Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact

The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact) is a joint initiative of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®). The OT Compact is an interstate professional licensing compact for occupational therapy which will address licensure portability. This is a multi-year initiative which requires legislation to be passed in each state where the OT Compact will apply.

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Why the OT Compact matters

An interstate licensing compact would:

Allow licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to practice across state lines (e.g., telehealth) via a "compact privilege" which is equivalent to a license
Improve consumer access to occupational therapy
Enhance mobility of occupational therapy practitioners (e.g., spouses of relocating military families, staff of travel therapy companies)
Improve continuity of care
Address competition issues raised by the Federal Trade Commission and others
Preserve and strengthen the state licensure system
Enhance the exchange of licensure, investigatory, and disciplinary information between member states.

An interstate licensing compact would not change state occupational therapy practice acts or the scope of practice.

The Compact will take effect once enacted by ten states. The OT Compact Commission will then convene to establish rules and implement the data system in order to begin issuing compact privileges to practice occupational therapy.

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2023 sees six new states enact OT Compact legislation

Six new states—Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and South Dakota—passed OT Compact legislation in 2023, bringing the total number of states that have enacted compact legislation to 28.