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LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing), verify your New York license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; LARA requires certification of your passing NBCOT score sent directly to the Bureau by NBCOT. Michigan ALSO requires its jurisprudence examination for endorsement: a passing score (75%) on the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam taken through PSI, sent directly by PSI and dated within the 3 years before you apply. (The Commission's 'not required' jurisprudence entry for Michigan refers only to future compact privileges.) The licensing guide asks for NBCOT exam passage, not current NBCOT certification..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Neither New York nor Michigan is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a Michigan license by endorsement from the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing). The board verifies your New York license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in New York neither speeds nor slows Michigan's standard out-of-state review.

What changes, New York → Michigan

Side-by-side: New York vs Michigan (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
New York (current)Michigan (destination)
OT Compact statusLicensure by endorsementOT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$294 (Licensure and first registration fee for an OT ($147 for an OTA). An online application must be paid by credit card. A limited permit costs $70, non-refundable. Fees are subject to change; the fee in law when NYSED receives the application applies.)$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).)
Processing timeNYSED publishes no processing timeframe for OT applications.LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time
Licensing authorityNew York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Occupational TherapyMichigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing)

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Michigan's current requirements on the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Pass the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam through PSI (75% passing score) within the 3 years before applying.
  5. Have NBCOT send certification of your passing OT exam score directly to LARA.
  6. Have every state or country where you hold or ever held a license send verification directly to LARA, showing no pending discipline or sanctions in force.
  7. If you have practiced in another state for LESS than 5 years, also meet the examination requirements, including official transcripts sent directly from an ACOTE-accredited (or WFOT-approved) OT program.
  8. Complete the criminal background check (instructions emailed after you apply), one-time human-trafficking training, and 2 hours of implicit-bias training within the prior 5 years.
  9. Pay the fees ($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).)) and allow LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time.

Official links

Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗Michigan application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Michigan → New YorkOccupational Therapy in New YorkOccupational Therapy in MichiganAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my New York occupational therapy license in Michigan?

A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing), verify your New York license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; LARA requires certification of your passing NBCOT score sent directly to the Bureau by NBCOT. Michigan ALSO requires its jurisprudence examination for endorsement: a passing score (75%) on the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam taken through PSI, sent directly by PSI and dated within the 3 years before you apply. (The Commission's 'not required' jurisprudence entry for Michigan refers only to future compact privileges.) The licensing guide asks for NBCOT exam passage, not current NBCOT certification..

Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from New York to Michigan?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; LARA requires certification of your passing NBCOT score sent directly to the Bureau by NBCOT. Michigan ALSO requires its jurisprudence examination for endorsement: a passing score (75%) on the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam taken through PSI, sent directly by PSI and dated within the 3 years before you apply. (The Commission's 'not required' jurisprudence entry for Michigan refers only to future compact privileges.) The licensing guide asks for NBCOT exam passage, not current NBCOT certification.

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

$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).).

How long does Michigan take to process the application?

LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Michigan?

Not for this move. Michigan has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Michigan 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]