Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant Licensure in California
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Timeline 4-6 weeks
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Initial Costs $394
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Renewal Costs $210
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CE Requirements 24 Units
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Compact No
How to apply
To secure your Travel Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant license in California, you'll be working with the California Board of Occupational Therapy. You will submit your application through BreEZe Online Services. Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your official transcripts to get the ball rolling.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Submit Your Application: Head over to the BreEZe portal to create an account and submit your online application. This is the quickest way to get your file open with the Board. Hit submit once you've filled out all the required fields.
- Complete the Background Check: If you are currently in California, you must use a Live Scan location to submit your fingerprints electronically. If you are out of state, you will need to request "Hard Card" fingerprint cards (FD-258) from the Board or a local agency, get printed at a local law enforcement or fingerprinting site, and mail them directly to the Board.
- Request Official Documents: You must request your official transcripts be sent directly from your school to the Board. Additionally, request your score transfer from NBCOT to be sent directly to California.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: Social Security Number, Driver's License or ID, and your employment history for the past five years.
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (sent directly from your school), NBCOT Score Transfer (sent directly from NBCOT), and Fingerprint Cards (if applying from out of state).
- Exams: NBCOT Certification (California does not currently require a separate Jurisprudence Exam).
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in California:
- Application Fee: $50
- Initial License Fee: $270
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $74 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $0
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $394
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: California Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant renewal happens biennially and is due by the last day of your birth month (in odd or even years corresponding to your birth year).
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $210.
Note: Watch out—this state does not have a grace period, so be sure to renew before your expiration date to avoid delinquent fees!
CE Requirements
24 PDUs required every two years.
Deadline: The last day of your birth month during your renewal year (even or odd year based on your birth year).
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant CEUs: you can complete all 24 PDUs online! California currently has no limit on home-study or distance learning units.
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be offered by "Approved Providers" (such as AOTA or OTAC) or meet the specific criteria outlined in CCR Section 4161. General portals like MedBridge are accepted as they are AOTA-approved. Note: 1 contact hour equals 1 PDU. If a provider uses "CEUs" where 1 CEU = 10 Hours, ensure you calculate correctly (e.g., 2.4 CEUs would satisfy the 24 PDU requirement).
Mandatory Topics
- No specific mandatory topics—choose what interests you!
Excluded Topics: CPR, First Aid, business/office management, marketing, or personal development courses that do not directly relate to the delivery of occupational therapy services.
New Licensee Rule: If you are renewing for the first time and have been licensed for less than 24 months, your requirement is prorated at 1 PDU for each month of licensure.
Reporting: California is audit-based. You do not need to submit certificates to the Board during renewal, but you must maintain your records for at least 4 years in case of an audit.
Board Information
Need to reach out with questions or send in documents? Here are the direct details for the California Board of Occupational Therapy:
- Address: 1610 Arden Way Ste 121 Sacramento, CA 95815-4027
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (916) 263-2294
- Fax: (916) 567-9534
- Email: cbot@dca.ca.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.
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How to Apply
To secure your Travel Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant license in California, you'll be working with the California Board of Occupational Therapy. You will submit your application through BreEZe Online Services. Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your official transcripts to get the ball rolling.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Submit Your Application: Head over to the BreEZe portal to create an account and submit your online application. This is the quickest way to get your file open with the Board. Hit submit once you've filled out all the required fields.
- Complete the Background Check: If you are currently in California, you must use a Live Scan location to submit your fingerprints electronically. If you are out of state, you will need to request "Hard Card" fingerprint cards (FD-258) from the Board or a local agency, get printed at a local law enforcement or fingerprinting site, and mail them directly to the Board.
- Request Official Documents: You must request your official transcripts be sent directly from your school to the Board. Additionally, request your score transfer from NBCOT to be sent directly to California.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: Social Security Number, Driver's License or ID, and your employment history for the past five years.
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (sent directly from your school), NBCOT Score Transfer (sent directly from NBCOT), and Fingerprint Cards (if applying from out of state).
- Exams: NBCOT Certification (California does not currently require a separate Jurisprudence Exam).
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in California:
- Application Fee: $50
- Initial License Fee: $270
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $74 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $0
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $394
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: California Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant renewal happens biennially and is due by the last day of your birth month (in odd or even years corresponding to your birth year).
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $210.
Note: Watch out—this state does not have a grace period, so be sure to renew before your expiration date to avoid delinquent fees!
CE Requirements
24 PDUs required every two years.
Deadline: The last day of your birth month during your renewal year (even or odd year based on your birth year).
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant CEUs: you can complete all 24 PDUs online! California currently has no limit on home-study or distance learning units.
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be offered by "Approved Providers" (such as AOTA or OTAC) or meet the specific criteria outlined in CCR Section 4161. General portals like MedBridge are accepted as they are AOTA-approved. Note: 1 contact hour equals 1 PDU. If a provider uses "CEUs" where 1 CEU = 10 Hours, ensure you calculate correctly (e.g., 2.4 CEUs would satisfy the 24 PDU requirement).
Mandatory Topics
- No specific mandatory topics—choose what interests you!
Excluded Topics: CPR, First Aid, business/office management, marketing, or personal development courses that do not directly relate to the delivery of occupational therapy services.
New Licensee Rule: If you are renewing for the first time and have been licensed for less than 24 months, your requirement is prorated at 1 PDU for each month of licensure.
Reporting: California is audit-based. You do not need to submit certificates to the Board during renewal, but you must maintain your records for at least 4 years in case of an audit.
Board Information
Need to reach out with questions or send in documents? Here are the direct details for the California Board of Occupational Therapy:
- Address: 1610 Arden Way Ste 121 Sacramento, CA 95815-4027
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (916) 263-2294
- Fax: (916) 567-9534
- Email: cbot@dca.ca.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.