Occupational Therapy License from Florida to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Florida to Kentucky by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy, verify your Florida license, and meet Kentucky's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The compact plays no part here, since neither state is issuing privileges. You apply to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy as an OT licensed in another state, with NBCOT passage verified and your Florida license confirmed, plus whatever Kentucky adds such as fingerprints or a jurisprudence exam.
What changes, Florida → Kentucky
| Florida (current) | Kentucky (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) | $50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.) |
| 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 | The Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days. |
| Licensing authority | Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) | Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kentucky's current requirements on the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit Application Form OTB-1 through the Kentucky eServices portal ('OT/OTA Full Initial Licensure (including Reciprocal)').
- Have every jurisdiction where you have held an OT license or credential send an official statement of good standing.
- Submit a current copy of your NBCOT certificate showing you met the initial OTR certification requirements.
- Pass the Kentucky OT jurisprudence exam.
- Complete an FBI fingerprint background check through IdentoGO (service code 27GN14).
- Pay the fees ($50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.)) and allow The Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Florida occupational therapy license in Kentucky?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Florida to Kentucky by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy, verify your Florida license, and meet Kentucky's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Florida to Kentucky?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant.
How much does a Kentucky OT license cost for someone licensed in Florida?
$50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.).
How long does Kentucky take to process the application?
The Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days..
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Kentucky?
Not for this move. Kentucky has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Kentucky license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy — Licensing (application types, IdentoGO fingerprinting, meeting deadlines) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy — home (FBI background check requirement, license search) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 201 KAR 28:060 Licensure, renewals, and reinstatements (engrossed text, Crt eff. 10-13-2025; copy hosted by the OT Compact Commission) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Kentucky: 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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]