Transfer Your Occupational Therapy License to North Dakota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice ↗
Not through the compact yet. North Dakota has passed the OT Compact into law but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27, so you transfer by endorsement with the North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. The fee is $125–$200 ($50 initial application fee + initial OT license fee of $150, or $75 if the application is received July 1 to December 31 of an odd-numbered year (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-03), so $200 or $125 in total. OTA: $50 + $110 or $55. The fee is waived for qualifying military spouses. No fingerprint fee is currently charged (see notes). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (North Dakota's state privilege fee is listed as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee).) and processing runs the Board states only that licenses are typically issued within a week after all completed documents are received and the Jurisprudence Exam is passed; no end-to-end timeframe is published. The Board asks for 2-3 days to enter an online application before the applicant can take the Jurisprudence Exam or check status; your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification.
Moving to North Dakota from a specific state?
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Verdict
OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Don't let "enacted" mislead you. North Dakota has passed the OT Compact but had not started issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27, and the commission publishes no go-live date. Until it does, the only way to practice in North Dakota is a North Dakota license through the North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, and the endorsement steps below are the whole process.
North Dakota has ENACTED the OT Compact (NDCC 43-40.1, effective August 1, 2025) but is NOT yet issuing privileges or accepting compact applications; the Board and the Commission both list it as 'Not Yet'. When it goes live, the Commission lists North Dakota's state privilege fee as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee, and a North Dakota jurisprudence requirement. Until then, an OT licensed elsewhere must apply online for a North Dakota license 'by reciprocity' (endorsement), and may not practice until the ND license issues. Criminal history checks are not yet part of licensure: in February 2026 the Board said it had received statutory authority to run BCI criminal history checks and was awaiting FBI approval. Limited permits (four months) are only for recent graduates awaiting the NBCOT exam. Qualifying military spouses pay no fee and may receive a provisional license (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-01.2). An ND license expired more than three years requires a new initial application.
North Dakota requirements at a glance
| Exam | The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. North Dakota rules require passage of the NBCOT OTR exam, and the Board can pull NBCOT scores sent to it. A reciprocity applicant who is currently licensed in another state proves eligibility through license verifications rather than a recent score: the 18-month score-recency rule applies to initial applicants, and NDCC 43-40-12 lets the Board waive exam requirements for applicants licensed in an equivalent state. No Board source found requires CURRENT NBCOT certification. North Dakota ALSO requires its own Jurisprudence Exam (20 questions, open book, online; 80% or higher per the application instructions) before the license issues. |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $125–$200 ($50 initial application fee + initial OT license fee of $150, or $75 if the application is received July 1 to December 31 of an odd-numbered year (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-03), so $200 or $125 in total. OTA: $50 + $110 or $55. The fee is waived for qualifying military spouses. No fingerprint fee is currently charged (see notes). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (North Dakota's state privilege fee is listed as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee).) |
| Processing time | the Board states only that licenses are typically issued within a week after all completed documents are received and the Jurisprudence Exam is passed; no end-to-end timeframe is published. The Board asks for 2-3 days to enter an online application before the applicant can take the Jurisprudence Exam or check status |
Step by step
- Confirm North Dakota's current requirements on the North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Degree from an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy program (or a foreign program NBCOT deems comparable).
- Pass the North Dakota OT Jurisprudence Exam on ND laws and rules (license is not issued until it is completed).
- Have license verification sent directly to the Board from every state where you currently hold or have ever held an OT license.
- Submit a copy of the current licensure law and rules of the state(s) where you are licensed.
