Skip to content
LicenseReciprocity

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

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..

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

What changes, Pennsylvania → Tennessee

Side-by-side: Pennsylvania vs Tennessee (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
Pennsylvania (current)Tennessee (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).)$110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).)
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 time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year
Licensing authorityPennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State)Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards)

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

Step by step

  1. Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Graduate transcript sent directly from an AOTA/ACOTE-accredited degree program.
  5. Have NBCOT send your certification exam results directly to the Board.
  6. Have license verification sent directly to the Board from every state where you are or ever were licensed.
  7. Complete a criminal background check through the Board's vendor (OCA code 1594 for OTs), with results sent directly to the Board.
  8. Submit a passport-style photo taken within the last 12 months, proof of citizenship/lawful presence, and the mandatory Practitioner Profile.
  9. Pay the fees ($110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).)) and allow no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.

Official links

Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) ↗Tennessee application ↗License verification ↗Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Tennessee → PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in PennsylvaniaOccupational Therapy in TennesseeAll occupational therapy statesThe OT Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Pennsylvania occupational therapy license in Tennessee?

A occupational therapy license transfers from Pennsylvania to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required')..

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

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(h) the reciprocity applicant must have NBCOT certification exam results sent directly to the Board (an NBCOT Score Transfer / verification of exam results). The rule asks for exam results, not proof of CURRENT NBCOT certification. Tennessee does not require a jurisprudence exam for licensure by reciprocity (the Commission also lists Tennessee's compact jurisprudence as 'Not required').

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

$110 ($100 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee, paid at the end of the online application (OTA $75 + $10 = $85). The background-check vendor fee is paid separately. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Tennessee privilege: $125 OT / $100 OTA state fee + $75 Commission fee).).

How long does Tennessee take to process the application?

no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(e) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Tennessee?

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