Occupational Therapy License from Florida to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Kansas State Board of Healing Arts ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Florida to Kansas by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, verify your Florida license, and meet Kansas's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Board's published FAQ does not say how it verifies NBCOT passage or whether a Kansas jurisprudence exam applies, so confirm both with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts before applying..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Florida nor Kansas is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a Kansas license by endorsement from the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. The board verifies your Florida license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in Florida neither speeds nor slows Kansas's standard out-of-state review.
What changes, Florida → Kansas
| Florida (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $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) | $80 (application for license fee on the KSBHA License Fees page (applies to OT and OTA); temporary license $25; renewal $72 online or $75 on paper, annually) |
| Processing time | 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 | 4–8 weeks (the Board's OT FAQ says 'The application process takes on average four to eight weeks; however, each application is different') |
| Licensing authority | Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) | Kansas State Board of Healing Arts |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kansas's current requirements on the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Maintain professional liability insurance (K.A.R. 100-54-13): at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 aggregate individually, or employer coverage of at least $1,000,000 and $3,000,000 as an additional insured.
- Submit the application with the additional forms and required documents listed by the Board, with all fees paid.
- Pay the fees ($80 (application for license fee on the KSBHA License Fees page (applies to OT and OTA); temporary license $25; renewal $72 online or $75 on paper, annually)) and allow 4–8 weeks (the Board's OT FAQ says 'The application process takes on average four to eight weeks; however, each application is different').
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Florida occupational therapy license in Kansas?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Florida to Kansas by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, verify your Florida license, and meet Kansas's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Board's published FAQ does not say how it verifies NBCOT passage or whether a Kansas jurisprudence exam applies, so confirm both with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts before applying..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Florida to Kansas?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Board's published FAQ does not say how it verifies NBCOT passage or whether a Kansas jurisprudence exam applies, so confirm both with the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts before applying.
How much does a Kansas OT license cost for someone licensed in Florida?
$80 (application for license fee on the KSBHA License Fees page (applies to OT and OTA); temporary license $25; renewal $72 online or $75 on paper, annually).
How long does Kansas take to process the application?
4–8 weeks (the Board's OT FAQ says 'The application process takes on average four to eight weeks; however, each application is different').
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Kansas?
Not for this move. Kansas has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Kansas license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- KSBHA, Occupational Therapist (O.T.) profession page (Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-06; live site returned Access Denied on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- KSBHA, License Fees (Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-15) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- KSBHA, Occupational Therapist FAQs (Internet Archive copy of 2026-04-15) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- KSBHA, Licensure Types/Designations: Occupational Therapist (Internet Archive copy of 2025-10-28) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission, Before You Apply (Kansas: Not Yet accepting applications) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Board of OT Practice, Occupational Therapist licensing (requirements, MOBILE endorsement, fees, processing times) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Florida Statutes s. 456.0145 (MOBILE Act), as linked by the Board ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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