Occupational therapy continuing education requirements and licensure renewal can be confusing.
Not only does each state and region have its own requirements, you’ll also find that all sorts of terminology is used. Trust me, you are not alone if you need help figuring things out. 🙂
We’ll start with a state-by state overview of occupational therapy continuing education units (OT CEUs) requirements and state laws around license renewal. Part of the reason for the complexity is that the practice of occupational therapy is so critical to society that licensure laws are governed by each state, typically through a licensure or practice act. These laws define the scope of practice, set requirements for licensure, and authorize regulatory boards.
You’ll see in our chart we cover both OT and OTA CEUs—plus you’ll find our 15% discount codes for the OT Potential Club, where you can earn your required CEUs! (Bonus: When you use a code for a particular state or country, we will also give 15% to that region’s association. 🎉)
OT Continuing Education Requirements and Licensure Law State by State (Table)
We’ve put together the most comprehensive table out there—so occupational therapists and OTs can understand their OT CEU requirements.
| State OT CEU Guide | CE Hours Required (Occupational Therapist) | CE Hours Required (Occupational Therapist Assistant) | CEU Due Date | Next Renewal Date | OTs: Hours you can earn at OT Potential | OTAs: Hours you can earn at OT Potential | Verify CEUs with Your Board | Scope of Practice/ Licensure Law | Live Hours Required | Ethics hours Required | Other Requirements | Reports to CE Broker | OTP Club (Code for 15% Off) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 hours | 20 hours | Every 2 years | 60 days prior to license expiration | All | All | Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy | Alabama Code §34-39-3 | – | – | – | Yes | Code: Alabama |
| Alaska | 24 hours | 24 hours | June 30th (even years) | June 30th, 2026 | All | All | Alaska State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board | Alaska Statutes §08.84.190 | – | – | – | – | Code: Alaska |
| Arizona | 20 hours | 12 hours | Every 2 years | Every two years from initial licensure | All | All | Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners | Arizona Revised Statutes §32-3401 | – | – | – | Yes | Code: Arizona |
| Arkansas | 10 hours | 10 hours | Every year | On the last day of your birth month. | All | All | Arkansas State Medical Board | Arkansas Code §17-88-102 | Yes | Code: Arkansas | |||
| California | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | Last day of your birth month in odd or even years depending on your birth year | All | All | California Board of Occupational Therapy | California Business & Professions Code §2570.2 & 2570.3 §2570.2 | – | – | – | – | Code: California |
| Colorado | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | Dec. 31st (even number years) | 12 | 12 | Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies | Colorado Revised Statutes §12-270-104 | – | – | Hours must fall in 2 categories of learning. | – | Code: Colorado |
| Connecticut | 24 hours | 18 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | All | All | Connecticut State Department of Public Health | Connecticut General Statutes §376a | – | – | – | – | Code: Connecticut |
| Delaware | 24 hours | 24 hours | July 31st (even years) | July 31st, 2026 | All | All | Delaware Board of Occupational Therapy Practice | Delaware Code Title 24 | – | – | – | Code: Delaware | |
| District of Columbia / Washington D.C. | 24 hours | 12 hours | Every 2 years | On the last day of your birth month. | All | All | DC Health Board of Occupational Therapy | District of Columbia Municipal Regulations | – | — | Two (2) hours of LGBTQ continuing education | Code: DC | |
| Florida | 26 hours | 26 hours | Feb 28th (odd years) | Februry 28th, 2027 | 22 hours | 22 hours | Florida Board of Occupational Therapy | Florida Statutes Title XXXII, Chapter 468, Part III | 14 hours | 2 hours of medical errors, 2 hours of laws and rules, 1 hours HIV/AIDs first renewal cycle | Yes | Code: Florida | |
