OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS: Provides relative to the rules governing Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants

HLS 26RS-2035 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1182
BY REPRESENTATIVE EGAN
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS: Provides relative to the rules governing Occupational
Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:3006(introductory paragraph) and (2), 3007, 3008, 3009(B)
3 and (D), 3012(B)(3), and 3013(A), relative to occupational therapists and
4 occupational therapy assistants; to provide for the requirements for licensure; to
5 provide for the examination for licensure; to provide for waiver requirements for
6 licensure; to provide for the issuance of licenses; to provide for the renewal of
7 licenses; to provide for licensure fees; and to provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 37:3006(introductory paragraph) and (2), 3007, 3008, 3009(B) and
10 (D), 3012(B)(3), and 3013(A) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
11 §3006. Requirements for licensure
12 An applicant applying for a license as an occupational therapist or as an
13 occupational therapy assistant shall file a written application on forms provided by
14 the board, showing to the satisfaction of the board that he the applicant:
15 * * *
16 (2) Has successfully completed the academic and supervised field work
17 experience requirements to sit for the "Certification Examination for Occupational
18 Therapist, Registered or the Certification Examination for occupational therapy
19 assistant" and is approved by the board and pass the National Board for Certification
20 in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification examination.
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1 §3007. Examination for licensure
2 A. The board shall use the examination administered by an independent
3 agency under contract with the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
4 (AOTA), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to
5 administer the examinations for licensure under this Chapter.
6 B. Any person applying for licensure shall, in addition to demonstrating his
7 eligibility in accordance with the requirements of R.S. 37:3006, make application to
8 the board for review of proof of his current certification by the American
9 Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), National Board for Certification
10 in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) on a form and in such a manner as the board
11 shall prescribe. The application shall be accompanied by the fee fixed in accordance
12 with the provisions of R.S. 37:3013. The board shall determine the criteria for
13 satisfactory performance on the examination, using the American Occupational
14 Therapy Association, Inc., National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
15 (NBCOT) criteria as a minimum score. A person who fails an examination may
16 reapply.
17 C. Applicants for licensure shall be examined at a time and place established
18 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) National Board
19 for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Examinations shall be given
20 at least twice each year within the state.
21 §3008. Waiver of requirements for licensure
22 A. The board shall waive the examination and grant a license to any person
23 certified prior to the effective date of this Chapter as an Occupational Therapist,
24 Registered (OTR) or a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) by the
25 American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), National Board for
26 Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and who otherwise meets the
27 criteria of provisions of R.S. 37:3006 and who is domiciled in the state on the date
28 this Chapter becomes effective. In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an
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1 applicant shall make an application for a license no later than six months after the
2 effective date of this Chapter.
3 B. The board may waive the examination and grant a license to any applicant
4 who presents proof of current licensure as an occupational therapist or occupational
5 therapy assistant in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the
6 United States which requires standards for licensure considered by the board to be
7 equivalent to the requirements for licensure of this Chapter, provided that such state,
8 district or territory accords similar privileges of licensure without examination to
9 holders of a license under this Chapter.
10 C. The board shall waive the educational and examination requirements and
11 grant a license to any person who gives proof of current employment, either on a
12 probational or a permanent basis, in the classified state service, and who is classified
13 therein as an Occupational Therapy Aide I, Occupational Therapy Aide II,
14 Occupational Therapist I, Occupational Therapist II, or Occupational Therapist III;
15 on the date this Chapter becomes effective.
16 An Occupational Therapy Aide I, Occupational Therapy Aide II, or
17 Occupational Therapist I shall be licensed as an occupational therapy assistant. An
18 Occupational Therapist II or an Occupational Therapist III shall be licensed as an
19 occupational therapist. These licensing designations will in no way restrict the
20 authority of the Louisiana State Department of Civil Service to establish guidelines
21 and qualifications for those employees within the classified service or in no way
22 restrict the power of the Civil Service Department to establish promotional ladders
23 for such employees. In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an applicant shall
24 make application for a license no later than six (6) months after the effective date of
25 this Chapter.
26 D. The board shall waive the examination and grant a license to any person
27 who is domiciled in the state on the date this Chapter becomes effective, and who is
28 a graduate of a curriculum of a member nation of the World Federation of
29 Occupational Therapists (WFOT). In order to obtain the benefit of this waiver, an
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1 applicant shall make application for a license no later than six (6) months after the
2 effective date of this Chapter.
