Frequently Asked Questions

If AHCA notifies you that you must obtain an Exemption from Disqualification from the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice, as a result of your background screening report, you will need to download and complete the form provided on its website. The application should then be submitted to the Occupational Therapy Practice Board office, along with all required supporting documentation, at the following address:

Florida Department of Health
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Medical Therapies Unit/OT
4052 Bald Cypress Way
BIN C-05
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3255

Upon receipt, Board staff will review the application and documentation to ensure that all required information has been received and will place consideration of the application on the next scheduled Board meeting agenda. The Board meets on a quarterly basis. You will receive a formal meeting notice from the Board office once the application has been agendaed.

No. Please visit the Agency for Health Care Administrations (AHCA) Background Screening website to learn more about its background screening requirements. You may also contact the agency at (850) 412-4503 for additional information.

No, if you successfully pass the next examination it is possible your application is still in pending examination scores status and may be valid to process your licensure. Your application is valid for one year following the Board’s approval.

No. A temporary permit shall not be issued to an applicant for licensure who has previously failed the examination and has not subsequently passed the examination.

No. An applicant can have only one temporary permit and it cannot be extended.

If you are working on a temporary permit, you must quit working immediately upon notification of your failing results and return your temporary permit to the board office.

No. You may not work as an occupational therapist/assistant until you have been issued a temporary permit or a permanent license.

How much supervision is required and the co-signature of notes is determined by the supervising occupational therapist. The supervising occupational therapist takes responsibility for the person they supervise and makes judgment calls regarding co-signatures based on their knowledge of the person’s skills, ability and training. Section 468.203(8), F.S., Guidelines to Supervision.

Yes, an examination applicant must practice under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist until notification of the results of the examination.

The $100 application fee is a non-refundable fee. You must submit a written request, including your original signature, to withdraw your application in order to be refunded the $75 licensure fee and the $5 unlicensed activity fee.

Yes. If you do not pay NBCOT to send your scores each time you apply, we will not receive them. If you pay NBCOT to send your scores we will receive them electronically, and complete licensure usually the day scores are released. Please note, you may wait until after you receive your successful exam results and send us your NBCOT Certification number. We will attempt to verify your certification online on NBCOT’s “Verify My credentials” site. If we are able to verify we can process your licensure. Note: Receipt of the scores electronically, is usually a faster process. It is your responsibility to make sure we receive your successful score or your NBCOT Certification number to verify and complete your licensure, prior to your file expiration date.

Once approved by the Board, the applicant has twelve months from the date of approval to take the NBCOT examination and submit proof of scores to the Board office. If you re-schedule your exam date with NBCOT, you must notify the Board office in writing. Scores must be requested and received directly from NBCOT. If one does not sit for the examination, or, if scores are not timely submitted, the temporary permit, and application will expire at the end of the twelve-month timeframe and one must immediately cease practice. No extensions are allowed.