OpenExamsFREE PRACTICE — ANY EXAM

Georgia Occupational Therapy — Requirements & Free Practice

US-GA · License preparation

605 free questions · Answer explanations · No signup required

Choose what to practice

Start with an exam below. Your examination requirements depend on your application pathway. View licensing requirements

Choose an exam or combined practice to begin.

Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Occupational Therapist License

License issued by the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 28 authorizing practice as a licensed occupational therapist in Georgia.

Licensing authority: Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy · Application information

Licensure by examination
OTR exam
Criminal Background Check
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(5): satisfactory results from a GCIC and FBI fingerprint record check.
Education
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(2): successful completion of the academic requirements of an accredited occupational therapy educational program recognized by the Board; a foreign-trained applicant completes a program recognized or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists or another credentialing entity recognized by the Board.
Examination
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(4), 43-28-10(b) and Rule 671-3-.03: pass the nationally recognized NBCOT examination for this licence (Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) Certification Examination); Rule 671-3-.04: the passing score is determined by NBCOT; the application requires NBCOT score and certification verification.
Fieldwork
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(3): successful completion of a period of supervised field work experience approved by the Board.
Foreign Trained Applicants
Rule 671-3-.10: foreign-trained applicants must complete the NBCOT foreign-trained practitioner process required to take the Board-approved NBCOT examination; the Board considers ACOTE approval of the program and NBCOT acceptance of the credentials.
Good Moral Character
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(1): the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant is of good moral character.
Lawful Presence
Rule 671-3-.01(2)-(4): affidavit of citizenship or lawful presence with a secure and verifiable document under O.C.G.A. 50-36-1.
Reexamination Competency
O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(c) and Rule 671-3-.05: an applicant who failed the NBCOT examination three or more times, or did not pass within five years of completing the academic requirements, must complete a Board-approved supervised clinical experience under a limited permit or a Board-approved remedial program before a license is issued.
References
Rule 671-3-.02: three references on Board forms, at least one from a certified or licensed occupational therapy practitioner and one personal reference.
Licensure by reciprocity military
OTR exam
Application
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(d): completed application for licensure by reciprocity on a Board form and the required fee.
Examination
The testing behind the other state's license must substantially meet or exceed Georgia's examination requirement, which O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(b) and Rule 671-3-.03 set as the NBCOT examination (Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) Certification Examination).
License Elsewhere
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(a)-(b): a license in good standing from another state whose training, experience, and testing substantially meet or exceed the requirements under Georgia law, with verification of active licensure in good standing from that state.
Military Status
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(c): documentation satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is a service member, transitioning service member, or military spouse.
Licensure by reciprocity
OTR exam
Criminal Background Check
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(5): satisfactory results from a GCIC and FBI fingerprint record check.
Current License Elsewhere
O.C.G.A. 43-28-11: proof of current licensure as an occupational therapist in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States whose licensure standards the Board considers equivalent to Georgia's requirements.
Examination Waiver Discretion
O.C.G.A. 43-28-11: the Board may waive the examination for such an applicant; Rule 671-3-.03 requires the NBCOT examination of all applicants except as provided in O.C.G.A. 43-28-11, and the application asks every applicant, including reciprocity applicants, whether and when the NBCOT Certification exam was taken and passed.
License Verification
Application for Licensure: applicants licensed in another state must have each state where they hold or have held a license verify the license status to the Georgia Board.
Reexamination Exemption
Rule 671-3-.05(6): the re-examination competency requirements do not apply to an applicant who held an active license in good standing in another jurisdiction, applies for the same license type, and demonstrates 12 months of active practice in good standing before the application.
References
Rule 671-3-.02: three references on Board forms.
Reinstatement
OTR exam
Board Discretion
Rule 671-3-.09(1): reinstatement of an expired license is within the discretion of the Board; O.C.G.A. 43-28-13(b): after revocation, application for reinstatement may be made one year from the date of revocation and the Board may accept or reject it.
Examination Scope
Rule 671-3-.09 itself lists no examination. An applicant who has not practiced within five years must complete 320 hours of supervised clinical experience under a limited permit (Rule 671-3-.09(3)); Rule 671-3-.06(2) and O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(c) issue that limited permit to an applicant who has successfully completed a national certification examination approved by the Board, which for this licence is the NBCOT Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) Certification Examination. Applicants who practiced within five years are not asked for an examination.
Submissions
Rule 671-3-.09(2): reinstatement application and fee with references under Rule 671-3-.02, 24 continuing education hours obtained within two years before the application, verification of any current license in another state, and Board-form employment verification of the last date of occupational therapy practice.
Supervised Clinical Experience
Rule 671-3-.09(3): Form A for Board approval of 320 hours of supervised clinical experience, then Form B certifying completion.
Renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing Education
Rule 671-3-.08(4)-(6): 24 continuing education hours per two-year period, at least 12 on direct patient care through live or real-time interactive formats, at least 2 on occupational therapy ethics, and at most 10 general hours; first-time licensees licensed in the second year of the biennium are exempt for that first renewal (Rule 671-3-.08(7)).
Late Renewal
Rule 671-3-.08(2)-(3): late renewal from April 1 through April 30 with a late fee and continuing education proof; after May 1 the license is revoked by operation of law and reinstatement under Rule 671-3-.09 is required.
Renewal Cycle
O.C.G.A. 43-28-14(a) and Rule 671-3-.08(1): licenses expire biennially on March 31 of even-numbered years and are renewed by renewal application and fee.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-07-15.

