Michigan licenses occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants through the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapy and LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing. You apply online in MiPLUS; the license fee covers two years. 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.
Michigan 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
$187.40 application + 2-year license
$187.40
Required training
One-time human trafficking training + 2 hours of implicit bias training (within 5 years)
Same
Background check
Criminal background check; instructions come in your application confirmation email
Same
OT Compact
Member, not accepting applications yet. Michigan has enacted the OT Compact but has not opened privilege applications, so for now you need a full Michigan license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)
Michigan, step by step
Michigan Board of Occupational Therapy (LARA, Bureau of Professional Licensing)
Apply in MiPLUS and pay $187.40 by card for the application and a two-year license (OT or OTA). A Social Security number (or the SSN affidavit) is required.
Background check: the Application Confirmation email LARA sends after you submit has the instructions.
Training: one-time human trafficking training that meets Rule 338.1215, and 2 hours of implicit bias training completed within the 5 years before the license is issued.
NBCOT: NBCOT sends certification of your passing OTR or COTA score directly to LARA. Applying by examination, the pass must be within the 3 years before you file.
Compact: Michigan has enacted the OT Compact but is not accepting privilege applications yet; you need a full Michigan license.
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.