Occupational Therapy License from New York to Oklahoma: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Oklahoma by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee), verify your New York license, and meet Oklahoma's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Proof of passing it is required (Okla. Admin. Code 435:30-1-4), with scores submitted through a Board-approved reporting service; the Board's forms list the NBCOT Verification of Certification Letter. The applicant must be currently licensed BY EXAMINATION in another state, DC or Puerto Rico. The rule requires proof of passage, not current NBCOT certification. An applicant who has not passed the exam within the past five years may be required to show continued competence (CE, one to three months of supervised practice, or retaking the exam). No Oklahoma jurisprudence exam was found for endorsement..
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The compact plays no part here, since neither state is issuing privileges. You apply to the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee) as an OT licensed in another state, with NBCOT passage verified and your New York license confirmed, plus whatever Oklahoma adds such as fingerprints or a jurisprudence exam.
What changes, New York → Oklahoma
| New York (current) | Oklahoma (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT 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.) | $120 (initial application fee for an Occupational Therapist, per the Medical Board's published fee table (OTA also $120). Annual renewal is $100 (licenses expire October 31). The Extended Background Check vendor cost is paid separately and is not published on the Board page. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee: Oklahoma's state privilege fee is TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee.) |
| Processing time | NYSED publishes no processing timeframe for OT applications. | no current timeframe is published. Applications are reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee, which meets roughly quarterly (2026 meetings: February, June, August, September, December). The Board's 2020 instructions (Internet Archive copy; no longer posted) said licenses are approved about two weeks after the Committee meeting and that applications are due at least 30 days before a Committee meeting |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Occupational Therapy | Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oklahoma sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Oklahoma's current requirements on the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current OT license obtained by examination in another state, DC or Puerto Rico.
- Graduate of an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program.
- Complete an Extended Background Check through the Board's vendor (HireRight).
- Have verification of every OT license ever held sent directly to the Board by the issuing board.
- Account for any gaps in your employment history (Time Deficiency form).
- If you have not passed the NBCOT exam within the past five years, show continued competence if the Board requires it.
- Pay the fees ($120 (initial application fee for an Occupational Therapist, per the Medical Board's published fee table (OTA also $120). Annual renewal is $100 (licenses expire October 31). The Extended Background Check vendor cost is paid separately and is not published on the Board page. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee: Oklahoma's state privilege fee is TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee.)) and allow no current timeframe is published. Applications are reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee, which meets roughly quarterly (2026 meetings: February, June, August, September, December). The Board's 2020 instructions (Internet Archive copy; no longer posted) said licenses are approved about two weeks after the Committee meeting and that applications are due at least 30 days before a Committee meeting.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my New York occupational therapy license in Oklahoma?
A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Oklahoma by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee), verify your New York license, and meet Oklahoma's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Proof of passing it is required (Okla. Admin. Code 435:30-1-4), with scores submitted through a Board-approved reporting service; the Board's forms list the NBCOT Verification of Certification Letter. The applicant must be currently licensed BY EXAMINATION in another state, DC or Puerto Rico. The rule requires proof of passage, not current NBCOT certification. An applicant who has not passed the exam within the past five years may be required to show continued competence (CE, one to three months of supervised practice, or retaking the exam). No Oklahoma jurisprudence exam was found for endorsement..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from New York to Oklahoma?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Proof of passing it is required (Okla. Admin. Code 435:30-1-4), with scores submitted through a Board-approved reporting service; the Board's forms list the NBCOT Verification of Certification Letter. The applicant must be currently licensed BY EXAMINATION in another state, DC or Puerto Rico. The rule requires proof of passage, not current NBCOT certification. An applicant who has not passed the exam within the past five years may be required to show continued competence (CE, one to three months of supervised practice, or retaking the exam). No Oklahoma jurisprudence exam was found for endorsement.
How much does a Oklahoma OT license cost for someone licensed in New York?
$120 (initial application fee for an Occupational Therapist, per the Medical Board's published fee table (OTA also $120). Annual renewal is $100 (licenses expire October 31). The Extended Background Check vendor cost is paid separately and is not published on the Board page. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee: Oklahoma's state privilege fee is TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee.).
How long does Oklahoma take to process the application?
no current timeframe is published. Applications are reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee, which meets roughly quarterly (2026 meetings: February, June, August, September, December). The Board's 2020 instructions (Internet Archive copy; no longer posted) said licenses are approved about two weeks after the Committee meeting and that applications are due at least 30 days before a Committee meeting.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Oklahoma?
Not for this move. Oklahoma has enacted the OT Compact but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. A Oklahoma license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Oklahoma Medical Board — Occupational Therapists & Assistants (forms, EBC link, laws, rules, meetings) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Oklahoma Medical Board — home page fee table (OT/OTA initial application $120) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Okla. Admin. Code 435:30 — Occupational Therapists and Assistants rules (435:30-1-4 Licensure by endorsement), effective 9/11/2020 ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Oklahoma Medical Board — Proposed permanent amendments to Okla. Admin. Code 435:30 (not yet effective) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Oklahoma Medical Board — OT/OTA Application Instructions, rev. 09/2020 (Internet Archive copy) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Oklahoma: Not Yet) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — License Requirements for Occupational Therapists ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — Application Forms for Occupational Therapists (Forms 1, 2, 2F, 3) ↗ (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]