| Georgia | 24 hours | 24 hours | March 31st (even years) | March 31st, 2026 | All | All | Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy | Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia | 12 hours | 2 hours | – | Yes | Code: Georgia |
| Hawaii | 36 PDUs | 36 PDUs | Every 3 years | December 31st (even years) | All | All | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs | Hawaii Revised Statutes §457G-1.5 | – | – | Must be NBCOT certified | – | Code: Hawaii |
| Idaho | 10 hours | 10 hours | Every year | On the licensee’s birthday | All | All | Occupational Therapy Licesure Board | Idaho Code §54-3702 | – | – | – | – | Code: Idaho |
| Illinois | 24 hours | 24 hours | Dec 31st (odd years) | Dec. 31st, 2025 | 21 hours | 21 hours | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation | Illinois Compiled Statutes 225 ILCS 75/2 | 1 hour | 1 hour in sexual harassment prevention, 1 hour in implicit bias awareness, 1 hour dementia recognition, 1 hour in cultural competency every 6 years | – | Code: Illinois | |
| Indiana | 18 hours | 18 hours | Dec 31st (even years) | Dec. 31st, 2026 | All | All | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency | Indiana Code Title 25, Article 23.5 | – | – | – | – | Code: Indiana |
| Iowa | 30 hours | 15 hours | Every 2 years | Every 2 years on the 15th day of the licensee’s birth month | All | All | Iowa Department of Public Health | Iowa Code §148b.2 | – | – | – | – | Code: Iowa |
| Kansas | 40 hours | 40 hours | March 31st | March 31st, 2026 | 20 hours | 20 hours | Kansas State Board Of Healing Arts | Kansas Statutes §65-5402 | – | – | – | Yes | Code: Kansas |
| Kentucky | 12 hours | 12 hours | Oct 31st | Oct. 31st., 2026 | All | All | Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy | Kentucky Revised Statutes §319A.010 | – | – | Training program on suicide treatment and management, required every 6 years | – | Code: Kentucky |
| Louisiana | 14 hours | 14 hours | Every year | Last day of the licensee’s birth month | 13 hours | 13 hours | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners | Louisiana Revised Statutes §37:3003 | – | 1 hour | 1 hour course provided by LSBME on the rules and regulations for OTs and COTAs. | Yes | Code: Louisiana |
| Maine | 10 hours | 6 hours | March 31st | March 31st, 2026 | All | All | Maine Board of Occupational Therapy Practice | Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, Chapter 32, § 2272 | – | 1 hour | – | Code: Maine | |
| Maryland | 24 hours | 24 hours | June 30th | June 30th, 2026 | All | All | Maryland Department of Health Board of Occupational Therapy Practice | Annotated Code of Maryland, Health Occupations Article § 10-101 | – | – | 1-time implicit bias training | – | Code: Maryland |
| Massachusetts | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | On the licensee’s birthday | All | All | Massachusetts Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation | Massachusetts General Laws Part 1, Title XVI, Chapter 112 | – | 2 hours | – | – | Code: Massachusetts |
| Michigan | 20 hours | 20 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | All | All | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs | Michigan Compiled Laws, Public Health Code §333.18301 | 10 hours | – | pain and symptom management and implicit bias training, one-time requirement for training on identifying human trafficking victims | Yes | Code: Michigan |
| Minnesota | 24 hours | 18 hours | Every 2 years | Last day of the licensee’s birth month | All | All | Minnesota Board of Occupatioanl Therapy Practice | Minnesota Statutes Chapter 148 | – | – | – | – | Code: Minnesota |
| Mississippi | 20 hours | 20 hours | April 30th (even years) | April 30th, 2026 | All | All | Mississippi State Department of Health | Mississippi Code §73-24-13 | – | – | 6 hours directly related to OT clinical practice. 13 hours must be live face-to-face training formats. 2 hours on Ethics. Licensees may submit proof of current NBCOT certification in lieu of 20 hours, 2 hours of ethics is still required. | Yes | Code: Mississippi |
