Internet Archive copy of 2026-01-22) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- California Board of OT, Initial License/Limited Permit Application Requirements checklist (Internet Archive copy of 2026-01-22) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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