New York OT and OTA registration renewal and continuing competency
New York’s Office of the Professions states that most licensed and registered occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants “must complete 36 hours of continuing competency learning activities during every 3-year registration cycle.”
Quoted from official pages checked November 12, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Sources read on November 12, 2026: the Office of the Professions Continuing Competency page for occupational therapists and Part 76 of the Commissioner’s Regulations (section 76.10). Both cover occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.
Cycle
The page states: “Your professional license is valid for life. However, registrations are valid for 3 years.” Section 76.10 applies the requirement “During each triennial registration period”, with proration “at a rate of one hour per month” for shorter periods.
Subjects
“At least 24 hours of the continuing competency learning activities must focus on professional subjects”. The remaining 12 hours “can focus on one or more related subjects (legal, ethical, regulatory, health care, reimbursement, supervision, business practices, professional conduct and other topics that relate to the occupational therapy professions or contribute to the health and welfare of the public.)”
Online limit
The page states: “only two-thirds of the requirement can be met through self-directed online study from an approved provider, the other one-third must be in-person, live online, or synchronous online study from an approved provider or other learning activities”.
First registration and exemptions
Section 76.10 exempts licensees “for the triennial registration period during which they are first licensed”, except those previously licensed in another state or jurisdiction (paraphrased). Licensees who hold both OT and OTA registrations meet the OT requirement, which counts for both (paraphrased).
Records
Licensees keep a learning plan and a list of activities with sponsor, attendance verification, date, location, and hours (paraphrased). “Such records shall be retained for at least six years from the date of completion of the activity and shall be available for review by the Department”. A credit hour requires “A minimum of 50 minutes of formal continuing education courses or workshops”. The section read does not name a carryover allowance.
What this page does not do
It covers the state occupational therapy license only, and only what the official page or pages named above say. It does not cover NBCOT certification renewal, does not list fees, and does not replace the board’s own instructions. Rules change; check the board before you renew.