How to get an OT or OTA license in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are licensed by the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, with rules in OAC 435:30. 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.

Oklahoma at a glance

Occupational therapist (OT)OT assistant (OTA)
ExamNBCOT OTR exam (180 questions, 4 hours), $540 to NBCOTNBCOT COTA exam (190 questions, 4 hours), $540 to NBCOT
Board fees$70 application processing + $50 license (OAC 435:1-1-7)Same
Background checkExtended Background Check (signed consent form on the board's page)Same
OT CompactMember, not accepting applications yet. Oklahoma has enacted the OT Compact but has not opened privilege applications, so for now you need a full Oklahoma license. (OT Compact, checked October 18, 2026)

Oklahoma, step by step

Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (Occupational Therapy)

  1. Apply to the board with the $70 application processing fee; the license fee is $50 (the same for OTs and OTAs).
  2. Background check: sign the board's Extended Background Check consent.
  3. NBCOT: pass the OTR or COTA exam and have the result sent to the board.
  4. Keep it: renewal rules are in OAC 435:30-1-5. Oklahoma has enacted the OT Compact but is not accepting privilege applications yet.

Sources: Oklahoma Medical Board: occupational therapists, OAC 435:1-1-7 (fees). Checked October 18, 2026.

Practice for the NBCOT OTR exam freeOTR questions on the 2022 outline, scenario sets built like the real ones, a score report by task. Practice for the COTA exam freeFor OT assistants: six-option multi-select items like the real ones, every answer cited.

The national steps, briefly

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.

Official pages