Transfer Your Occupational Therapy License to Kentucky: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my occupational therapy license transfer to Kentucky?
Kentucky has enacted the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact but, as of 2026-10-29, is not yet accepting applications or issuing privileges, so no privilege lets you practice there. Every incoming OT or OTA needs a Kentucky license by endorsement from the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy: $50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.), processing 2–3 weeks (The Board's FAQ (revised 2/2024) says that once a completed application is received, 'the average turnaround time for your application to be reviewed by the Board and license issued is about 2 – 3 weeks', and calls this an estimate. The FAQ predates the FBI fingerprint check now required: the licensing page says an application cannot move to full Board review until the results arrive (IdentoGO results take 5 to 10 business days) and ties final review to monthly Board meetings with submission deadlines (remaining 2026 meetings: November 12 and December 10).), with NBCOT exam passage verified instead of retaken.
Moving to Kentucky from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Kentucky's compact status reads better on paper than it works in practice. The legislature has enacted the OT Compact, but the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy was not accepting privilege applications as of 2026-10-29, so for now Kentucky works like a non-member: nobody practices there on a privilege, and OTs who live there cannot buy privileges elsewhere. Plan on endorsement. This page will change when Kentucky goes live.
Kentucky has enacted the OT Compact but is NOT yet issuing or accepting compact privileges. A relocating OT must get a Kentucky license through the reciprocal (endorsement) route. Kentucky licenses renew every year by October 31. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 2, a temporary permit is available only while supervised by a Kentucky-licensed OT (Form OTB-2), and it is revoked after two failed NBCOT attempts, so it is aimed at exam candidates. The Board's pages do not list a separate military pathway.
Kentucky requirements at a glance
| Exam | The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant. |
|---|---|
| Fees | $50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.) |
| Processing time | 2–3 weeks (The Board's FAQ (revised 2/2024) says that once a completed application is received, 'the average turnaround time for your application to be reviewed by the Board and license issued is about 2 – 3 weeks', and calls this an estimate. The FAQ predates the FBI fingerprint check now required: the licensing page says an application cannot move to full Board review until the results arrive (IdentoGO results take 5 to 10 business days) and ties final review to monthly Board meetings with submission deadlines (remaining 2026 meetings: November 12 and December 10).) |
Step by step
- Confirm Kentucky's current requirements on the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Apply online with Application Form OTB-1: applicants never licensed in Kentucky use the Department of Professional Licensing new-application portal (oop.ky.gov/DPLServices/NewApp); current licensees of a Department of Professional Licensing board use eServices ('OT/OTA Full Initial Licensure (including Reciprocal)').
- Have every jurisdiction where you have held an OT license or credential send an official statement of good standing.
- Submit a current copy of your NBCOT certificate showing you met the initial OTR certification requirements.
- Pass the Kentucky OT jurisprudence exam.
- Complete an FBI fingerprint background check through IdentoGO (service code 27GN14).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Nearby states
Occupational Therapy license transfer into the states bordering Kentucky:
Kentucky for other professions
- Nursing in Kentucky
- Cosmetology / Barber in Kentucky
- Real Estate in Kentucky
- Contractor in Kentucky
- Teaching in Kentucky
- CPA / Accounting in Kentucky
- Electrician in Kentucky
- Plumber in Kentucky
- Engineering in Kentucky
- Pharmacy in Kentucky
- Physical Therapy in Kentucky
- Psychology in Kentucky
- Counseling in Kentucky
- Social Work in Kentucky
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NBCOT exam to get licensed in Kentucky?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Is Kentucky an OT Compact state?
Kentucky has enacted the compact but was not accepting applications or issuing privileges as of 2026-10-29. Until it goes live, endorsement is the only way to practice in Kentucky.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy — Licensing (application types, IdentoGO fingerprinting, meeting deadlines) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy — home (FBI background check requirement, license search) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy — Frequently Asked Questions (revised 2/2024; reciprocal application route, turnaround estimate) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 201 KAR 28:060 Licensure, renewals, and reinstatements (engrossed text, Crt eff. 10-13-2025; copy hosted by the OT Compact Commission) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Kentucky: Not Yet accepting applications) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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