Transfer Your Occupational Therapy License to Connecticut: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure) ↗

By endorsement only. Connecticut is outside the OT Compact, so no privilege applies there; you apply to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure) for a Connecticut license ($200 (initial application fee, paid online through eLicense (biennial renewal $205). DPH lists no fingerprint requirement on the OT pages reviewed.); processing DPH does not publish an OT processing timeframe on the pages reviewed), and your NBCOT exam result is verified rather than retaken.

Moving to Connecticut from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Plan around the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure)'s timeline. Connecticut is outside the OT Compact, so there is no privilege to fall back on and no shortcut for telehealth or travel work; a Connecticut license is required before your first session with a client in Connecticut. The endorsement path below is the only one.

Connecticut has not enacted the OT Compact. Occupational therapists are licensed directly by the Department of Public Health; there is no separate OT board issuing licenses. There are two ways in for an OT licensed elsewhere. (1) The standard application: transcript, NBCOT verification letter and license verifications. (2) The four-years-of-practice pathway, open to anyone who holds a current license in another U.S. jurisdiction, has practiced at least four years, holds every license in good standing, and has no discipline, pending complaint, or surrender under investigation. That pathway needs only license verifications; you answer the four-years question on the online application. Recent OT graduates can get a temporary permit to practice under supervision.

Connecticut requirements at a glance

Out-of-state occupational therapy license transfer requirements for Connecticut, verified 2026-09-27
Exam	The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Applicants licensed in other states must arrange for an official NBCOT Certification Verification Letter to be sent directly to DPH; the standard checklist also lists an official NBCOT score report. Under the four-years-of-practice pathway, DPH says no transcripts, training verification or examination are required. No Connecticut jurisprudence exam is listed.
Additional requirements	Graduate of an AOTA/ACOTE-accredited OT program with at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork; the school sends the official transcript directly Have NBCOT send an official Certification Verification Letter directly to DPH Have every state where you hold or ever held a license or certification send verification directly (most charge a fee) Apply online through eLicense with a photo; paper applications are not accepted
Fees	$200 (initial application fee, paid online through eLicense (biennial renewal $205). DPH lists no fingerprint requirement on the OT pages reviewed.)
Processing time	DPH does not publish an OT processing timeframe on the pages reviewed

Step by step

Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure) website — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure) (application linked on this page).
Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
Graduate of an AOTA/ACOTE-accredited OT program with at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork; the school sends the official transcript directly.
Have NBCOT send an official Certification Verification Letter directly to DPH.
Have every state where you hold or ever held a license or certification send verification directly (most charge a fee).
Apply online through eLicense with a photo; paper applications are not accepted.
Pay the fees ($200 (initial application fee, paid online through eLicense (biennial renewal $205). DPH lists no fingerprint requirement on the OT pages reviewed.)) and allow DPH does not publish an OT processing timeframe on the pages reviewed.

Official links

Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section (Occupational Therapist Licensure) ↗Connecticut application ↗License verification ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Connecticut:

California → Connecticut Florida → Connecticut Georgia → Connecticut Illinois → Connecticut Michigan → Connecticut New York → Connecticut North Carolina → Connecticut Ohio → Connecticut Pennsylvania → Connecticut Texas → Connecticut

Nearby states

Occupational Therapy license transfer into the states bordering Connecticut:

Connecticut for other professions

Frequently asked questions

Does my occupational therapy license transfer to Connecticut?

Do I have to retake the NBCOT exam to get licensed in Connecticut?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Applicants licensed in other states must arrange for an official NBCOT Certification Verification Letter to be sent directly to DPH; the standard checklist also lists an official NBCOT score report. Under the four-years-of-practice pathway, DPH says no transcripts, training verification or examination are required. No Connecticut jurisprudence exam is listed.

How much does an OT license by endorsement cost in Connecticut?

$200 (initial application fee, paid online through eLicense (biennial renewal $205). DPH lists no fingerprint requirement on the OT pages reviewed.).

How long does Connecticut take to issue an OT license by endorsement?

DPH does not publish an OT processing timeframe on the pages reviewed.

Is Connecticut an OT Compact state?

No. Connecticut had not enacted the OT Compact as of 2026-09-27, so no privilege authorizes practice there and every incoming OT or OTA needs a Connecticut license.

Sources

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

CT DPH, Occupational Therapist Licensure (fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
CT DPH, OT Licensure Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
CT DPH, Applicants Licensed in Another US State for at Least 4 Years ↗ (accessed 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]