Occupational Therapist Licensure in Illinois
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Timeline 9 weeks or more
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Initial Costs $150
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Renewal Costs $40
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CE Requirements 24 Hours
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Compact No
How to apply
To secure your Travel Occupational Therapist license in Illinois, you'll be working with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You will submit your application through their new online system, CORE. Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your transcripts to get the ball rolling.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Background Check: Illinois requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check from a licensed live scan vendor. You must do this within 60 days of applying. If you are in Illinois, you can visit vendors like Accurate Biometrics or Biometric Impressions. If you are out-of-state, you will need to contact a licensed vendor in Illinois to obtain the specific "out-of-state" fingerprint card instructions and mail them in.
- Request Transcripts: Head over to your university's registrar and request your official transcripts. These must be sent directly from your school to the IDFPR. Do not try to upload these yourself; they won't be accepted.
- NBCOT Verification: Log in to your NBCOT account and request a verification of certification / score transfer to be sent to the Illinois Board.
- Submit Application: Create an account on the CORE portal and complete the application for "Occupational Therapist by Endorsement" (if you are already licensed elsewhere) or "Examination" (if you are a new grad). Hit submit and pay the fee.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: Driver's License, Social Security Number, and details of your employment history for the last 5 years.
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (from your school), NBCOT Certification Verification (from NBCOT).
- Exams: You must have passed the NBCOT. There is no separate jurisprudence exam for OTs in Illinois, but you will attest to reading the state laws and rules on the application.
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in Illinois:
- Application Fee: $100
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $50 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $0
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $150
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: Illinois Occupational Therapist renewal happens biennially and is due by December 31 of odd-numbered years.
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $40.
Note: Be sure to complete the mandatory 1-hour courses in ethics, sexual harassment prevention, and implicit bias awareness as part of your 24 required CE hours.
CE Requirements
24 Contact Hours required every 2 years.
Deadline: December 31st of odd-numbered years.
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Occupational Therapist CEUs: Illinois currently has no limit on self-study, meaning you can complete all 24 contact hours online!
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be provided by an IDFPR-approved sponsor, AOTA, or ILOTA. General portals like MedBridge are accepted as they are AOTA-approved providers.
Mandatory Topics
- Implicit Bias Training (1 hour per renewal)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (1 hour per renewal)
- Ethics (1 hour per renewal)
- Dementia Training (1 hour per renewal for those providing services to adults age 26 and older)
- Mandated Reporter Training (Required for those working with children; must include a component on brain development)
Excluded Topics: CPR/First Aid, business management, office administration, and personal financial planning.
New Licensee Rule: You are exempt from continuing education requirements for the first renewal period after your initial Illinois licensure.
Reporting: Illinois is audit-based. You do not need to report hours upfront, but you must maintain your certificates of completion for at least 5 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 Illinois Occupational Therapy Board:
- Address: 320 W Washington St Springfield, IL 62786-1135
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (800) 560-6420
- Fax: (217) 782-7645
- Email: fpr.hssunit@illinois.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.
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How to Apply
To secure your Travel Occupational Therapist license in Illinois, you'll be working with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You will submit your application through their new online system, CORE. Before you start, I recommend initiating your background check and requesting your transcripts to get the ball rolling.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Background Check: Illinois requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check from a licensed live scan vendor. You must do this within 60 days of applying. If you are in Illinois, you can visit vendors like Accurate Biometrics or Biometric Impressions. If you are out-of-state, you will need to contact a licensed vendor in Illinois to obtain the specific "out-of-state" fingerprint card instructions and mail them in.
- Request Transcripts: Head over to your university's registrar and request your official transcripts. These must be sent directly from your school to the IDFPR. Do not try to upload these yourself; they won't be accepted.
- NBCOT Verification: Log in to your NBCOT account and request a verification of certification / score transfer to be sent to the Illinois Board.
- Submit Application: Create an account on the CORE portal and complete the application for "Occupational Therapist by Endorsement" (if you are already licensed elsewhere) or "Examination" (if you are a new grad). Hit submit and pay the fee.
What You'll Need & Key Details
- Documents to Have Ready: Driver's License, Social Security Number, and details of your employment history for the last 5 years.
- Items to Request: Official Transcripts (from your school), NBCOT Certification Verification (from NBCOT).
- Exams: You must have passed the NBCOT. There is no separate jurisprudence exam for OTs in Illinois, but you will attest to reading the state laws and rules on the application.
Initial Costs
Here is the breakdown of what you can expect to spend to get licensed in Illinois:
- Application Fee: $100
- Background Check / Fingerprinting: $50 (approximate)
- Jurisprudence Exam: $0
- Verifications: $0
- Total Estimated Initial Cost: $150
Note: Fees are subject to change by the Board, but this gives you a solid estimate to plan your budget!
Renewals
When to Renew: Illinois Occupational Therapist renewal happens biennially and is due by December 31 of odd-numbered years.
Cost: The renewal fee is approximately $40.
Note: Be sure to complete the mandatory 1-hour courses in ethics, sexual harassment prevention, and implicit bias awareness as part of your 24 required CE hours.
CE Requirements
24 Contact Hours required every 2 years.
Deadline: December 31st of odd-numbered years.
Live vs. Online: Great news for Travel Occupational Therapist CEUs: Illinois currently has no limit on self-study, meaning you can complete all 24 contact hours online!
Provider Restrictions: Courses must be provided by an IDFPR-approved sponsor, AOTA, or ILOTA. General portals like MedBridge are accepted as they are AOTA-approved providers.
Mandatory Topics
- Implicit Bias Training (1 hour per renewal)
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (1 hour per renewal)
- Ethics (1 hour per renewal)
- Dementia Training (1 hour per renewal for those providing services to adults age 26 and older)
- Mandated Reporter Training (Required for those working with children; must include a component on brain development)
Excluded Topics: CPR/First Aid, business management, office administration, and personal financial planning.
New Licensee Rule: You are exempt from continuing education requirements for the first renewal period after your initial Illinois licensure.
Reporting: Illinois is audit-based. You do not need to report hours upfront, but you must maintain your certificates of completion for at least 5 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 Illinois Occupational Therapy Board:
- Address: 320 W Washington St Springfield, IL 62786-1135
- Website: Visit Board Website
- Phone: (800) 560-6420
- Fax: (217) 782-7645
- Email: fpr.hssunit@illinois.gov
Ready to start? Click here to go directly to the Application Portal.