Iowa licenses occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants through the Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy in the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). 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.
Iowa 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
$120 application, non-refundable
$120
Limited license
OT limited license ($120): supervising OT named, ends at results or 6 months
OTA limited permit, same rules
Background check
Not listed on DIAL's OT application pages; check with the board
Same
OT Compact
Member, not accepting applications yet. Iowa has enacted the OT Compact but has not opened privilege applications, so for now you need a full Iowa license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
Iowa, step by step
Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)
Apply online and pay the $120 non-refundable application fee (OT or OTA).
NBCOT: pass the OTR or COTA exam and have the results sent directly to the board.
Limited license or permit (optional): apply online ($120) with the name of your supervising OT; report a change of supervisor within 7 days. It expires when your exam results are available or six months after issue, whichever is sooner, and you must stop practicing at once if you fail (645 IAC 206.3).
Compact: Iowa has enacted the OT Compact but is not accepting privilege applications yet.
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.