Occupational Therapy License from Michigan to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Michigan to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your Michigan license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam..
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Michigan nor District of Columbia is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a District of Columbia license by endorsement from the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration). The board verifies your Michigan license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in Michigan neither speeds nor slows District of Columbia's standard out-of-state review.
What changes, Michigan → District of Columbia
| Michigan (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing | Licensure by endorsement |
| 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).) | $264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online) |
| Processing time | LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time | DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) | District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Official transcript from an ACOTE-accredited OT program, sent directly from the school (email to [email protected] preferred).
- Order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT.
- Obtain official license verifications from every state and jurisdiction where you ever held a professional license, in any status.
- Complete a new criminal background check with each application ($50, paid online).
- If you answer yes to any screening question, include supporting documents and an NPDB self-query report dated within 30 days.
- Pay the fees ($264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online)) and allow DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Michigan occupational therapy license in District of Columbia?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Michigan to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your Michigan license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Michigan to District of Columbia?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam.
How much does a District of Columbia OT license cost for someone licensed in Michigan?
$264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online).
How long does District of Columbia take to process the application?
DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in District of Columbia?
Not for this move. District of Columbia has not enacted the OT Compact. A District of Columbia license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- DC Health, Occupational Therapy Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Health, Occupational Therapy New License Application, Endorsement Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Michigan LARA — Occupational Therapy board page (licensing guides, MiPLUS, State License Search links) (Internet Archive copy of 2026-04-14; michigan.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated requests on 2026-09-27) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Michigan LARA — Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide, revision date 10/01/23 (endorsement requirements, $187.40 fee) (Internet Archive copy of 2025-03-03) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Michigan: Not Yet accepting applications) ↗ (accessed 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]