Occupational Therapy License from New York to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your New York license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This is an endorsement move with a benefit attached. New York is outside the issuing group, so no privilege applies; you apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) for a Tennessee license, with NBCOT passage verified rather than retaken. If you then live in Tennessee, that license can anchor privileges in the other issuing states.
What changes, New York → Tennessee
| New York (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice |
| 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.) | $110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).) |
| Processing time | NYSED publishes no processing timeframe for OT applications. | no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — State Board for Occupational Therapy | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Graduate transcript sent directly from an AOTA/ACOTE-accredited degree program.
- Have NBCOT send your certification exam results directly to the Board.
- Have license verification sent directly to the Board from every state where you are or ever were licensed.
- Complete a criminal background check through the Board's vendor (OCA code 1594 for OTs), with results sent directly to the Board.
- Submit a passport-style photo taken within the last 12 months, proof of citizenship/lawful presence, and the mandatory Practitioner Profile.
- Pay the fees ($110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).)) and allow no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my New York occupational therapy license in Tennessee?
A occupational therapy license transfers from New York to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your New York license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from New York to Tennessee?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required').
How much does a Tennessee OT license cost for someone licensed in New York?
$110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).).
How long does Tennessee take to process the application?
no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in Tennessee?
Not for this move. Tennessee issues privileges, but only to therapists whose home state is also issuing; New York is not. A Tennessee license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Occupational Therapy ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Tennessee Board of OT — Occupational Therapist online application checklist (fees $100 + $10 state regulatory fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy ch. 1150-02, March 2023 revision (1150-02-.05 reciprocity procedure; 1150-02-.06 fees) (Internet Archive copy) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Tennessee accepting applications since May 20, 2026; $125 OT privilege fee; jurisprudence not required) ↗ (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
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