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LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Kentucky by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Kentucky's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Pennsylvania and Kentucky 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 Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy; your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Kentucky while living in Pennsylvania could later be done on a privilege.

What changes, Pennsylvania → Kentucky

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs Kentucky (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)Kentucky (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).)$50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.)
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 Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days.
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State)Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Kentucky's current requirements on the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Submit Application Form OTB-1 through the Kentucky eServices portal ('OT/OTA Full Initial Licensure (including Reciprocal)').
  5. Have every jurisdiction where you have held an OT license or credential send an official statement of good standing.
  6. Submit a current copy of your NBCOT certificate showing you met the initial OTR certification requirements.
  7. Pass the Kentucky OT jurisprudence exam.
  8. Complete an FBI fingerprint background check through IdentoGO (service code 27GN14).
  9. Pay the fees ($50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.)) and allow The Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days..

Official links

Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy ↗Kentucky application ↗License verification ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Kentucky → PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in KentuckyAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in Kentucky?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Kentucky by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Kentucky's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant..

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

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 (reciprocal licensure), an applicant who is or has been licensed in another state submits a current copy of the NBCOT certificate stating that the applicant met the initial requirements for OTR (or COTA) certification. The first-time-licensure route instead accepts electronic NBCOT verification or an official NBCOT Score Transfer Report. Kentucky also requires evidence of passing the Board's jurisprudence exam, an open-book online exam on Kentucky OT law, for every applicant.

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

$50 (OT/L licensure fee under 201 KAR 28:060 Section 3 ($35 for an OTA/L). The IdentoGO fingerprinting fee is extra; the Board's page does not state the amount. The OT Compact privilege fee ($70 for an OT) is a separate charge and not payable yet, because Kentucky is not issuing privileges.).

How long does Kentucky take to process the application?

The Board publishes no end-to-end timeframe. Its licensing page lists monthly Board meeting dates with application submission deadlines (for example, submit by September 28, 2026 for the October 8, 2026 meeting). It says IdentoGO fingerprint results take 5 to 10 business days..

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Kentucky?

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