Transfer Your Occupational Therapy License to Louisiana: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my occupational therapy license transfer to Louisiana?
Louisiana 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 Louisiana license by endorsement from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure): $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), but the Board says it no longer routinely grants temporary licenses. 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.), no verified processing time, with NBCOT exam passage verified instead of retaken.
Moving to Louisiana from a specific state?
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Don't let "enacted" mislead you. Louisiana has passed the OT Compact but had not started issuing privileges as of 2026-10-29, and the commission publishes no go-live date. Until it does, the only way to practice in Louisiana is a Louisiana license through the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure), and the endorsement steps below are the whole process.
Louisiana has enacted the OT Compact but is NOT yet issuing or accepting privileges. The Commission lists its privilege fee as TBD and gives no jurisprudence information. OTs are licensed by the State Board of Medical Examiners, not a standalone OT board. There is one application for new graduates and for OTs licensed elsewhere: OTs licensed elsewhere add license verifications from every state and must hold current NBCOT certification. The Board now says it 'will no longer routinely grant temporary permits/licenses' and keeps that power only for urgent or emergency needs; its instructions still describe a 3-month temporary license for recent graduates registered for the NBCOT exam. The Board's OT pages do not describe a military pathway.
Louisiana requirements at a glance
| Exam | 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. |
|---|---|
| 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), but the Board says it no longer routinely grants temporary licenses. 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 | 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 |
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure) (application linked on this page).
- 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 listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Nearby states
Occupational Therapy license transfer into the states bordering Louisiana:
Louisiana for other professions
- Nursing in Louisiana
- Cosmetology / Barber in Louisiana
- Real Estate in Louisiana
- Contractor in Louisiana
- Teaching in Louisiana
- CPA / Accounting in Louisiana
- Electrician in Louisiana
- Plumber in Louisiana
- Engineering in Louisiana
- Pharmacy in Louisiana
- Physical Therapy in Louisiana
- Psychology in Louisiana
- Counseling in Louisiana
- Social Work in Louisiana
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NBCOT exam to get licensed in Louisiana?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Is Louisiana an OT Compact state?
Louisiana 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 Louisiana.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- LSBME — Application & Instructions for Initial Licensure, Occupational Therapist/Assistant ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- LSBME — Occupational Therapists/Assistants licensure page ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Louisiana: 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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