Occupational Therapy License from Rhode Island to Michigan: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗

A occupational therapy license transfers from Rhode Island to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing), verify your Rhode Island license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; LARA requires certification of your passing NBCOT score sent directly to the Bureau by NBCOT. Michigan ALSO requires its jurisprudence examination for endorsement: a passing score (75%) on the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam taken through PSI, sent directly by PSI and dated within the 3 years before you apply. (The Commission's 'not required' jurisprudence entry for Michigan refers only to future compact privileges.) The licensing guide asks for NBCOT exam passage, not current NBCOT certification..

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Rhode Island and Michigan 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 Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing); your NBCOT result is verified by Score Transfer or Verification of Certification. If both states go live, working in Michigan while living in Rhode Island could later be done on a privilege.

What changes, Rhode Island → Michigan

Side-by-side: Rhode Island vs Michigan (Occupational Therapy (OT/OTA)), verified 2026-09-27
	Rhode Island (current)	Michigan (destination)
OT Compact status	OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing	OT Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee	$140 (non-refundable OT application fee (216-RICR-10-05-2 fee schedule, effective March 25, 2026; the application packet says it includes the first license up to the next June 30 even-year expiration). OTA application is also $140. Optional $30 framed-certificate fee. No fingerprint fee for the standard application (a RI Attorney General BCI is listed only on the military expedite form). No OT Compact privilege fee exists yet (Rhode Island is not issuing privileges).)	$187.40 (combined application fee + 2-year license fee for 'OT by Examination or Endorsement', paid by card through MiPLUS, per LARA's Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide (revision date 10/01/23, read from an Internet Archive copy of 2025-03-03). The April 2026 LARA OT page links a newer file revision of the same guide that could not be retrieved, so confirm the amount in MiPLUS. Fingerprint vendor fee and PSI jurisprudence-exam fee not stated in the guide. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee (Michigan is not issuing privileges).)
Processing time	no processing time is published; the application packet says applications are valid for one year from receipt and that RIDOH will not accelerate one applicant's processing at the expense of others (military members, veterans and spouses may request expedited handling)	LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time
Licensing authority	Rhode Island Board of Occupational Therapy (Rhode Island Department of Health, Professional Licensing)	Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing)

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

Step by step

Confirm Michigan's current requirements on the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) (application linked below).
Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
Pass the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam through PSI (75% passing score) within the 3 years before applying.
Have NBCOT send certification of your passing OT exam score directly to LARA.
Have every state or country where you hold or ever held a license send verification directly to LARA, showing no pending discipline or sanctions in force.
If you have practiced in another state for LESS than 5 years, also meet the examination requirements, including official transcripts sent directly from an ACOTE-accredited (or WFOT-approved) OT program.
Complete the criminal background check (instructions emailed after you apply), one-time human-trafficking training, and 2 hours of implicit-bias training within the prior 5 years.
Pay the fees ($187.40 (combined application fee + 2-year license fee for 'OT by Examination or Endorsement', paid by card through MiPLUS, per LARA's Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide (revision date 10/01/23, read from an Internet Archive copy of 2025-03-03). The April 2026 LARA OT page links a newer file revision of the same guide that could not be retrieved, so confirm the amount in MiPLUS. Fingerprint vendor fee and PSI jurisprudence-exam fee not stated in the guide. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee (Michigan is not issuing privileges).)) and allow LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time.

Official links

Michigan Board of Occupational Therapists (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗Michigan application ↗License verification ↗

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my Rhode Island occupational therapy license in Michigan?

Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Rhode Island to Michigan?

No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; LARA requires certification of your passing NBCOT score sent directly to the Bureau by NBCOT. Michigan ALSO requires its jurisprudence examination for endorsement: a passing score (75%) on the Michigan OT jurisprudence exam taken through PSI, sent directly by PSI and dated within the 3 years before you apply. (The Commission's 'not required' jurisprudence entry for Michigan refers only to future compact privileges.) The licensing guide asks for NBCOT exam passage, not current NBCOT certification.

How much does a Michigan OT license cost for someone licensed in Rhode Island?

$187.40 (combined application fee + 2-year license fee for 'OT by Examination or Endorsement', paid by card through MiPLUS, per LARA's Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide (revision date 10/01/23, read from an Internet Archive copy of 2025-03-03). The April 2026 LARA OT page links a newer file revision of the same guide that could not be retrieved, so confirm the amount in MiPLUS. Fingerprint vendor fee and PSI jurisprudence-exam fee not stated in the guide. NOT an OT Compact privilege fee (Michigan is not issuing privileges).).

How long does Michigan take to process the application?

LARA's OT licensing guide and OT page publish no processing time.

Can I use the OT Compact to work in Michigan?

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

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