Skip to content
LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The credentials application asks for verification of INITIAL NBCOT certification, which the division retrieves from NBCOT for you, so current certification is not required. Alaska also requires a completed Jurisprudence Questionnaire (form 08-4884) submitted with the application..

Verify this exact pair in the checker

Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.

Run the Reciprocity Checker →

Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Pennsylvania and Alaska 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 Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing); your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Alaska while living in Pennsylvania could later be done on a privilege.

What changes, Pennsylvania → Alaska

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs Alaska (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)Alaska (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).)$350 ($150 nonrefundable application fee + $200 license fee, payable to the State of Alaska (form 08-4920, rev. 09/19/2025); + $75 fingerprint processing fee (total due $425); + $65 if you request a temporary permit. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Alaska's future state fee as $200 for OTs).)
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)the division states only that average processing time varies by program and that a license may issue once the application is complete and all documents and fees are received; the fingerprint check adds time
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State)Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing)

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Alaska's current requirements on the Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold an active OT license in another jurisdiction and apply by credentials (form 08-4920).
  5. Submit one FD-258 fingerprint card for a state and FBI background check.
  6. Have every jurisdiction where you hold or ever held an OT license send license verification directly (online primary-source verification is accepted).
  7. Submit a professional reference form (08-4920a) from a physician, instructor, supervisor or school official.
  8. Show recent experience: at least 60 hours of OT service in the prior 24 months, NBCOT exam passage within 24 months, or a Board-approved 150-hour internship.
  9. Complete and submit the Jurisprudence Questionnaire (08-4884).
  10. Pay the fees ($350 ($150 nonrefundable application fee + $200 license fee, payable to the State of Alaska (form 08-4920, rev. 09/19/2025); + $75 fingerprint processing fee (total due $425); + $65 if you request a temporary permit. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Alaska's future state fee as $200 for OTs).)) and allow the division states only that average processing time varies by program and that a license may issue once the application is complete and all documents and fees are received; the fingerprint check adds time.

Official links

Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing) ↗Alaska application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Alaska → PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in AlaskaAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in Alaska?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Board of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy (Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The credentials application asks for verification of INITIAL NBCOT certification, which the division retrieves from NBCOT for you, so current certification is not required. Alaska also requires a completed Jurisprudence Questionnaire (form 08-4884) submitted with the application..

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

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The credentials application asks for verification of INITIAL NBCOT certification, which the division retrieves from NBCOT for you, so current certification is not required. Alaska also requires a completed Jurisprudence Questionnaire (form 08-4884) submitted with the application.

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

$350 ($150 nonrefundable application fee + $200 license fee, payable to the State of Alaska (form 08-4920, rev. 09/19/2025); + $75 fingerprint processing fee (total due $425); + $65 if you request a temporary permit. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Commission lists Alaska's future state fee as $200 for OTs).).

How long does Alaska take to process the application?

the division states only that average processing time varies by program and that a license may issue once the application is complete and all documents and fees are received; the fingerprint check adds time.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Alaska?

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