Occupational Therapy License from Mississippi to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Mississippi occupational therapy license in Maryland?
Yes, for working in Maryland — both Mississippi and Maryland are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Mississippi is your primary state of residence and your Mississippi license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Maryland without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Maryland, you will need a Maryland license once Maryland becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Mississippi and Maryland both issue OT Compact privileges, so this move has two versions. Working in Maryland while you keep living in Mississippi: buy a Maryland privilege through the commission ($75 plus Maryland's fee), meet any Maryland jurisprudence requirement, and keep your Mississippi license active, because the privilege ends when it does. Moving to Maryland: Maryland becomes your home state and you need a Maryland license, by converting the privilege where the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice offers that route or by endorsement.
What's different between Mississippi and Maryland
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maryland. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Mississippi to Maryland (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Maryland to Mississippi (the reverse move): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Mississippi matter?
Coming from Mississippi matters here: only 10 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Maryland.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Mississippi and Maryland are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Maryland while Mississippi is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Maryland needs a Maryland license.
- Application fee
Maryland lists $200 for an out-of-state applicant and Mississippi lists $250 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Mississippi lists 1–3 weeks for the reverse move; Maryland has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Maryland and Mississippi carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Maryland (this 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.
- Mississippi (the reverse move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Rule 8.4.2 (Licensure by Endorsement), the applicant must be currently licensed in another state whose requirements, including passing an approved examination (NBCOT), are equivalent to or greater than Mississippi's. The applicant's NBCOT certification must not have been subject to disciplinary action. The rule does not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. There is no general jurisprudence exam: Rule 8.4.7(3) lets the Department require one only for universal-license applicants, where Mississippi law requires it.
What changes, Mississippi → Maryland
| Mississippi (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $250 ($100 application fee plus $150 initial OT licensure fee (Rule 8.13.2), non-refundable. The OTA initial fee is $100. No criminal background check is required for regular licensure: MSDH requires background checks for OTs only for the OT Licensure Compact ($50 plus $25 local fingerprinting). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee ($200 Mississippi fee plus the $75 Commission 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.) |
| Processing time | 1–3 weeks (The Department says 'Please allow 7 to 14 business days after receipt of all paperwork to receive your license' (about 1.4 to 2.8 weeks, rounded). For universal-license applicants, Rule 8.4.7 requires a decision within 120 days and a temporary practice permit within 30 days if processing will take longer than two weeks.) | The Board publishes no processing timeframe |
| Licensing authority | Mississippi State Department of Health — Professional Licensure (Occupational Therapy) | Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland 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 Maryland: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Maryland through the compact commission and complete any Maryland jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Maryland: apply for a Maryland license with the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice; 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 Mississippi to Maryland?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Do I need a Maryland license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Mississippi and your Mississippi license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Maryland, you need a Maryland license from the Maryland State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.
What does it cost?
A Maryland compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Maryland's privilege fee. A Maryland license by endorsement, for a relocation: $200 (Application for initial licensure is $200 (COMAR 10.46.05.01B).
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Mississippi board and any Maryland jurisprudence step. A Maryland license by endorsement: The Board publishes no processing timeframe.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Maryland accepting applications since April 15, 2026; $125 privilege fee; jurisprudence required) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Professional Licensure page, Occupational Therapists and OTAs (application portal, processing time, 'OTLC begins October 5, 2026', CompactConnect link) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Regulations Governing Licensure of Occupational Therapists and OTAs (amended February 2025): Rules 8.4.2, 8.4.7, 8.13.2 ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Background checks (OT Licensure Compact only) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Verification (license search) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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