Occupational Therapy License from Illinois to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your Illinois license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Illinois isn't issuing OT Compact privileges, so you start with endorsement into Tennessee through the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards). The payoff comes afterward: Tennessee does issue privileges, so once Tennessee is your home state and your Tennessee license is active, you can practice in the other issuing states on privileges instead of separate licenses.
What changes, Illinois → Tennessee
| Illinois (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice |
| 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. | $110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).) |
| Processing time | IDFPR publishes no OT processing timeframe; an application stays active for three years from receipt | no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (Occupational Therapy Licensure Board) | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Graduate transcript sent directly from an AOTA/ACOTE-accredited degree program.
- Have NBCOT send your certification exam results directly to the Board.
- Have license verification sent directly to the Board from every state where you are or ever were licensed.
- Complete a criminal background check through the Board's vendor (OCA code 1594 for OTs), with results sent directly to the Board.
- Submit a passport-style photo taken within the last 12 months, proof of citizenship/lawful presence, and the mandatory Practitioner Profile.
- Pay the fees ($110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).)) and allow no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Illinois occupational therapy license in Tennessee?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Illinois to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your Illinois license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Illinois to Tennessee?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required').
How much does a Tennessee OT license cost for someone licensed in Illinois?
$110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).).
How long does Tennessee take to process the application?
no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Tennessee?
Not for this move. Tennessee issues privileges, but only to therapists whose home state is also issuing; Illinois is not. A Tennessee license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Occupational Therapy ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Tennessee Board of OT — Occupational Therapist online application checklist (fees $100 + $10 state regulatory fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy ch. 1150-02, March 2023 revision (1150-02-.05 reciprocity procedure; 1150-02-.06 fees) (Internet Archive copy) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Tennessee accepting applications since May 20, 2026; $125 OT privilege fee; jurisprudence not required) ↗ (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]