Occupational Therapy License from Georgia to Iowa: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Georgia to Iowa by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing), verify your Georgia license, and meet Iowa's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Iowa requires proof of a passing NBCOT score sent by NBCOT Score Transfer directly to the Board, and says explicitly: 'Do NOT send the verification of certification.' Current NBCOT certification is not required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is listed..
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Georgia and Iowa have both enacted the OT Compact, and neither was issuing privileges as of the verification date, so this is an ordinary endorsement move. Apply to the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing); your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Iowa while living in Georgia could later be done on a privilege.
What changes, Georgia → Iowa
| Georgia (current) | Iowa (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| Application fee | $60 (OT application fee per the Board's application for licensure (form dated 04/24/2023; OTA $50); + $5 online processing fee (Board fee schedule rev. 03-03-22; applications are now online-only through GOALS); + GAPS fingerprinting fee. The OT line on the fee schedule PDF is blank in the rendered file, and the current GOALS fee schedule could not be read by automated fetch. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Georgia's future state fee as $75 for OTs).) | $120 (nonrefundable license application fee, paid online. The combined PT/OT page also lists a $55 FBI background-check fee (Fieldprint available); that fingerprint requirement is explained there as a PT Compact obligation, and the OT license page does not list it. Iowa's compact privilege fee is TBD per the Commission.) |
| Processing time | 4–6 weeks (the Board's application states 'It takes approximately 4 - 6 weeks to process a complete application for licensure'; applications are processed in order of receipt, and incomplete applications are withdrawn if deficiencies are not cured within 60 days) | ~8 weeks (the Board's PT/OT page says 'It may take up to eight weeks of total processing time for us to approve your application'; delays come from waiting on fingerprint cards, scores, transcripts and verifications) |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy (Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) | Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Iowa sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Iowa's current requirements on the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Official transcript from an ACOTE-approved OT program showing supervised fieldwork, sent directly from the school.
- NBCOT Score Transfer sent directly to the Board (not a verification of certification).
- Verification of every other-state license, showing issue and expiration dates and any discipline (website printouts accepted if complete).
- Show recent competence from the two years before applying: 30 hours of Board-approved CE, 2,080 hours of licensed OT practice, one year as full-time OT faculty, or an NBCOT passing score within two years.
- Pay the fees ($120 (nonrefundable license application fee, paid online. The combined PT/OT page also lists a $55 FBI background-check fee (Fieldprint available); that fingerprint requirement is explained there as a PT Compact obligation, and the OT license page does not list it. Iowa's compact privilege fee is TBD per the Commission.)) and allow ~8 weeks (the Board's PT/OT page says 'It may take up to eight weeks of total processing time for us to approve your application'; delays come from waiting on fingerprint cards, scores, transcripts and verifications).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Georgia occupational therapy license in Iowa?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Georgia to Iowa by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing), verify your Georgia license, and meet Iowa's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Iowa requires proof of a passing NBCOT score sent by NBCOT Score Transfer directly to the Board, and says explicitly: 'Do NOT send the verification of certification.' Current NBCOT certification is not required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is listed..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Georgia to Iowa?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Iowa requires proof of a passing NBCOT score sent by NBCOT Score Transfer directly to the Board, and says explicitly: 'Do NOT send the verification of certification.' Current NBCOT certification is not required. No Iowa jurisprudence exam is listed.
How much does a Iowa OT license cost for someone licensed in Georgia?
$120 (nonrefundable license application fee, paid online. The combined PT/OT page also lists a $55 FBI background-check fee (Fieldprint available); that fingerprint requirement is explained there as a PT Compact obligation, and the OT license page does not list it. Iowa's compact privilege fee is TBD per the Commission.).
How long does Iowa take to process the application?
~8 weeks (the Board's PT/OT page says 'It may take up to eight weeks of total processing time for us to approve your application'; delays come from waiting on fingerprint cards, scores, transcripts and verifications).
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Iowa?
Not for this move. Iowa has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Iowa license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Iowa DIAL, How Do I Apply for an Occupational Therapy License? ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Iowa DIAL, Physical & Occupational Therapy (application process, processing time, compact status) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission, Before You Apply (Iowa: Not Yet accepting applications) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Georgia State Board of OT, How-To Guide: Occupational Therapist (Internet Archive copy of 2026-04-24; live sos.ga.gov returned a Cloudflare challenge on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Georgia State Board of OT, Application for Licensure (form dated 04/24/2023) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Georgia State Board of OT, Fee Schedule (rev. 03-03-22) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Georgia State Board of OT, board page (Internet Archive copy of 2026-04-23) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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