Occupational Therapy License from Tennessee to Mississippi: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Tennessee occupational therapy license in Mississippi?
Yes, for working in Mississippi — both Tennessee and Mississippi are active members of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). If Tennessee is your primary state of residence and your Tennessee license is active and unencumbered, you can buy a compact privilege to practice in Mississippi without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Mississippi, you will need a Mississippi license once Mississippi becomes your home state.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Because Tennessee and Mississippi are both issuing privileges, you may not need a Mississippi license at all, provided Tennessee stays your home. An OT or OTA living in Tennessee with an active, unencumbered Tennessee license can practice in Mississippi on a compact privilege. That changes if you relocate: living in Mississippi makes it your home state, and the privilege gives way to a Mississippi license from the Mississippi State Department of Health — Professional Licensure (Occupational Therapy).
What's different between Tennessee and Mississippi
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Mississippi. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Tennessee to Mississippi (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Mississippi to Tennessee (the reverse move): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Tennessee matter?
Coming from Tennessee matters here: only 10 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Mississippi.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Tennessee and Mississippi are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Mississippi while Tennessee is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Mississippi needs a Mississippi license.
- Application fee
Mississippi lists $250 for an out-of-state applicant and Tennessee lists $135 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Mississippi lists 1–3 weeks; Tennessee has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Mississippi and Tennessee carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Mississippi (this move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Rule 8.4.2 (Licensure by Endorsement), the applicant must be currently licensed in another state whose requirements, including passing an approved examination (NBCOT), are equivalent to or greater than Mississippi's. The applicant's NBCOT certification must not have been subject to disciplinary action. The rule does not say whether NBCOT certification must be current. There is no general jurisprudence exam: Rule 8.4.7(3) lets the Department require one only for universal-license applicants, where Mississippi law requires it.
- Tennessee (the reverse move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. Under Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(i) 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').
What changes, Tennessee → Mississippi
| Tennessee (current) | Mississippi (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) | Licensure by endorsement · OT Compact privilege (not a license) |
| Application fee | $135 ($125 non-refundable OT application fee + $10 state regulatory fee under Board Rule 1150-02-.06(4) as amended effective June 21, 2026 (OTA $100 + $10 = $110). The Board's online application checklist still shows the earlier $100 + $10 = $110 (OTA $85), so confirm the amount due at the end of the online application. 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).) | $250 ($100 application fee plus $150 initial OT licensure fee (Rule 8.13.2), non-refundable. The OTA initial fee is $100. No criminal background check is required for regular licensure: MSDH requires background checks for OTs only for the OT Licensure Compact ($50 plus $25 local fingerprinting). NOT the OT Compact privilege fee ($200 Mississippi fee plus the $75 Commission fee).) |
| Processing time | no processing time is published; Board Rule 1150-02-.05(2)(f) says completed reciprocity files are ordinarily processed at the next Board meeting scheduled to review files, and the Board meets four times a year | 1–3 weeks (The Department says 'Please allow 7 to 14 business days after receipt of all paperwork to receive your license' (about 1.4 to 2.8 weeks, rounded). For universal-license applicants, Rule 8.4.7 requires a decision within 120 days and a temporary practice permit within 30 days if processing will take longer than two weeks.) |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) | Mississippi State Department of Health — Professional Licensure (Occupational Therapy) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Mississippi sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your home-state license is active and unencumbered and that your home state is your primary state of residence.
- To work in Mississippi: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Mississippi through the compact commission and complete any Mississippi jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Mississippi: apply for a Mississippi license with the Mississippi State Department of Health — Professional Licensure (Occupational Therapy); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Tennessee to Mississippi?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken.
Do I need a Mississippi license or just a compact privilege?
A privilege is enough if you keep living in Tennessee and your Tennessee license stays active and unencumbered. If you move your residence to Mississippi, you need a Mississippi license from the Mississippi State Department of Health — Professional Licensure (Occupational Therapy).
What does it cost?
A Mississippi compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Mississippi's privilege fee. A Mississippi license by endorsement, for a relocation: $250 ($100 application fee plus $150 initial OT licensure fee (Rule 8.13.2), non-refundable.
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Tennessee board and any Mississippi jurisprudence step. A Mississippi license by endorsement: 1–3 weeks (The Department says 'Please allow 7 to 14 business days after receipt of all paperwork to receive your license' (about 1.4 to 2.8 weeks, rounded).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- MSDH — Professional Licensure page, Occupational Therapists and OTAs (application portal, processing time, 'OTLC begins October 5, 2026', CompactConnect link) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Regulations Governing Licensure of Occupational Therapists and OTAs (amended February 2025): Rules 8.4.2, 8.4.7, 8.13.2 ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Background checks (OT Licensure Compact only) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- MSDH — Verification (license search) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Mississippi accepting applications since October 5, 2026; $200 OT privilege fee; jurisprudence not required) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Occupational Therapy ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Tennessee Board of OT — Occupational Therapist online application checklist (still lists the pre-June-2026 $100 + $10 fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy ch. 1150-02, June 2026 revision (1150-02-.05(2) reciprocity procedure; 1150-02-.06 fees, amended effective June 21, 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com