| Missouri | 24 hours | 24 hours | June 30th (odd years) | June 30th, 2025 | All | All | Missouri Division of Professional Registration | Missouri Revised Statutes §324.050 | – | – | – | – | Code: Missouri |
| Montana | 10 hours | 10 hours | June 15th | June 15th, 2026 | All | All | Montana Secretary of State | Montana Code §37-24-103 | – | – | – | – | Code: Montana |
| Nebraska | 20 hours | 15 hours | Aug 1st (even years) | August 1st, 2026 | All | All | Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services | Nebraska Code §§38-2510 & 38-2526 | – | – | – | – | Code: Nebraska |
| Nevada | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | Every two years from initial licensure | All | All | State of Nevada Board of Occupational Therapy | Nevada Revised Statutes §640A.050 | – | – | – | – | Code: Nevada |
| New Hampshire | 24 hours | 24 hours | Dec 1st (odd years) | Dec 1st, 2025 | All | All | New Hampshire Occupational Therapy Governing Board | New Hampshire Revised Statutes Title 30 §326-C:1 | – | – | – | Yes | Code: NewHampshire |
| New Jersey | 0 hours | 0 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | N/A | N/A | – | New Jersey Revised Statutes § 45:9-37.53 | – | – | – | – | Code: NewJersey |
| New Mexico | 15 hours | 15 hours | September 30th | Sept. 30th, 2026 | All | All | New Mexico Occupational Therapy Board | New Mexico Revised Statutes §§61-12A-3 & 61-12A-4 | – | – | – | – | Code: NewMexico |
| New York | 36 hours | 36 hours | Every 3 years | From initial licensure date | 24 hours | 24 hours | New York State Education Department | New York Education Law Title 8, Article 156, §7901 | – | – | Maximum of 24 hours of self-study courses. | – | Code: NewYork |
| North Carolina | 15 hours | 15 hours | June 30th | June 30th, 2026 | All | All | North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy | North Carolina General Statutes §90-270.67 | 1 hour | – | – | Code: NorthCarolina | |
| North Dakota | 20 hours | 20 hours | June 30th (even years) | June 30th, 2026 | All | All | North Dakota State Board of Occupational Therapy Practice | North Dakota Century Code §43-40 | – | – | – | Yes | Code: NorthDakota |
| Ohio | 20 hours | 20 hours | June 30th | June 30th, 2026 | All | All | Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board | Ohio Revised Code §4755.04 | – | 1 hour | – | – | Code: Ohio |
| Oklahoma | 20 hours | 20 hours | Oct 31st (even years) | Oct. 31st., 2026 | All | All | Oklahoma Medical Board | Oklahoma Statutes, Title 59, Section §888.3 | – | – | If you provide telehealth, 2 CE units in telehealth practice are required each reporting period for OTs and OTAs | Yes | Code: Oklahoma |
| Oregon | 30 hours | 30 hours | May 31st (even years) | May 31st., 2026 | 29 hours | 29 hours | Oregon Occupational Therapy Licensing Board | Oregon Revised Statute §675.210 | – | – | 1 hour on cultural competence per renewal 1 hour OHA Pain Management Module offered by the OHA | – | Code: Oregon |
| Pennsylvania | 24 hours | 24 hours | June 30th (odd years) | June 30th, 2025 | 22 hours | 22 hours | Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure | 63 P.L. 502, No. 140 Cl. 63 | – | – | 2 hours must be in Act 31 Mandated Child Abuse Reporter Training from an approved provider. | – | Code: Pennsylvania |
| Rhode Island | 20 hours | 20 hours | March 31st (even years) | March 31st, 2026 | All | All | Rhode Island Department of Health | Rhode Island General Laws §5-40.1-3 | – | – | – | – | Code: RhodeIsland |
| South Carolina | 16 hours | 16 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | All | All | South Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy | South Carolina Code of Laws §40-36-20 | – | – | Must be NBCOT Certified | Yes | Code: SouthCarolina |
| South Dakota | 12 hours | 12 hours | January 1st | January 1st, 2026 | All | All | South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners | South Dakota Codified Laws §36-31-1 | – | – | – | – | Code: SouthDakota |
