Occupational Therapy License from Illinois to Louisiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Louisiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure), verify your Illinois license, and meet Louisiana's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners requires applicants to be CURRENTLY NBCOT certified (NBCOT contact is listed for verification). A post-exam NBCOT score report sent directly to the Board is required only for temporary-license (new graduate) applicants. The Board's OT application instructions mention no state jurisprudence exam..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Illinois nor Louisiana is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a Louisiana license by endorsement from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure). The board verifies your Illinois license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in Illinois neither speeds nor slows Louisiana's standard out-of-state review.
What changes, Illinois → Louisiana
| Illinois (current) | Louisiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing |
| 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. | $150 (Non-refundable OT licensure fee paid by card through LaMED ($100 for an OTA). A temporary license costs $200 in total ($50 temporary fee plus $150 licensure). The Board does not list the background-check cost. Act 933 of the 2026 Regular Session (HB 1182) rewrote the OT fee statute and includes a separate reciprocity fee line. It could not be read because legis.la.gov did not resolve from this environment, so this range reflects only the Board's published $150.) |
| Processing time | IDFPR publishes no OT processing timeframe; an application stays active for three years from receipt | The Board publishes no processing timeframe. It warns that applicants with criminal history may face delays and that the background check cannot start until the application is submitted. |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Occupational Therapy Licensure Board) | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Louisiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Apply online through the LSBME LaMED dashboard (online.lasbme.org).
- Hold current NBCOT certification.
- Have every state where you are or were licensed send license verification to the Board.
- Complete the criminal background check; instructions are sent after the application is submitted.
- Graduate of an ACOTE-accredited entry-level OT program.
- Pay the fees ($150 (Non-refundable OT licensure fee paid by card through LaMED ($100 for an OTA). A temporary license costs $200 in total ($50 temporary fee plus $150 licensure). The Board does not list the background-check cost. Act 933 of the 2026 Regular Session (HB 1182) rewrote the OT fee statute and includes a separate reciprocity fee line. It could not be read because legis.la.gov did not resolve from this environment, so this range reflects only the Board's published $150.)) and allow The Board publishes no processing timeframe. It warns that applicants with criminal history may face delays and that the background check cannot start until the application is submitted..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Illinois occupational therapy license in Louisiana?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Louisiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure), verify your Illinois license, and meet Louisiana's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners requires applicants to be CURRENTLY NBCOT certified (NBCOT contact is listed for verification). A post-exam NBCOT score report sent directly to the Board is required only for temporary-license (new graduate) applicants. The Board's OT application instructions mention no state jurisprudence exam..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Illinois to Louisiana?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners requires applicants to be CURRENTLY NBCOT certified (NBCOT contact is listed for verification). A post-exam NBCOT score report sent directly to the Board is required only for temporary-license (new graduate) applicants. The Board's OT application instructions mention no state jurisprudence exam.
How much does a Louisiana OT license cost for someone licensed in Illinois?
$150 (Non-refundable OT licensure fee paid by card through LaMED ($100 for an OTA). A temporary license costs $200 in total ($50 temporary fee plus $150 licensure). The Board does not list the background-check cost. Act 933 of the 2026 Regular Session (HB 1182) rewrote the OT fee statute and includes a separate reciprocity fee line. It could not be read because legis.la.gov did not resolve from this environment, so this range reflects only the Board's published $150.).
How long does Louisiana take to process the application?
The Board publishes no processing timeframe. It warns that applicants with criminal history may face delays and that the background check cannot start until the application is submitted..
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Louisiana?
Not for this move. Louisiana has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Louisiana license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- LSBME — Application & Instructions for Initial Licensure, Occupational Therapist/Assistant ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- LSBME — Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure page ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Louisiana: Not Yet accepting applications) ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]