Occupational Therapy License from Tennessee to Ohio: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Can I use my Tennessee occupational therapy license in Ohio?
Yes, for working in Ohio — both Tennessee and Ohio 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 Ohio without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Ohio, you will need an Ohio license once Ohio becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Because Tennessee and Ohio are both issuing privileges, you may not need an Ohio license at all, provided Tennessee stays your home. An OT or OTA living in Tennessee with an active, unencumbered Tennessee license can practice in Ohio on a compact privilege. That changes if you relocate: living in Ohio makes it your home state, and the privilege gives way to an Ohio license from the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Occupational Therapy Section).
What's different between Tennessee and Ohio
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Ohio. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Tennessee to Ohio (this page): Compact privilege — work there without a second license.
Ohio 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 Ohio.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40).
- OT Compact membership
Tennessee and Ohio are both OT Compact member states.
A compact privilege lets you practice in Ohio while Tennessee is your home state; it is not a license, and a move to Ohio needs an Ohio license.
- Application fee
Ohio lists $100 for an out-of-state applicant and Tennessee lists $135 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Ohio and Tennessee carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Ohio (this move): The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; the applicant has NBCOT send a Score Transfer to the Ohio OTPTAT Board or uploads an official NBCOT Verification of Certification. Ohio also requires the Ohio OT Jurisprudence Exam (taken online via myicourse, 90% minimum passing score).
- 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 → Ohio
| Tennessee (current) | Ohio (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).) | $100 (non-refundable endorsement application fee paid online through eLicense Ohio; + $22 BCI and $24 FBI background-check fees (plus any vendor fingerprinting fee); + $35 NBCOT Score Transfer if not already sent. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Ohio privilege: $25 state fee + $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 | the Board states only that an application is reviewed within five business days of submission (approval or a request for more documents); no end-to-end licensing timeframe is published, and FBI checks from ink-rolled cards can take up to three months |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) | Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Occupational Therapy Section) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Ohio 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 Ohio: purchase an OT Compact privilege for Ohio through the compact commission and complete any Ohio jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Ohio: apply for an Ohio license with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Occupational Therapy Section); 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 Ohio?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken; the applicant has NBCOT send a Score Transfer to the Ohio OTPTAT Board or uploads an official NBCOT Verification of Certification.
Do I need an Ohio 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 Ohio, you need an Ohio license from the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (Occupational Therapy Section).
What does it cost?
An Ohio compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Ohio's privilege fee. An Ohio license by endorsement, for a relocation: $100 (non-refundable endorsement application fee paid online through eLicense Ohio; + $22 BCI and $24 FBI background-check fees (plus any vendor fingerprinting fee); + $35 NBCOT Score Transfer if not already sent.
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Tennessee board and any Ohio jurisprudence step. An Ohio license by endorsement: the Board states only that an application is reviewed within five business days of submission (approval or a request for more documents); no end-to-end licensing timeframe is published, and FBI checks from ink-rolled cards can take up to three months.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT and OTA Endorsement Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT/OTA Endorsement Application Instructions packet (Dec 2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT-OTA Licensing (application pathways) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Ohio OTPTAT Board — OT Compact ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Ohio accepting applications since January 12, 2026; $25 OT privilege fee; jurisprudence 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
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