| Tennessee | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | By the end of licensee’s birth month | 23 hours | 23 hours | Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy | Tennessee Code §63-13-103 | – | 1 hour | 1 hour on the Tennessee Occupational and Physical Therapy Practice Act 2 hours on suicide prevention at least once every 4 years | Yes | Code: Tennessee |
| Texas | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | By the end of licensee’s birth month | 23 hours | 23 hours | Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners | Texas Health and Safety Code § 454.006 | – | – | A course on the prevention of human trafficking that is approved by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) | – | Code: Texas |
| Utah | 24 hours | 24 hours | May 31st (odd years) | May 31st, 2027 | All | All | Utah Department of Commerce | Utah Code §58-42a-102 | – | 2 hours | – | Code: Utah | |
| Vermont | 20 hours | 20 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | All | All | Vermont Office of Professional Regulation | Vermont Statutes Title 26, Chapter 71, §3351 | – | – | – | Code: Vermont | |
| Virginia | 10 hours | 10 hours | Every 2 years | Varies | All | All | Virginia Department of Health Professions | Code of Virginia §54.1-2900 | – | – | – | – | Code: Virginia |
| Washington | 24 hours | 24 hours | Every 2 years | On or before licensee’s birthday | All | All | Washington State Department of Health | Washington Revised Code Chapter 18.59 | – | – | 20 hours must directly relate to OT practice. 3 hours of training every 6 years in suicide assessment. 2 hours in health equity education every 4 years. Licensees must engage in at least two or more different educational activity types. | Code: Washington | |
| West Virginia | 24 hours | 24 hours | OT: Dec 31st | OTA: June 30th (every 2 years) | Varies | All | All | West Virginia Board of Occupational Therapy | West Virginia Code §§30-28-3 and 30-28-4 | – | – | – | – | Code: WestVirginia |
| Wisconsin | 24 hours | 24 hours | May 31st (odd years) | May 31st, 2027 | All | All | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services | Wisconsin Statutes §448.96 | – | – | – | – | Code: Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | 32 hours | 32 hours | July 31st (even years) | July 31st, 2026 | All | All | Wyoming Board of Occupational Therapy | Wyoming Statutes §33-40-102 | – | – | – | – | Code: Wyoming |
As you can see in the chart above, this post is geared toward occupational therapy professionals in the United States. However, our OT CEU courses often qualify towards continuing education requirements in other countries.
OT Continuing Education Requirements by Country
| Country | Continuing Education Required (OT / OTA) | Due Date | OTP Club (15% Off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 20 hours | November 30 (annually) | Code: Australia |
| Canada | Varies by province | Varies by province | Code: Canada |
| New Zealand | Variety of educational activites | March 31 (annually) | Code: NewZealand |
| United Kingdom | Variety of educational activites | October 31 (odd years) | Code: UnitedKingdom |
Each country has its own continuing education and professional development requirements, so if you are outside these regions, please check with your country’s governing body for specifics.
Ok, now that you know the overview, let’s dig deeper into these two areas:
1. Why you need CEUs
2. What requirements OT Potential helps you meet
1. Why do you need continuing education as an OT/OTA?
To keep your license
Licensure is the most important reason you need continuing education units (CEUs). You worked hard for your license—and if it lapses, you can’t practice. Each state has its own requirements for how many CEUs you need to renew your license. (By the way, we’ve compiled a list you can reference below.)
Units are generally measured as contact hours. One contact hour = one continuing education unit. So, if you take an 8-hour course, you should earn 8 CEUs.
(I do want to point out that the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) uses an especially confusing decimal system when it discusses continuing education. AOTA says that 1 hour = .1 AOTA CEUs.)
