Occupational Therapy License from Illinois to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Idaho by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses), verify your Illinois license, and meet Idaho's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Idaho's endorsement-specific rules on NBCOT documents (Score Transfer vs. Verification of Certification, current vs. initial certification) and any jurisprudence requirement could not be read on 2026-09-27: the DOPL site, the current application PDF and the Idaho statutes site refused automated connections. The DOPL FAQ describes 'licensure by endorsement' for OTs currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Illinois nor Idaho is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a Idaho license by endorsement from the Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses). The board verifies your Illinois license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in Illinois neither speeds nor slows Idaho's standard out-of-state review.
What changes, Illinois → Idaho
| Illinois (current) | Idaho (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | The endorsement fee is set in 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1315 but does not appear in IDFPR's OT qualifications document, and the Illinois General Assembly rules site refused connections on 2026-09-27, so the amount could not be verified. | $160 (initial license fee for OTs on the DOPL Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee table (OTA $120; temporary license or limited permit $25; renewal $40 annual / $80 biennial). Conflict: IDAPA 24.06.01.400 (effective 7-1-24) caps initial licensure at $80 for OTs and $60 for OTAs 'not to exceed'. DOPL's initial fees are exactly double those caps, which suggests a two-year initial term, but no official text says so. $160 is the amount DOPL publishes; confirm at application.) |
| Processing time | IDFPR publishes no OT processing timeframe; an application stays active for three years from receipt | DOPL says a license issues in approximately 3-5 business days once a complete application is confirmed compliant; files needing Board review wait for the next Board meeting; no end-to-end range is published |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Occupational Therapy Licensure Board) | Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Idaho sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Idaho's current requirements on the Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Graduate of an ACOTE-accredited OT educational program with supervised fieldwork (IDAPA 24.06.01.100).
- Hold a current license in good standing in another jurisdiction to qualify for endorsement (and for a temporary license while the application is processed).
- Pay the fees ($160 (initial license fee for OTs on the DOPL Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee table (OTA $120; temporary license or limited permit $25; renewal $40 annual / $80 biennial). Conflict: IDAPA 24.06.01.400 (effective 7-1-24) caps initial licensure at $80 for OTs and $60 for OTAs 'not to exceed'. DOPL's initial fees are exactly double those caps, which suggests a two-year initial term, but no official text says so. $160 is the amount DOPL publishes; confirm at application.)) and allow DOPL says a license issues in approximately 3-5 business days once a complete application is confirmed compliant; files needing Board review wait for the next Board meeting; no end-to-end range is published.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Illinois occupational therapy license in Idaho?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Idaho by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Idaho Occupational Therapy Licensure Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses), verify your Illinois license, and meet Idaho's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Idaho's endorsement-specific rules on NBCOT documents (Score Transfer vs. Verification of Certification, current vs. initial certification) and any jurisprudence requirement could not be read on 2026-09-27: the DOPL site, the current application PDF and the Idaho statutes site refused automated connections. The DOPL FAQ describes 'licensure by endorsement' for OTs currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Illinois to Idaho?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Idaho's endorsement-specific rules on NBCOT documents (Score Transfer vs. Verification of Certification, current vs. initial certification) and any jurisprudence requirement could not be read on 2026-09-27: the DOPL site, the current application PDF and the Idaho statutes site refused automated connections. The DOPL FAQ describes 'licensure by endorsement' for OTs currently licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction.
How much does a Idaho OT license cost for someone licensed in Illinois?
$160 (initial license fee for OTs on the DOPL Occupational Therapy Licensure Board fee table (OTA $120; temporary license or limited permit $25; renewal $40 annual / $80 biennial). Conflict: IDAPA 24.06.01.400 (effective 7-1-24) caps initial licensure at $80 for OTs and $60 for OTAs 'not to exceed'. DOPL's initial fees are exactly double those caps, which suggests a two-year initial term, but no official text says so. $160 is the amount DOPL publishes; confirm at application.).
How long does Idaho take to process the application?
DOPL says a license issues in approximately 3-5 business days once a complete application is confirmed compliant; files needing Board review wait for the next Board meeting; no end-to-end range is published.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Idaho?
Not for this move. Idaho has not enacted the OT Compact. A Idaho license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Idaho DOPL, Occupational Therapy Licensure Board page with fee table and FAQ (Internet Archive copy of 2026-09-14; live DOPL host refused connections on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDAPA 24.06.01, Rules for the Licensure of Occupational Therapists and OT Assistants, section 400 fees (Internet Archive copy of 2026-03-04) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDFPR, Occupational Therapy profession page ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- IDFPR, Qualifications for Licensure: Occupational Therapist (056, effective 02/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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