- Pay the fees ($125–$200 ($50 initial application fee + initial OT license fee of $150, or $75 if the application is received July 1 to December 31 of an odd-numbered year (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-03), so $200 or $125 in total. OTA: $50 + $110 or $55. The fee is waived for qualifying military spouses. No fingerprint fee is currently charged (see notes). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (North Dakota's state privilege fee is listed as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee).)) and allow the Board states only that licenses are typically issued within a week after all completed documents are received and the Jurisprudence Exam is passed; no end-to-end timeframe is published. The Board asks for 2-3 days to enter an online application before the applicant can take the Jurisprudence Exam or check status.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into North Dakota:
Nearby states
Occupational Therapy license transfer into the states bordering North Dakota:
North Dakota for other professions
- Nursing in North Dakota
- Cosmetology / Barber in North Dakota
- Real Estate in North Dakota
- Contractor in North Dakota
- Teaching in North Dakota
- CPA / Accounting in North Dakota
- Electrician in North Dakota
- Plumber in North Dakota
- Engineering in North Dakota
- Pharmacy in North Dakota
- Physical Therapy in North Dakota
- Psychology in North Dakota
- Counseling in North Dakota
- Social Work in North Dakota
Frequently asked questions
Does my occupational therapy license transfer to North Dakota?
Not through the compact yet. North Dakota has passed the OT Compact into law but was not issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27, so you transfer by endorsement with the North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. The fee is $125–$200 ($50 initial application fee + initial OT license fee of $150, or $75 if the application is received July 1 to December 31 of an odd-numbered year (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-03), so $200 or $125 in total. OTA: $50 + $110 or $55. The fee is waived for qualifying military spouses. No fingerprint fee is currently charged (see notes). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (North Dakota's state privilege fee is listed as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee).) and processing runs the Board states only that licenses are typically issued within a week after all completed documents are received and the Jurisprudence Exam is passed; no end-to-end timeframe is published. The Board asks for 2-3 days to enter an online application before the applicant can take the Jurisprudence Exam or check status; your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification.
Do I have to retake the NBCOT exam to get licensed in North Dakota?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. North Dakota rules require passage of the NBCOT OTR exam, and the Board can pull NBCOT scores sent to it. A reciprocity applicant who is currently licensed in another state proves eligibility through license verifications rather than a recent score: the 18-month score-recency rule applies to initial applicants, and NDCC 43-40-12 lets the Board waive exam requirements for applicants licensed in an equivalent state. No Board source found requires CURRENT NBCOT certification. North Dakota ALSO requires its own Jurisprudence Exam (20 questions, open book, online; 80% or higher per the application instructions) before the license issues.
How much does an OT license by endorsement cost in North Dakota?
$125–$200 ($50 initial application fee + initial OT license fee of $150, or $75 if the application is received July 1 to December 31 of an odd-numbered year (N.D. Admin. Code 55.5-02-01-03), so $200 or $125 in total. OTA: $50 + $110 or $55. The fee is waived for qualifying military spouses. No fingerprint fee is currently charged (see notes). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (North Dakota's state privilege fee is listed as TBD, plus the $75 Commission fee).).
How long does North Dakota take to issue an OT license by endorsement?
the Board states only that licenses are typically issued within a week after all completed documents are received and the Jurisprudence Exam is passed; no end-to-end timeframe is published. The Board asks for 2-3 days to enter an online application before the applicant can take the Jurisprudence Exam or check status.
Is North Dakota an OT Compact state?
North Dakota has enacted the compact but was not accepting applications or issuing privileges as of 2026-09-27. Until it goes live, endorsement is the only way to practice in North Dakota.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- ND State Board of OT Practice — Requirements for Licensure (initial and reciprocity) (Internet Archive copy, captured 2026-04-20) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ND State Board of OT Practice — OT Licensure Compact page (Internet Archive copy, captured 2026-06-09) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- ND State Board of OT Practice — Requirements and Instructions for Licensure Application, rev. 10/2019 (Internet Archive copy) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- N.D. Admin. Code ch. 55.5-02-01 — Initial Licensure and Renewals (application, requirements, fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- N.D. Century Code ch. 43-40 — Occupational Therapy Practice (43-40-12 waiver for applicants licensed in another state) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (North Dakota: Not Yet) ↗ (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]