Occupational Therapy License from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) ↗
A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam..
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Pennsylvania nor District of Columbia is issuing OT Compact privileges, so there is one route: a District of Columbia license by endorsement from the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration). The board verifies your Pennsylvania license and your NBCOT exam passage; being licensed in Pennsylvania neither speeds nor slows District of Columbia's standard out-of-state review.
What changes, Pennsylvania → District of Columbia
| Pennsylvania (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing | Licensure by endorsement |
| 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).) | $264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online) |
| Processing time | the 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) | DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) | District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Official transcript from an ACOTE-accredited OT program, sent directly from the school (email to [email protected] preferred).
- Order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT.
- Obtain official license verifications from every state and jurisdiction where you ever held a professional license, in any status.
- Complete a new criminal background check with each application ($50, paid online).
- If you answer yes to any screening question, include supporting documents and an NPDB self-query report dated within 30 days.
- Pay the fees ($264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online)) and allow DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in District of Columbia?
A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Occupational Therapy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam..
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. The endorsement checklist asks the applicant to order an NBCOT Verification of Certification through MyNBCOT so the Board can confirm certification status. The checklist does not say whether a lapsed certification is acceptable, and it lists no DC jurisprudence exam.
How much does a District of Columbia OT license cost for someone licensed in Pennsylvania?
$264 (application and license fee, paid online with the endorsement application; + $50 criminal background check paid online).
How long does District of Columbia take to process the application?
DC Health publishes no OT processing timeframe; applicants can call the Processing Center (1-877-672-2174) or check status in the online portal.
Can I use the OT Compact to work in District of Columbia?
Not for this move. District of Columbia has not enacted the OT Compact. A District of Columbia license by endorsement is required.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- DC Health, Occupational Therapy Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- DC Health, Occupational Therapy New License Application, Endorsement Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- PA Department of State — Occupational Therapist Licensure Snapshot (requirements, $30 initial fee, Act 41) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- PA State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure — board page ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 49 Pa. Code § 42.9 — Licensure by endorsement (Act 41) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 49 Pa. Code § 42.12 — Waiver of licensure examination ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 49 Pa. Code § 42.13 — Application for licensure ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- 49 Pa. Code § 42.17 — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Compact Map dataset (Pennsylvania: Enacted, HB 482 / SB 571) ↗ (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]