Looking For?
OT Application
GENERAL APPLICATION INFORMATION
New Licensing System and Related Changes
See the announcement on the homepage for further information. See the Apply by Exam or Apply by Endorsement for further information.
See the Apply By Exam and Apply By Endorsement tabs for Quick Links to the OT and OTA applications and further resources regarding applying for a Texas OT or OTA license.
A person may not practice occupational therapy or represent that the person is an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant unless the person is an individual licensed by this board.
What follows is general application information. Please see the OT Rules and OT Practice Act for further information and requirements regarding Texas licensure. Chapter 364 details initial licensure requirements.
Licensure Method:
All applicants must apply by either examination or endorsement. In addition, all applicants must also meet the requirements in §364.1, Requirements for Licensure, of the OT Rules.
- Initial License by Examination: Please see the Apply by Exam tab for further information and requirements.
- The applicant must apply by examination and also meet the requirements in §364.2, Initial License by Examination, if the applicant:
- has not passed the NBCOT certification examination; or
- has passed the NBCOT certification examination and
- is not currently licensed as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in another state or territory of the U.S.; or
- if not currently licensed in another state or territory of the U.S., is applying from the U.S. military or a non-licensing state or territory of the U.S and cannot substantiate occupational therapy employment for at least two years immediately preceding application for a Texas license.
- The applicant must apply by examination and also meet the requirements in §364.2, Initial License by Examination, if the applicant:
- Licensure by Endorsement: Please see the Apply by Endorsement tab for further information and requirements.
- The applicant must apply by endorsement and also meet the requirements in §364.4, Licensure by Endorsement, if the applicant has passed the NBCOT certification examination and:
- is currently licensed as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in another state or territory of the U.S.; or
- if not currently licensed in another state or territory of the U.S., is applying from the U.S. military or a non-licensing state or territory of the U.S. and can substantiate occupational therapy employment for at least two years immediately preceding application for a Texas license.
- The applicant must apply by endorsement and also meet the requirements in §364.4, Licensure by Endorsement, if the applicant has passed the NBCOT certification examination and:
Temporary license:
A temporary license is only available to an applicant for licensure by examination who is taking the NBCOT exam for the first time.
If you are also planning to apply for a temporary license, you must first submit an application for licensure by examination (if applying online) or if applying by paper, you must submit an application for licensure by examination first or at the same time as the application for a temporary license.
See the Temporary License page for further information.
General Information for all Applicants:
If you already had a Texas license that has been expired one year or more and wish to restore the license, you may not apply by initial licensure. Instead, you must restore according to §370.3 of the OT Rules; see the Restoration page for additional information.
INITIAL LICENSE BY EXAMINATION
Note: The agency recently transitioned to a new online licensing system. Applicants who previously applied online and whose application was submitted within the last year will need to create an account in the new system and onboard their previous application to access updated information regarding their application status/application deficiencies. See the Quick Links, below, to access information regarding creating an account and onboarding the previous application. Please note that staff is still in the process of updating such information. Information will be added to this page once such is complete. In the interim, applicants who previously applied online can access their previous application status information from the Look up your Applicant Status area on our homepage; note, however, that the last update to such information was on March 11, 2025.
Quick Links:
User Guides: Create an Online Account, Apply Online, or Onboard an Existing Application
Log in to the Online Licensing System
(for individuals who have already created an online account and have submitted an online application in our new online system or have already onboarded their current application from our previous system)
Application Jurisprudence Exam
OT and OTA School Codes – US and International
Current Fees Read FAQs
Please see the General Tab for further information regarding general requirements and who should apply by Initial License by Examination.
Please see the OT Rules and OT Practice Act for further information and requirements. Chapter 364 details initial licensure requirements.
An additional resource regarding initial licensure may be accessed from the link below.
