NBCOT exam
NBCOT certifies occupational therapists as OTR and occupational therapy assistants as COTA. The official exam pages cover eligibility, the handbook, application, scheduling, and what happens after you test.
Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Who the exam is for
NBCOT’s exam page says it is for people applying for, preparing for, and taking the NBCOT exam, and that the exam’s purpose is to protect the public interest by certifying only those who have the necessary knowledge of occupational therapy to practice. NBCOT also states that its certification programs have received and maintained accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
Eligibility
The official eligibility page states that the answer depends on where you earned your occupational therapy degree. If you were educated in the United States, you must have graduated from an ACOTE-accredited program. Specifically:
- “OTR candidates must graduate with an entry-level occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE®-accredited occupational therapy (OT) program”
- “COTA candidates must graduate with an entry-level occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE®-accredited occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program.”
If you did not earn your entry-level occupational therapy degree from a U.S.-accredited college or university, that page describes the Occupational Therapist Eligibility Determination (OTED) process. It states that OTED determines whether completed education and fieldwork are comparable to current U.S. entry-level educational standards, that you apply through the online OTED application, and that you are eligible to apply for the OTR certification exam once approved through OTED. Confirm current OTED documents, timelines, and fees on that page. As of November 10, 2026, it listed an $850 (USD) application fee and stated that OTED approvals are valid for 7 years from the approval date, during which you must take and pass the exam.
Official steps
NBCOT’s Get Certified page lists this sequence:
- Read the exam handbook.
- Check eligibility.
- Create a MyNBCOT account. The page states it is free to sign up.
- Study and prepare, including reviewing what is covered on the exam.
- Apply for the exam and receive your ATT letter.
- Schedule the exam. NBCOT states that exams are scored on specific days and that you must take the exam a minimum of three days before the score date when you wish to receive your results. Confirm current score dates on the official exam page.
- Take the exam and review exam-day questions on the official site.
- After the exam: the Get Certified page states, “Certification is not the same as licensure.” Follow the additional steps there, and on the jurisdiction board, to obtain a license.
After you certify
Use the state and territory directory or NBCOT’s state board information to reach the board. Employers and the public can verify NBCOT credentials on the official site. Only people who maintain Active in Good Standing status may use the OTR or COTA credential, according to NBCOT.