MSOT Licensure Requirements

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to apply to the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) in order to take the national certification examination.  After passing the national certification examination, graduates will be able to apply for a state license and then seek employment as a registered occupational therapist.

Graduates of the MSOT program must pass the certification exam administered by the National Board for the Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) in order to work as an occupational therapist. Applicants must be aware that felony convictions and other character issues could disqualify them from taking the NBCOT exam, as well as from receiving individual state licenses. The NBCOT describes the nature of the questions asked on exam candidate applications as follows:

Individuals applying for the NBCOT Certification Examination for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST REGISTERED OTR® (OTR) must answer each of the following questions on the examination application:

1. Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a felony? (NOTE: Applicants must answer affirmatively if records, charges, or convictions have been pardoned, expunged, released or sealed.)
2. Have you ever had any professional license, registration, or certification revoked, suspended or subject to probationary conditions by a regulatory authority or certification board?
3. Have you ever been found by any court, administrative, or disciplinary proceeding to have committed negligence, malpractice, recklessness, or willful or intentional misconduct which resulted in harm to another?
4. Have you ever been suspended and/or expelled from a college or university?

For more information regarding this and other certification questions or to obtain an Early Determination Review prior to starting the program, please contact the NBCOT Credentialing Services at:

NBCOT
12 S. Summit Avenue, Suite 100,
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877.
Phone: (301) 990-7979.
Email: character.review@nbcot.org

Individual state regulatory boards that issue licenses for the practice of occupational therapy must be contacted individually to inquire about certification questions or restrictions.