Initial Licensing – General Information
If you are also planning to apply for a temporary license, note that you must first submit an application for licensure by examination (if applying online) or if applying by paper, you must submit an application for licensure by examination first or at the same time as the application for a temporary license. See the Temporary License page for further information.
REQUIRED APPLICATION ITEMS FOR INITIAL LICENSE BY EXAM:
1. APPLICATION FORM & FEE: Complete the online application (see the Quick Links above) or paper application with application & fee(s). Be sure to answer all questions and supply all required information, including a current email address.
To apply online, you will need to create an account in the new Online Licensing System. See the Quick Links, above, for further information regarding creating an account.
2. SSN: The Board requires your Social Security Number (SSN). If you did not list an SSN on your application because you do not have one yet, download the SSN Statement, which states that you do not currently have an SSN; submit the form by mail or scanned as an attachment and emailed to exam@ptot.texas.gov.
You do NOT need to send the Board a copy of your Social Security card.
3. PHYSICAL HOME ADDRESS: A P.O. Box may be used for your mailing address, but you must also supply a physical home address and a contact phone number on your application. Applicants may update this information at any time; see the General Tab for further information.
4. SCHOOL CODE: You must provide your school code. Look up your code from the Quick Links toward the top of this page.
5. PHOTO: A current color photograph that meets the requirements for a U.S. passport. A photograph in electronic form must be of a high-quality resolution comparable to that of a passport photograph in paper form.
A current color, passport-type 2” x 2” photograph is required. This is a head-and-shoulders shot, and note that eyeglasses may not be worn in the photo. See the information below regarding further requirements. DO NOT send a copy of your passport or driver’s license.
The photo may be submitted in paper or electronic form. See below.
7. PASSING NBCOT CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION SCORE REPORT: This must be sent by NBCOT directly to the Board.
This is NOT a Verification of Certification, an Authorization to Test letter (ATT), or the Confirmation of Examination Registration and Eligibility to Examine Form.
8. PASSING JURISPRUDENCE EXAM: The Board requires a 20-question, open-book online Jurisprudence Exam (JP) based on the OT Rules and OT Practice Act. You may take the online JP exam at any time during the application process. There is no fee to take the exam, and you may take it until you pass.
Click here to take the Application JP Exam.
- Select the exam link for new applicants.
- Do not use the forward, back, or refresh buttons on your browser/the browser tab in which the exam is open during the exam.
- The exam will time out after a period of time (usually approximately three hours). Try to take the exam in one sitting to reduce technical difficulties.
- Individuals using Internet Explorer as their browser may experience problems when taking the exam. We suggest using Google Chrome, for example, as an alternative to Internet Explorer.
- After you pass the exam, you must enter and submit your personal information; be sure to complete all steps. After you have done so, you will receive a message that your score has been reported to the Board.
Additional Information:
After the initial licensure application and fee have been processed, applicants may check the View Application Status area (under the Quick Start Menu in the Online Licensing System) for information regarding the licenses in other U.S. states that the Board was not able to verify and for which verification must be ordered by the applicant.
States and territories that do not have sufficient information on their websites for primary source verification and for which verifications must be ordered include Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands*. The verification can be emailed to exam@ptot.texas.gov or mailed directly from the other board. *For other territories of the U.S., contact us.
If the Board will be receiving documents for your application that list a name other than the legal name you listed on the application, send the Board a copy of documentation (such as a marriage certificate or decree of divorce) evidencing the name change.
LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT
Note: The agency recently transitioned to a new online licensing system. Applicants who previously applied online and whose application was submitted within the last year will need to create an account in the new system and onboard their previous application to access updated information regarding their application status/application deficiencies. See the Quick Links, below, to access information regarding creating an account and onboarding the previous application. Please note that staff is still in the process of updating such information. Information will be added to this page once such is complete. In the interim, applicants who previously applied online can access their previous application status information from the Look up your Applicant Status area on our homepage; note, however, that the last update to such information was on March 11, 2025.
