Occupational Therapy License from Ohio to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) ↗
Yes, for working in Tennessee — both Ohio and Tennessee are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Ohio is your primary state of residence and your Ohio license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Tennessee without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Tennessee, you will need a Tennessee license once Tennessee becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Ohio and Tennessee both issue OT Compact privileges, so this move has two versions. Working in Tennessee while you keep living in Ohio: buy a Tennessee privilege through the commission ($75 plus Tennessee's fee), meet any Tennessee jurisprudence requirement, and keep your Ohio license active, because the privilege ends when it does. Moving to Tennessee: Tennessee becomes your home state and you need a Tennessee license, by converting the privilege where the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) offers that route or by endorsement.
What changes, Ohio → Tennessee
| Ohio (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice |
| Application fee | $100 (non-refundable endorsement application fee paid online through eLicense Ohio; + $22 BCI and $24 FBI background-check fees (plus any vendor fingerprinting fee); + $35 NBCOT Score Transfer if not already sent. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Ohio privilege: $25 state fee + $75 commission fee).) | $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 | the Board states only that an application is reviewed within five business days of submission (approval or a request for more documents); no end-to-end licensing timeframe is published, and FBI checks from ink-rolled cards can take up to three months | 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 | Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Occupational Therapy Section) | 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 your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Tennessee: purchase a OT Compact privilege for Tennessee through the compact commission and complete any Tennessee jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Tennessee: apply for a Tennessee license with the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Ohio occupational therapy license in Tennessee?
Yes, for working in Tennessee — both Ohio and Tennessee are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Ohio is your primary state of residence and your Ohio license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Tennessee without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Tennessee, you will need a Tennessee license once Tennessee becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Ohio 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').
Do I need a Tennessee license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Ohio and your Ohio license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Tennessee, you need a Tennessee license from the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards).
What does it cost?
A Tennessee compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Tennessee's privilege fee. A Tennessee license by endorsement, for a relocation: $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 it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Ohio board and any Tennessee jurisprudence step. A Tennessee license by endorsement: 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.
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)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT and OTA Endorsement Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT/OTA Endorsement Application Instructions packet (Dec 2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT-OTA Licensing (application pathways) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT Compact ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT-OTA Endorsement Application page (Internet Archive copy, captured 2025-06-12; eligibility and five-business-day review re-checked) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27
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