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LicenseReciprocity

Occupational Therapy License from Pennsylvania to Alabama: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Rule 625-X-1-.04 requires a letter of verification from NBCOT, sent directly to the Board, stating that the applicant met the requirements for OT certification and has not been censured, put on probation, suspended or revoked by NBCOT. The application says Board staff will try to obtain the NBCOT verification for you. The rules and application reviewed do not say whether NBCOT certification must be current, and they list no state jurisprudence or laws-and-rules exam..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Pennsylvania and Alabama have both enacted the OT Compact, and neither was issuing privileges as of the verification date, so this is an ordinary endorsement move. Apply to the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Alabama while living in Pennsylvania could later be done on a privilege.

What changes, Pennsylvania → Alabama

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs Alabama (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)Alabama (destination)
OT Compact statusOT Compact enacted — not yet issuingOT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$30 (application for license fee, the same for OT and OTA (49 Pa. Code 42.17; the Board's Licensure Snapshot shows a $30 initial fee). The Act 41 endorsement route charges the same 42.17 application fee (42.9(a)(5)). Biennial renewal is $55 (OTA $45). The fee schedule also lists a $20 temporary license. No fingerprint/background-check fee was found in the Board materials read. No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (Pennsylvania is not issuing privileges).)$140 (initial OT license fee under Ala. Admin. Code 625-X-7-.01, paid by cashier's check or money order with the application (OTA $115; limited permit $25). The initial license runs about one year; biennial renewal is $140. Spouses of active-duty or transitioning service members pay no initial license fee (625-X-7-.03). No fingerprint requirement appears in the rules or application reviewed.)
Processing timethe Department of State publishes processing guides and timelines only for certain boards, and none covers occupational therapy. Applications are filed and tracked in PALS, and the Board may require an interview (Act 41 route)no processing timeframe is published in the rules or application reviewed; the application says no license issues until all documents and the fee are received and processed
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State)Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Alabama's current requirements on the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Have NBCOT send a letter of verification of your certification directly to the Board.
  5. Have every state that has ever licensed you send a letter of good standing directly to the Board.
  6. Submit the notarized-style sworn application with a passport photo and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence.
  7. If you have not practiced in the past five years, complete a 480-hour (3-month) Board-approved traineeship; after ten years out, also pass the NBCOT exam again for licensure purposes.
  8. Pay the fees ($140 (initial OT license fee under Ala. Admin. Code 625-X-7-.01, paid by cashier's check or money order with the application (OTA $115; limited permit $25). The initial license runs about one year; biennial renewal is $140. Spouses of active-duty or transitioning service members pay no initial license fee (625-X-7-.03). No fingerprint requirement appears in the rules or application reviewed.)) and allow no processing timeframe is published in the rules or application reviewed; the application says no license issues until all documents and the fee are received and processed.

Official links

Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy ↗Alabama application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Alabama → PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in AlabamaAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in Alabama?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Rule 625-X-1-.04 requires a letter of verification from NBCOT, sent directly to the Board, stating that the applicant met the requirements for OT certification and has not been censured, put on probation, suspended or revoked by NBCOT. The application says Board staff will try to obtain the NBCOT verification for you. The rules and application reviewed do not say whether NBCOT certification must be current, and they list no state jurisprudence or laws-and-rules exam..

Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Pennsylvania to Alabama?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Rule 625-X-1-.04 requires a letter of verification from NBCOT, sent directly to the Board, stating that the applicant met the requirements for OT certification and has not been censured, put on probation, suspended or revoked by NBCOT. The application says Board staff will try to obtain the NBCOT verification for you. The rules and application reviewed do not say whether NBCOT certification must be current, and they list no state jurisprudence or laws-and-rules exam.

How much does a Alabama OT license cost for someone licensed in Pennsylvania?

$140 (initial OT license fee under Ala. Admin. Code 625-X-7-.01, paid by cashier's check or money order with the application (OTA $115; limited permit $25). The initial license runs about one year; biennial renewal is $140. Spouses of active-duty or transitioning service members pay no initial license fee (625-X-7-.03). No fingerprint requirement appears in the rules or application reviewed.).

How long does Alabama take to process the application?

no processing timeframe is published in the rules or application reviewed; the application says no license issues until all documents and the fee are received and processed.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Alabama?

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