Connecticut licenses occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants through the Department of Public Health's Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section. Everything below comes from the board's own pages and rules, checked October 18, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the linked pages before you pay.
Check with your board. OT Ticket is a study aid, not clinical or legal guidance. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), AOTA, ACOTE, the OT Compact Commission or any state board; NBCOT, OTR and COTA are their marks, used here only to name the exam.
Connecticut at a glance
Occupational therapist (OT)
OT assistant (OTA)
Exam
NBCOT OTR exam (180 questions, 4 hours), $540 to NBCOT
NBCOT COTA exam (190 questions, 4 hours), $540 to NBCOT
Board fees
$200 initial application
$200 initial application (as listed on DPH's OTA page)
Background check
Not listed on the DPH requirement pages; check with DPH
Same
Temporary permit
Recent graduates may practice under supervision
Check with DPH
OT Compact
Not a member. You need a full Connecticut license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
Connecticut, step by step
Connecticut Department of Public Health (Occupational Therapy licensure)
Apply to DPH with the $200 initial application fee.
Education and fieldwork: an accredited OT program and at least 24 weeks of supervised fieldwork; your school sends an official transcript with the degree and graduation date.
NBCOT: have NBCOT send an official report of your exam scores (or, if licensed elsewhere, a Certification Verification Letter) directly to DPH. Verifications from any other state that licensed you go straight to DPH too.
Temporary permit (optional): recent graduates of OT programs are eligible for a temporary permit to practice under supervision.
Keep it: licenses renew every two years ($205). Connecticut is not in the OT Compact.
Every state licenses occupational therapists and OT assistants on NBCOT certification: an ACOTE-accredited degree with its Level II fieldwork, then NBCOT's exam (the OTR exam for OTs, 180 questions in 4 hours; the COTA exam for OT assistants, 190 questions in 4 hours; 450 on a 300-600 scale passes; $540 to apply online). NBCOT certification is not a license: you apply to your state board separately, and NBCOT sends the board your score (the Score Transfer is free if you add it when you apply for the exam, $35 later). The full walk-through: How to get your OT license.