Occupational Therapy License from Maryland to Arkansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Maryland occupational therapy license in Arkansas?
Yes, for working in Arkansas — both Maryland and Arkansas are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Maryland is your primary state of residence and your Maryland license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Arkansas without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Arkansas, you will need an Arkansas license once Arkansas 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 Maryland and Arkansas are both issuing privileges, you may not need an Arkansas license at all, provided Maryland stays your home. An OT or OTA living in Maryland with an active, unencumbered Maryland license can practice in Arkansas on a compact privilege. That changes if you relocate: living in Arkansas makes it your home state, and the privilege gives way to an Arkansas license from the Arkansas State Medical Board (Occupational Therapy Examining Committee).
What's different between Maryland and Arkansas
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Arkansas. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Maryland to Arkansas (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Arkansas to Maryland (the reverse move): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Maryland matter?
Coming from Maryland matters here: only 10 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Arkansas.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Maryland and Arkansas are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Arkansas while Maryland is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Arkansas needs an Arkansas license.
- Application fee
Arkansas lists $4 for an out-of-state applicant and Maryland lists $200 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Arkansas and Maryland carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Arkansas (this move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Applicants who have passed the exam have NBCOT send a Verification of Certification directly to the Arkansas State Medical Board. The packet does not say whether that certification must be current. Arkansas also requires a signed Medical Practices Act and Rules Affidavit and a completed 10-question OT Practice Act questionnaire, both returned with the application. This is an open-book questionnaire, not a proctored jurisprudence exam.
- Maryland (the reverse 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.
What changes, Maryland → Arkansas
| Maryland (current) | Arkansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application 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.) | $4 (The ASMB application packet (rev. 10/11/2024) and fee schedule list a $4 OT application fee (OTA $3; temporary permit $1), payable by check or money order. The fee schedule says this is a reduced fee under Act 114 of 2023, in effect July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027, which 'may or may not apply in future years'. + $39.36 state and federal criminal background check (ASMB fee schedule). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee: an Arkansas privilege costs a $4 state fee (OTA $3) plus the $75 Commission fee.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing timeframe | the Board says a permanent license application 'will take several weeks to complete', that applications are processed in order of receipt, and that the federal portion of the background check 'can take several weeks or more'; no numeric range is published |
| Licensing authority | Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice | Arkansas State Medical Board (Occupational Therapy Examining Committee) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arkansas 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 Arkansas: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Arkansas through the compact commission and complete any Arkansas jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Arkansas: apply for an Arkansas license with the Arkansas State Medical Board (Occupational Therapy Examining Committee); 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 Maryland to Arkansas?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Do I need an Arkansas license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Maryland and your Maryland license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Arkansas, you need an Arkansas license from the Arkansas State Medical Board (Occupational Therapy Examining Committee).
What does it cost?
An Arkansas compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Arkansas's privilege fee. An Arkansas license by endorsement, for a relocation: $4 (The ASMB application packet (rev.
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Maryland board and any Arkansas jurisprudence step. An Arkansas license by endorsement: the Board says a permanent license application 'will take several weeks to complete', that applications are processed in order of receipt, and that the federal portion of the background check 'can take several weeks or more'; no numeric range is published.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Arkansas State Medical Board, OT / OTA page ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, Occupational Therapy Licensure Information Packet (rev. 10/11/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, Fee Schedule (Act 114 of 2023 fee reduction, July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission, Before You Apply (Arkansas accepting applications since October 5, 2026; $4 OT / $3 OTA state fee; jurisprudence not required) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arkansas State Medical Board, home page ('OT Compact implementation is scheduled to begin October 5, 2026') ↗ (accessed 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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