Occupational Therapy License from Tennessee to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Wisconsin Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) ↗
Yes, for working in Wisconsin — both Tennessee and Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Wisconsin, you will need a Wisconsin license once Wisconsin becomes your home state.
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Verdict
Compact privilege — work there without a second license
Tennessee and Wisconsin both issue OT Compact privileges, so this move has two versions. Working in Wisconsin while you keep living in Tennessee: buy a Wisconsin privilege through the commission ($75 plus Wisconsin's fee), meet any Wisconsin jurisprudence requirement, and keep your Tennessee license active, because the privilege ends when it does. Moving to Wisconsin: Wisconsin becomes your home state and you need a Wisconsin license, by converting the privilege where the Wisconsin Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) offers that route or by endorsement.
What changes, Tennessee → Wisconsin
| Tennessee (current) | Wisconsin (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| OT Compact status | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice | OT Compact member — compact privilege to practice |
| Application fee | $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).) | $60 (credential fee per DSPS information sheet #1569 (rev. 4/2022), paid online via LicensE; DSPS's current initial-fee schedule could not be confirmed separately. Optional fee reduction (form 3217). Oral examination, if required: $266. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Wisconsin privilege: $75 state fee + $75 Commission fee).) |
| Processing time | 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 | no processing time is published on the DSPS OT page; applicants can track status with the LicensE Application Status Lookup |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy (Tennessee Department of Health, Health Related Boards) | Wisconsin Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: purchase a OT Compact privilege for Wisconsin through the compact commission and complete any Wisconsin jurisprudence requirement.
- Keep your home-state license active — every privilege lapses with it.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Wisconsin: apply for a Wisconsin license with the Wisconsin Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services); a privilege does not follow you when your home state changes.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Tennessee occupational therapy license in Wisconsin?
Yes, for working in Wisconsin — both Tennessee and Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin without a second license. A privilege is not a license transfer: if you are moving your residence to Wisconsin, you will need a Wisconsin license once Wisconsin becomes your home state.
Do I retake the NBCOT exam moving from Tennessee to Wisconsin?
No. The NBCOT certification exam is not retaken. For RECIPROCAL applicants (licensed in another state or territory), DSPS's credentialing information sheet (#1569, rev. 4/2022) requires only the application/fee, the Wisconsin State Jurisprudence Exam and license verifications, so no NBCOT document or current NBCOT certification is required on that route; initial (non-reciprocal) applicants verify their score with an NBCOT Verification of Certification. Wisconsin ALSO requires its State Jurisprudence Exam (instructions emailed after the application and fee are processed).
Do I need a Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin, you need a Wisconsin license from the Wisconsin Occupational Therapists Affiliated Credentialing Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services).
What does it cost?
A Wisconsin compact privilege costs the $75 commission fee plus Wisconsin's privilege fee. A Wisconsin license by endorsement, for a relocation: $60 (credential fee per DSPS information sheet #1569 (rev. 4/2022), paid online via LicensE; DSPS's current initial-fee schedule could not be confirmed separately. Optional fee reduction (form 3217). Oral examination, if required: $266. NOT the OT Compact privilege fee (Wisconsin privilege: $75 state fee + $75 Commission fee).).
How long does it take?
A privilege depends on your FBI background check through the Tennessee board and any Wisconsin jurisprudence step. A Wisconsin license by endorsement: no processing time is published on the DSPS OT page; applicants can track status with the LicensE Application Status Lookup.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.
- Wisconsin DSPS — Occupational Therapist profession page (application forms, temporary credential, OT Compact) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Wisconsin DSPS — #1569 Credentialing Information for OT/OTA Applicants (rev. 4/2022; reciprocal applicants) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- OT Compact Commission — Before You Apply (Wisconsin accepting applications since May 29, 2026; $75 OT privilege fee; jurisprudence required) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Occupational Therapy ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Tennessee Board of OT — Occupational Therapist online application checklist (fees $100 + $10 state regulatory fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-09-27)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy ch. 1150-02, March 2023 revision (1150-02-.05 reciprocity procedure; 1150-02-.06 fees) (Internet Archive copy) ↗ (accessed 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]