Quick Links:
User Guides: Create an Online Account, Apply Online, or Onboard an Existing Application
Log in to the Online Licensing System
(for individuals who have already created an online account and have submitted an online application in our new online system or have already onboarded their current application from our previous system)
Application Jurisprudence Exam
OT and OTA School Codes – US and International
Current Fees Read FAQs
REQUIRED APPLICATION ITEMS FOR LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT:
1. APPLICATION FORM & FEE: Complete the online application (see the Quick Links above) or paper application with application & fee(s). Be sure to answer all questions and supply all required information, including a current email address.
To apply online, you will need to create an account in the new Online Licensing System. See the Quick Links, above, for further information regarding creating an account.
2. SSN: The Board requires your Social Security Number (SSN). If you did not list an SSN on your application because you do not have one yet, download the SSN Statement, which states that you do not currently have an SSN; submit the form on the Attachments screen in your online application or send us the signed form either by mail or scanned as an attachment and emailed to exam@ptot.texas.gov.
You do NOT need to send the Board a copy of your Social Security card.
3. PHYSICAL HOME ADDRESS: A P.O. Box may be used for your mailing address, but you must also supply a physical home address and a contact phone number on your application. Applicants may update this information at any time; see the General Tab for further information.
4. SCHOOL CODE: You must provide your school code. Look up your code from the Quick Links toward the top of this page.
5. PHOTO: A current color photograph that meets the requirements for a U.S. passport. A photograph in electronic form must be of a high-quality resolution comparable to that of a passport photograph in paper form.
A current color, passport-type 2” x 2” photograph is required. This is a head-and-shoulders shot, and note that eyeglasses may not be worn in the photo. See the information below regarding further requirements. DO NOT send a copy of your passport or driver’s license.
The photo may be submitted in paper or electronic form. See below.
After the initial licensure application and fee have been processed, applicants may check the View Application Status area (under the Quick Start Menu in the Online Licensing System) for information regarding the licenses in other U.S. states that the Board was not able to verify and for which verification must be ordered by the applicant.
States and territories that do not have sufficient information on their websites for primary source verification and for which verifications must be ordered include Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands*. The verification can be emailed to exam@ptot.texas.gov or mailed directly from the other board. *For other territories of the U.S., contact us.
If you are not currently licensed in a state or territory of the U.S. and are applying from the U.S. military or a non-licensing state or territory of the U.S., a Verification of Employment form (found on the OT Forms page of the website) must be submitted substantiating occupational therapy employment for at least two years immediately preceding application for a Texas license.
8. PASSING NBCOT CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION SCORE REPORT: This must be sent by NBCOT directly to the Board. Contact NBCOT to arrange that this be sent to the Board.
This is NOT a Verification of Certification.
9. PASSING JURISPRUDENCE EXAM: The Board requires a 20-question, open-book online Jurisprudence Exam (JP) based on the OT Rules and OT Practice Act. You may take the online JP exam at any time during the application process. There is no fee to take the exam, and you may take it until you pass.
Click here to take the Application JP Exam.
- Select the exam link for new applicants.
- Do not use the forward, back, or refresh buttons on your browser/the browser tab in which the exam is open during the exam.
- The exam will time out after a period of time (usually approximately three hours). Try to take the exam in one sitting to reduce technical difficulties.
- Individuals using Internet Explorer as their browser may experience problems when taking the exam. We suggest using Google Chrome, for example, as an alternative to Internet Explorer.
- After you pass the exam, you must enter and submit your personal information; be sure to complete all steps. After you have done so, you will receive a message that your score has been reported to the Board.
Additional Information:
If the Board will be receiving documents for your application that list a name other than the legal name you listed on the application, send the Board a copy of documentation (such as a marriage certificate or decree of divorce) evidencing the name change.