To be registered with NBCOT
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) offers an optional certification for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. OT practitioners who achieve this certification typically signify it in their credentials with the “R” in OTR/L, meaning that the OT is registered and licensed.
The NBCOT uses the term PDU (professional development unit). 1 hour = 1 PDU, and 36 hours are required every three years in order to re-certify. Here’s the guidance on obtaining PDUs for certification. And, here’s the chart of activities that can count as PDUs.
Learn more in our post on NBCOT renewal.
To achieve/maintain certain certifications
Lastly, some OT certifications and OTA certifications require a certain amount of continuing education in specific practice areas. This varies greatly by certification.
2. What requirements OT Potential helps you meet
Can you earn CEUs by listening to or watching the OT Potential Podcast? The answer is YES! But, to dig into whether you can earn all of your contiuning eudcation this way, please read on.
Does my state accept OT Potential’s CEU courses for license renewal? Yes.
OT Potential courses are designed to meet your continuing education requirements for “online” and “independent/self-study” courses. Courses designated as live webinars also meet the requirements for “interactive online live courses.” Our ethics courses meet the ethics requirements in all states.
We are AOTA-approved for both “distance learning-independent” and “distance learning-interactive.” Our courses also meet the requirements for NBCOT PDUs.
To earn CEU credit after listening to the OT Potential Podcast, you’ll need to pass a 5-question quiz found in the OT Potential Club, and then we will generate a certificate of completion for you.
You will earn a certificate of completion that has all of your required information, including:
- Your name
- Contact hours
- Online self-study course identification
- Course title
- Course instructor(s)
- Date of completion
- Course author’s signature and contact information
- AOTA Approved Provider course identification stamp
With your membership to the OT Potential Club, we also store your certificates for you, so you can always login and download the certificates when you need them!
Please check the specific requirements for your state below. And, don’t forget to locate your best price discount to the OT Potential Club!
Does NBCOT accept OT Potential’s courses as professional development units PDUs? Yes.
Yes! Our courses meet the requirements of NBCOT professional development units (PDUs). You can earn all 36 of your PDUs at OT Potential by taking 29 courses. (On the renewal chart, OT Potential Courses are under activity 19 and count as 1.25 units, so you would need to complete 29 courses over the 3 year cycle.)
But, you are advised to make your own determination as to whether the course will be beneficial to your practice. NBCOT does not endorse any specific professional development units.
You’ll want to read up on the exact NBCOT renewal guidelines for yourself, but NBCOT renewal occurs every three years by March 31st of your renewal year. Here is how the NBCOT website clarifies the renewal period:
Renewal season occurs between January and March annually, regardless of your initial certification date. If you do not renew by your scheduled renewal date, your status will change to Inactive. If your status is Inactive, you cannot use your OTR or COTA credential.
Additionally, you can use the NBCOT Renewal Log to keep track of your PDUs on their website. Our podcast-based courses fall under Professional Development Activities > Independent Learning.
Here’s a screenshot of logging an OT Potential Podcast course in the NBCOT Renewal Log, upon earning a certificate of completion:
Does OT Potential allow me to submit my courses to CE Broker? Yes.
Yes. We report course completions to CE Broker every 24 hours to ensure your records stay up to date. Our CE Broker Provider number is 50-33236.
While we’ve been approved for reporting in all 14 states that utilize CE Broker, requirements can vary. For a full breakdown of how reporting works and a state-by-state list of requirements, check out our Full Guide to Using CE Broker with OT Potential.
Conclusion
We hope that this article helped clear up any confusion regarding your OT (or OTA) continuing education requirements.
Part of our mission here at OT Potential is to help you meet your OT continuing education needs. We help you stay current with new evidence, by providing continuing education podcast courses and many more resources in the OT Potential Club. For people who are looking for video-based courses, we also have a review of and promo code to MedBridge.
We love digging into CEU questions, so if you have other questions, please contact us.