Kentucky licenses occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants through the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy. Applications get a final review at board meetings, so deadlines matter. 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.
Kentucky 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
$50 licensure fee (201 KAR 28:060)
$35
Law exam
Kentucky OT jurisprudence exam
Same
Background check
FBI fingerprint check via IdentoGO (service code 27GN14), results to the board from KSP
Same
Temporary permit
With Form OTB-2 signed by a supervising OT; revoked after two failed attempts
Same
OT Compact
Member, not accepting applications yet. Kentucky has enacted the OT Compact but has not opened privilege applications, so for now you need a full Kentucky license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
Kentucky, step by step
Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy
Apply online through the Department of Professional Licensing's new-application site and pay the licensure fee: $50 for an OT, $35 for an OTA.
FBI background check: book a fingerprint appointment at uenroll.identogo.com with the board's service code 27GN14. Kentucky State Police send the results to the board in about 5 to 10 business days, and the board cannot do its full review until they arrive.
Jurisprudence exam: show that you passed Kentucky's OT jurisprudence exam.
Temporary permit (optional): submit the same materials plus the Supervision Temporary Permit Form (OTB-2) signed by a Kentucky OT in good standing. The permit is revoked after two unsuccessful attempts at the exam.
Board meetings: materials must be in about ten days before a meeting to be reviewed there (the remaining 2026 meetings are November 12 and December 10). Kentucky has enacted the OT Compact but is not accepting privilege applications yet; compact applicants must also complete Kentucky's jurisprudence requirement.
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.