Louisiana2026Enacted
HB1182
New Rules for Occupational Therapists and Assistants
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 3:26 AM
In one sentence
This law updates the rules, fees, exam requirements, and title usage for people who want to become licensed occupational therapists or assistants in Louisiana.
What it does
- Requires applicants to pass a national certification exam given by an independent agency under contract with AOTA/NBCOT.
- Increases application, issuance, renewal, reinstatement, late renewal, and reciprocity fees for both occupational therapists and therapy assistants.
- Allows people already certified nationally before the law takes effect to skip the new exam if they apply within six months of August 1, 2026.
- Exempts occupational therapists working in state facilities or employed by a state agency from continuing education requirements needed to renew their license.
- Sets specific rules for how licensed professionals can use titles like 'Licensed Occupational Therapist' or letters after their names.
Who it affects
- People applying for a new license as an occupational therapist or assistant in Louisiana.
- Current state employees classified as occupational therapy aides, therapists, or assistants who need to get licensed under the new rules.
- The board that issues and renews licenses for these professionals.
Limits and unknowns
- This law does not take effect until August 1, 2026.
- People who want to skip the exam must apply within six months of that effective date; the text does not say what happens if they miss this deadline.
Plain language
Terms to know
- NBCOT
- National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, the group that gives the required exam.
- AOTA
- American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., which contracts with NBCOT to run exams.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS: Provides relative to the rules governing Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants
Official activity
Bill history
- Effective date: 08/01/2026.H
- Becomes Act No. 933 without the Governor's signature.H
- Sent to the Governor for executive approval.H
- Signed by the President of the Senate.S
- Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.H
- Received from the Senate without amendments.H
- Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 2 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.S
- Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.S
- Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.S
- Reported favorably.S
- Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.S
- Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.S
- Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 92, nays 3. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.H
- Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.H
- Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.H
- Reported favorably (10-0).H
- Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.H
- Read by title. Lies over under the rules.H