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LicenseReciprocity

Occupational Therapy License from Michigan to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Michigan to Arizona by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners, verify your Michigan license, and meet Arizona's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. On the standard path used by out-of-state OTs who have never held an Arizona license, the Board requires an NBCOT Score Transfer sent directly to the Board. Its FAQ calls this a 'verification of certificate'. The universal-license-recognition checklist for Arizona residents does not list an NBCOT step. The Board does not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. There is no separate jurisprudence exam: applicants attest in the application that they have read the Arizona statutes and rules..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Michigan and Arizona have both enacted the OT Compact, and neither was issuing privileges as of the verification date, so this is an ordinary endorsement move. Apply to the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Arizona while living in Michigan could later be done on a privilege.

What changes, Michigan → Arizona

Side-by-side: Michigan vs Arizona (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Michigan (current)Arizona (destination)
OT Compact statusOT Compact enacted — not yet issuingOT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$187.40 (combined application fee + 2-year license fee for 'OT by Examination or Endorsement', paid by card through MiPLUS, per LARA's Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide (revision date 10/01/23, read from an Internet Archive copy of 2025-03-03). The April 2026 LARA OT page links a newer file revision of the same guide that could not be retrieved, so confirm the amount in MiPLUS. Fingerprint vendor fee and PSI jurisprudence-exam fee not stated in the guide. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee (Michigan is not issuing privileges).)$235 (total OT fees stated on the Licensure by Examination page, which is the path for anyone who has never held an Arizona license (OTA $170); fees are set in A.A.C. R4-43-102. The universal-license-recognition page does not state its fee. Initial-license fees are waived for low-income applicants, military spouses and recently discharged veterans. + fingerprint clearance card cost paid to Arizona DPS. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Arizona's state fee as $0).)
Processing timeLARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing timeA.A.C. R4-43-205 gives the Board 60 days to review an application; the FAQ says applications are generally approved at the beginning of each month and licenses are mailed five working days after approval, and recommends applying at least one month before you need the license
Licensing authorityMichigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing)Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Arizona's current requirements on the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Complete the academic requirements of an OT educational program and a period of supervised fieldwork (A.R.S. 32-3423).
  5. Hold a valid Arizona DPS fingerprint clearance card (A.R.S. 32-3430); the Board does not issue them.
  6. Submit the Statement of Citizenship form with proof of lawful presence (A.R.S. 41-1080).
  7. Have every state where you have held a medical professional license, current or expired, send verification directly to the Board.
  8. For universal license recognition only: prove established Arizona residency and at least one year of licensure elsewhere with no discipline or pending investigation.
  9. Pay the fees ($235 (total OT fees stated on the Licensure by Examination page, which is the path for anyone who has never held an Arizona license (OTA $170); fees are set in A.A.C. R4-43-102. The universal-license-recognition page does not state its fee. Initial-license fees are waived for low-income applicants, military spouses and recently discharged veterans. + fingerprint clearance card cost paid to Arizona DPS. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Arizona's state fee as $0).)) and allow A.A.C. R4-43-205 gives the Board 60 days to review an application; the FAQ says applications are generally approved at the beginning of each month and licenses are mailed five working days after approval, and recommends applying at least one month before you need the license.

Official links

Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners ↗Arizona application ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Arizona → MichiganOccupational Therapy in MichiganOccupational Therapy in ArizonaAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Michigan occupational therapy license in Arizona?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Michigan to Arizona by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners, verify your Michigan license, and meet Arizona's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. On the standard path used by out-of-state OTs who have never held an Arizona license, the Board requires an NBCOT Score Transfer sent directly to the Board. Its FAQ calls this a 'verification of certificate'. The universal-license-recognition checklist for Arizona residents does not list an NBCOT step. The Board does not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. There is no separate jurisprudence exam: applicants attest in the application that they have read the Arizona statutes and rules..

Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Michigan to Arizona?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. On the standard path used by out-of-state OTs who have never held an Arizona license, the Board requires an NBCOT Score Transfer sent directly to the Board. Its FAQ calls this a 'verification of certificate'. The universal-license-recognition checklist for Arizona residents does not list an NBCOT step. The Board does not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. There is no separate jurisprudence exam: applicants attest in the application that they have read the Arizona statutes and rules.

How much does a Arizona OT license cost for someone licensed in Michigan?

$235 (total OT fees stated on the Licensure by Examination page, which is the path for anyone who has never held an Arizona license (OTA $170); fees are set in A.A.C. R4-43-102. The universal-license-recognition page does not state its fee. Initial-license fees are waived for low-income applicants, military spouses and recently discharged veterans. + fingerprint clearance card cost paid to Arizona DPS. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Arizona's state fee as $0).).

How long does Arizona take to process the application?

A.A.C. R4-43-205 gives the Board 60 days to review an application; the FAQ says applications are generally approved at the beginning of each month and licenses are mailed five working days after approval, and recommends applying at least one month before you need the license.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Arizona?

Not for this move. Arizona has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Arizona license by endorsement is required.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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]