Hawaii licenses occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants through the Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (PVL). There is no separate board. 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.
Hawaii 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
$279 in an odd-numbered year ($50 application + $86 license + $100 compliance fund + $43 half renewal); $186 in an even year
Same amounts
Background check
Criminal history record check (within 6 months) only if you report a conviction
Same
OT Compact
Not a member. You need a full Hawaii license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
Hawaii, step by step
Hawaii Occupational Therapy Program (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing)
Apply on the program's requirements and license application form. License issued in an odd-numbered year: $279 ($50 application, $86 license, $100 Compliance Resolution Fund, $43 half renewal). In an even-numbered year: $186. The application fee is non-refundable.
NBCOT verification: order a verification of certification from NBCOT's website, sent directly to the Hawaii Occupational Therapy Program; a copy of your certificate or pocket card is not accepted.
Criminal history: if you report a conviction, include a criminal history record check dated within six months (in Hawaii, from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center).
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.