3 §3009. Issuance of license
4 * * *
5 B. Any person who is issued a license as an occupational therapist under the
6 terms of this Chapter may use the words "occupational therapist", "licensed
7 occupational therapist", or he may use the letters "LOT", "OT" in connection with
8 his name or place of business to denote his licensure. In addition, any person
9 certified or registered by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.,
10 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) may use the
11 words "licensed occupational therapist, registered" or "occupational therapist,
12 registered" or "LOTR" or "OTR".
13 * * *
14 D. The board shall may establish policies which allow for a challenge of
15 denial of license. This challenge shall be heard in an open hearing in accordance
16 with due process.
17 * * *
18 §3012. Renewal of license
19 * * *
20 B.
21 * * *
22 (3) The continuing education requirements shall do not apply to individuals
23 working as occupational therapists in state facilities or employed by a state agency.
24 * * *
25 §3013. Fees
26 A. The board shall fix fees in a manner established by its rules. Initial fees
27 shall not exceed the following amounts:
(1) Application fee Initial OT license application fee. . . $50 $15028
(2) Issuance of Initial OTA license application fee. . . . . $25 $10029
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(3) Temporary license fee OT/OTA.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 $501
(4) Renewal of OT license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25 $1002
(5) Reinstatement Renewal of OTA license fee.. . . . . . . $25 $753
(6) Late renewal Reinstatement of OT license fee.. . . . . $35 $1004
(7) Reciprocity Reinstatement of OTA license fee. . . . . $75 $1005
(8) Late renewal fee OT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1006
(9) Late renewal fee OTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $757
(10) Reciprocity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $758
9 Fees for occupational therapy assistants licensure shall be no more than
10 two-thirds of those for occupational therapist licensure.
11 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1182 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Egan
Abstract: Provides relative to the governing rules for Occupational Therapists and
Occupational Therapy Assistants as it pertains to their licensure and fees.
Present law provides that applicants sit for the certification examination for occupational
therapists and register for the certification examination for occupational therapy assistant.
Proposed law provides that applicants sit for the certification examination and pass the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
Present law provides that the board shall use the examination administered by an
independent agency under contract with the American Occupational Therapy Association,
Inc. (AOTA) to administer the examinations for licensure under this Chapter and that
examination.
Proposed law changes the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) to the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
Present law provides that the board shall waive the examination and grant a license to any
person certified prior to the effective date of present law as an Occupational Therapist,
Registered (OTR), or a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) by the American
Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA), and who otherwise meets the criteria of
the provisions of present law.
Proposed law changes the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) to the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
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Present law provides that the board shall waive the educational and examination
requirements and grant a license to any person who gives proof of current employment,
either on a probational or a permanent basis, in the classified state service, and who is
classified therein as an Occupational Therapy Aide I, Occupational Therapy Aide II,
Occupational Therapist I, Occupational Therapist II, or Occupational Therapist III.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Present law provides that any person certified or registered by the American Occupational
Therapy Association, Inc. may use the words "licensed occupational therapist, registered"
or "occupational therapist, registered" or "LOTR" or "OTR".
Proposed law changes the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) to the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
Present law provides that continuing requirements shall not apply to individuals working as
occupational therapists in state facilities or employed by a state agency.
Proposed law changes "continuing requirements" to "continuing education requirements".
Present law provides that the licensure fees for occupational therapy assistants shall not be
more than two-thirds of the fees for occupational therapists and the following fee schedule:
(1) Application fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$50
(2) Issuance of license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...$25
(3) Temporary license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . ..$25
(4) Renewal of license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$25
(5) Reinstatement of license fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25
(6) Late renewal fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$35
(7) Reciprocity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . $75
Proposed law eliminates the two-thirds fee provisions and changes the fee schedule to the
following:
(1) Initial OT license application fee…............................$150
(2) Initial OTA license application fee…….....................$100
(3) Temporary license fee OT/OTA . . ………………....$50
(4) Renewal of OT license fee…………………………..$100
(5) Renewal of OTA license fee………..........................$75
(6) Reinstatement of OT license fee.......................…… $150
(7) Reinstatement of OTA license fee……..................... $100
(8) Late renewal fee OT…....……………….…………..$100
(9) Late renewal fee OTA…..……..................................$75
(10) Reciprocity.………………………………………..$75
(Amends R.S. 37:3006(intro. para.) and (2), 3007, 3008, 3009(B) and (D), 3012(B)(3), and
3013(A))
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