APPLICATION DEFICIENCIES
Note: The agency recently transitioned to a new online licensing system. Applicants who previously applied online and whose application was submitted within the last year will need to create an account in the new system and onboard their previous application to access updated information regarding their application status/application deficiencies. See the Quick Links, below, to access information regarding creating an account and onboarding the previous application. Please note that staff is still in the process of updating such information. Information will be added to this page once such is complete. In the interim, applicants who previously applied online can access their previous application status information from the Look up your Applicant Status area on our homepage; note, however, that the last update to such information was on March 11, 2025.
Quick Links:
User Guides: Create an Online Account, Apply Online, or Onboard an Existing Application
Log in to the Online Licensing System to access your online application (for individuals who have already created an online account and have submitted an online application in our new online system or have already onboarded their current application from our previous system)
How to Access a List of Application Deficiencies
Applicants who apply online or have onboarded an existing application will have access to an area in the agency’s online licensing system concerning application items that are still pending.
Related images of this area may be found in the user guides concerning applying for a license or onboarding an application.
Steps
- See the Quick Links, above, to login to the Online Licensing System.
- Click Details under View Application Status.
- You will see pending deficiencies.
Note that if you have just submitted your application, staff have not yet reviewed such and the deficiencies that appear have not yet been confirmed/are generic. Return to this screen after allowing for processing time to review your deficiencies. See the Application page for further information regarding this area and regarding processing times. - Do not click Fix unless you need to correct the application.
- For information regarding submitting required items, see the Application page.
- Applicants should return frequently to the View Application Status area to review deficiencies. Updating that area is the primary means through which the licensing department communicates information to applicants, though the department may still mail, email, or call.
Note that average processing times vary from 2-4 business days, though such may vary.
An individual has not completed the application process until the individual has met all requirements for licensure.
NOTES FOR CERTAIN ITEMS
AGENCY FINGERPRINTING SERVICE CODE: The agency’s Service Code may be accessed from the applications deficiencies area.
States and territories that do not have sufficient information on their websites for primary source verification and for which verifications must be ordered include Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands*. The verification can be emailed to exam@ptot.texas.gov or mailed directly from the other board. *For other territories of the U.S., contact us.
Senate Bill 807 (84th Legislature – 2015) allows for the waiver of application fees for military service members and military veterans who are applying for licensure by examination and by endorsement. Additionally, it allows for the waiver of application fees for military spouses who are applying for licensure by endorsement.
Furthermore, the Board will expedite the issuance of a license for a military service member, military veteran, or military spouse who is applying for licensure by endorsement.
Current statute (Chapter 55, Occupations Code, §55.001) includes the following definitions:
Active duty – current full-time military service in the armed forces of the United States or active duty military service as a member of the Texas military forces, as defined by Section 437.001, Government Code, or similar military service of another state.
Armed forces of the United States – the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces.
Military service member – a person who is on active duty.
Military spouse -a person who is married to a military service member.
Military veteran – a person who has served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.
To apply for a waiver of application fees, if applying by paper, please complete the Military Application Fee Waiver Request form (labeled as “Military, Military Spouses, Veterans Initial Licensure Fee Waiver”) from the OT Forms page and attach a copy of the following official documentation noted below. If applying online, you do not need to submit the fee waiver request form, but will need to submit the documentation noted below by mail or email to exam@ptot.texas.gov.
- Military Service Member: Current original orders, including signature page(s) or Military ID
- Military Veteran: DD 214
- Military Spouse: Military ID
For more information regarding eligibility for fee waivers and expedited services, see §364.1(d) of the OT Rules.
A resource regarding further services is available from the homepage of our website.
ECPTOTE • 1801 Congress Ave Ste 10.900 • Austin, TX 78701 • Phone: (512) 305-6900
ptot.texas.gov • Contact Us • Sitemap
Texas.gov | Texas Homeland Security | TRAIL | Texas Veterans Portal | TX Occupations Code | Where the Money Goes
Search TX State Sites | SAO Fraud Reporting | Poison Control Center | Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities