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LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Minnesota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Minnesota's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Minnesota has two endorsement-type routes. 'Equivalency' (Minn. Stat. §148.6412) is for applicants who hold CURRENT NBCOT certification; they send an NBCOT Verification of Certification, which the Board notes is not the same document as exam results. 'Reciprocity' (§148.6415) is for applicants WITHOUT current NBCOT certification who hold a current, unrestricted OT credential in another state; they send license verification plus the statute or rules that governed their initial license, so the Board can confirm equivalent standards. Minnesota has no state jurisprudence exam for licensure, and the Commission lists Minnesota as 'Not required'..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Pennsylvania isn't issuing OT Compact privileges, so you start with endorsement into Minnesota through the Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. The payoff comes afterward: Minnesota does issue privileges, so once Minnesota is your home state and your Minnesota license is active, you can practice in the other issuing states on privileges instead of separate licenses.

What changes, Pennsylvania → Minnesota

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs Minnesota (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)Minnesota (destination)
OT Compact statusOT Compact enacted — not yet issuingOT Compact member — compact privilege to practice
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).)$185 (Initial OT licensure fee ($105 for an OTA). Add the $32 criminal background check fee. A temporary license, available while the application is pending to OTs licensed elsewhere or NBCOT-certified, costs $75. Minn. Stat. §148.6445 sets these amounts as maximums, and the Board's published fee page (read via an Internet Archive copy captured 2025-09-17) matched the statutory $185. NOT the compact privilege fee: the Commission lists Minnesota's privilege fee as $50, plus the $75 Commission fee. §148.6445 subd. 5a sets a $150 cap.)
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)4–7 weeks (Board-implied. The Board says the criminal background check takes 3 to 5 weeks after the fingerprint packet reaches the CBC office, and then 'allow five (5) to ten (10) business days' for review once ALL documents are received. You may practice as soon as your name appears on the Board's License Look Up.)
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State)Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Minnesota's current requirements on the Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Apply online through the Board's licensing portal and choose Equivalency (current NBCOT) or Reciprocity (no current NBCOT).
  5. Have every OT or health-care licensing agency where you hold or held a license send verification directly to the Board.
  6. Reciprocity route only: submit the statute or rules from the jurisdiction that issued your initial license, showing requirements equivalent to Minnesota's.
  7. Complete a fingerprint-based state (BCA) and FBI criminal background check under Minn. Stat. §214.075; results are valid for one year.
  8. Graduate of an ACOTE-accredited entry-level OT program.
  9. Pay the fees ($185 (Initial OT licensure fee ($105 for an OTA). Add the $32 criminal background check fee. A temporary license, available while the application is pending to OTs licensed elsewhere or NBCOT-certified, costs $75. Minn. Stat. §148.6445 sets these amounts as maximums, and the Board's published fee page (read via an Internet Archive copy captured 2025-09-17) matched the statutory $185. NOT the compact privilege fee: the Commission lists Minnesota's privilege fee as $50, plus the $75 Commission fee. §148.6445 subd. 5a sets a $150 cap.)) and allow 4–7 weeks (Board-implied. The Board says the criminal background check takes 3 to 5 weeks after the fingerprint packet reaches the CBC office, and then 'allow five (5) to ten (10) business days' for review once ALL documents are received. You may practice as soon as your name appears on the Board's License Look Up.).

Official links

Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice ↗Minnesota application ↗License verification ↗Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Minnesota → PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in MinnesotaAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in Minnesota?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Minnesota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Minnesota Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Minnesota's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Minnesota has two endorsement-type routes. 'Equivalency' (Minn. Stat. §148.6412) is for applicants who hold CURRENT NBCOT certification; they send an NBCOT Verification of Certification, which the Board notes is not the same document as exam results. 'Reciprocity' (§148.6415) is for applicants WITHOUT current NBCOT certification who hold a current, unrestricted OT credential in another state; they send license verification plus the statute or rules that governed their initial license, so the Board can confirm equivalent standards. Minnesota has no state jurisprudence exam for licensure, and the Commission lists Minnesota as 'Not required'..

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

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Minnesota has two endorsement-type routes. 'Equivalency' (Minn. Stat. §148.6412) is for applicants who hold CURRENT NBCOT certification; they send an NBCOT Verification of Certification, which the Board notes is not the same document as exam results. 'Reciprocity' (§148.6415) is for applicants WITHOUT current NBCOT certification who hold a current, unrestricted OT credential in another state; they send license verification plus the statute or rules that governed their initial license, so the Board can confirm equivalent standards. Minnesota has no state jurisprudence exam for licensure, and the Commission lists Minnesota as 'Not required'.

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

$185 (Initial OT licensure fee ($105 for an OTA). Add the $32 criminal background check fee. A temporary license, available while the application is pending to OTs licensed elsewhere or NBCOT-certified, costs $75. Minn. Stat. §148.6445 sets these amounts as maximums, and the Board's published fee page (read via an Internet Archive copy captured 2025-09-17) matched the statutory $185. NOT the compact privilege fee: the Commission lists Minnesota's privilege fee as $50, plus the $75 Commission fee. §148.6445 subd. 5a sets a $150 cap.).

How long does Minnesota take to process the application?

4–7 weeks (Board-implied. The Board says the criminal background check takes 3 to 5 weeks after the fingerprint packet reaches the CBC office, and then 'allow five (5) to ten (10) business days' for review once ALL documents are received. You may practice as soon as your name appears on the Board's License Look Up.).

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Minnesota?

Not for this move. Minnesota issues privileges, but only to therapists whose home state is also issuing; Pennsylvania is not. A Minnesota 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]