Occupational Therapy License from Indiana to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Indiana occupational therapy license in Maryland?
Yes, for working in Maryland — both Indiana and Maryland are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Indiana is your primary state of residence and your Indiana license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Maryland without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Maryland, you will need a Maryland license once Maryland becomes your home state.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Because Indiana and Maryland are both issuing privileges, you may not need a Maryland license at all, provided Indiana stays your home. An OT or OTA living in Indiana with an active, unencumbered Indiana license can practice in Maryland on a compact privilege. That changes if you relocate: living in Maryland makes it your home state, and the privilege gives way to a Maryland license from the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.
What's different between Indiana and Maryland
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maryland. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Indiana to Maryland (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Maryland to Indiana (the reverse move): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Indiana matter?
Coming from Indiana matters here: only 10 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Maryland.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Indiana and Maryland are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Maryland while Indiana is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Maryland needs a Maryland license.
- Application fee
Maryland lists $200 for an out-of-state applicant and Indiana lists $100 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Maryland and Indiana carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Maryland (this move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Maryland asks for verification of INITIAL NBCOT certification or examination; screenshots from NBCOT's verification site are accepted. Current NBCOT certification is not required. An applicant who is not currently NBCOT-certified submits a Continuing Competency Requirement Compliance Report showing 24 contact hours in the preceding 24 months. Every applicant must also complete the Maryland jurisprudence exam, an open-book exam on Health Occupations Article Title 10 and COMAR 10.46, answered on paper or online.
- Indiana (the reverse move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. On the 'Application by Reciprocity' checklist (for OTs licensed in another state), PLA requires state license verifications and a criminal background check; unlike the examination checklist, it does not list an NBCOT score report or transcript. The pages reviewed do not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. No Indiana jurisprudence exam is required, and the Commission lists Indiana as 'not required' for compact jurisprudence.
What changes, Indiana → Maryland
| Indiana (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $100 (nonrefundable application fee paid by card with the online application (same fee for OTA), per the PLA licensing page and Committee fee schedule (Dec 2025 archive copy). A temporary permit is $50 more. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee: an Indiana privilege costs a $25 state fee plus the $75 Commission fee.) | $200 (Application for initial licensure is $200 (COMAR 10.46.05.01B). It is non-refundable and includes a first temporary license. The fingerprinting vendor fee is extra; the Board does not state the amount. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee: Maryland's privilege costs $125 (COMAR 10.46.05.01M) plus the $75 Commission fee.) |
| Processing time | PLA publishes no OT processing timeframe; an application with missing requirements is abandoned after one year | The Board publishes no processing timeframe |
| Licensing authority | Indiana Occupational Therapy Committee (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) | Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Maryland: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Maryland through the compact commission and complete any Maryland jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Maryland: apply for a Maryland license with the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice; a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Indiana to Maryland?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Do I need a Maryland license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Indiana and your Indiana license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Maryland, you need a Maryland license from the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.
What does it cost?
A Maryland compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Maryland's privilege fee. A Maryland license by endorsement, for a relocation: $200 (Application for initial licensure is $200 (COMAR 10.46.05.01B).
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Indiana board and any Maryland jurisprudence step. A Maryland license by endorsement: The Board publishes no processing timeframe.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified Indiana 2026-09-27, Maryland 2026-10-29.
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Forms (Necessary Forms for an Initial License) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Application for Licensure (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice — Applicant's Checklist (2026 version) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- COMAR 10.46.05 Collection of Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Maryland accepting applications since April 15, 2026; $125 privilege fee; jurisprudence required) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Indiana PLA, Occupational Therapy Licensing Information and fee schedule (Internet Archive copy of 2025-12-15; in.gov refused connections from this environment on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Indiana PLA, Occupational Therapy Home, announcement of March 5, 2026: 'Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact Implemented and Live in Indiana, Beginning Monday, March 9, 2026' (Internet Archive copy of 2026-06-12) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources Indiana 2026-09-27, Maryland 2026-10-29
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