Occupational Therapy Assistant License

License issued by the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 28 authorizing practice as a licensed occupational therapy assistant in Georgia.

Licensing authority: Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy · Application information

Licensure by examination
COTA Certification Exam
Criminal Background Check
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(5): satisfactory results from a GCIC and FBI fingerprint record check.
Education
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(2): successful completion of the academic requirements of an accredited occupational therapy educational program recognized by the Board; a foreign-trained applicant completes a program recognized or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists or another credentialing entity recognized by the Board.
Examination
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(4), 43-28-10(b) and Rule 671-3-.03: pass the nationally recognized NBCOT examination for this licence (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Certification Examination); Rule 671-3-.04: the passing score is determined by NBCOT; the application requires NBCOT score and certification verification.
Fieldwork
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(3): successful completion of a period of supervised field work experience approved by the Board.
Foreign Trained Applicants
Rule 671-3-.10: foreign-trained applicants must complete the NBCOT foreign-trained practitioner process required to take the Board-approved NBCOT examination; the Board considers ACOTE approval of the program and NBCOT acceptance of the credentials.
Good Moral Character
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(1): the applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant is of good moral character.
Lawful Presence
Rule 671-3-.01(2)-(4): affidavit of citizenship or lawful presence with a secure and verifiable document under O.C.G.A. 50-36-1.
Reexamination Competency
O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(c) and Rule 671-3-.05: an applicant who failed the NBCOT examination three or more times, or did not pass within five years of completing the academic requirements, must complete a Board-approved supervised clinical experience under a limited permit or a Board-approved remedial program before a license is issued.
References
Rule 671-3-.02: three references on Board forms, at least one from a certified or licensed occupational therapy practitioner and one personal reference.
Licensure by reciprocity military
COTA Certification Exam
Application
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(d): completed application for licensure by reciprocity on a Board form and the required fee.
Examination
The testing behind the other state's license must substantially meet or exceed Georgia's examination requirement, which O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(b) and Rule 671-3-.03 set as the NBCOT examination (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Certification Examination).
License Elsewhere
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(a)-(b): a license in good standing from another state whose training, experience, and testing substantially meet or exceed the requirements under Georgia law, with verification of active licensure in good standing from that state.
Military Status
Rule 671-3-.13(2)(c): documentation satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is a service member, transitioning service member, or military spouse.
Licensure by reciprocity
COTA Certification Exam
Criminal Background Check
O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(5): satisfactory results from a GCIC and FBI fingerprint record check.
Current License Elsewhere
O.C.G.A. 43-28-11: proof of current licensure as an occupational therapy assistant in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States whose licensure standards the Board considers equivalent to Georgia's requirements.
Examination Waiver Discretion
O.C.G.A. 43-28-11: the Board may waive the examination for such an applicant; Rule 671-3-.03 requires the NBCOT examination of all applicants except as provided in O.C.G.A. 43-28-11, and the application asks every applicant, including reciprocity applicants, whether and when the NBCOT Certification exam was taken and passed.
License Verification
Application for Licensure: applicants licensed in another state must have each state where they hold or have held a license verify the license status to the Georgia Board.
Reexamination Exemption
Rule 671-3-.05(6): the re-examination competency requirements do not apply to an applicant who held an active license in good standing in another jurisdiction, applies for the same license type, and demonstrates 12 months of active practice in good standing before the application.
References
Rule 671-3-.02: three references on Board forms.
Reinstatement
COTA Certification Exam
Board Discretion
Rule 671-3-.09(1): reinstatement of an expired license is within the discretion of the Board; O.C.G.A. 43-28-13(b): after revocation, application for reinstatement may be made one year from the date of revocation and the Board may accept or reject it.
Examination Scope
Rule 671-3-.09 itself lists no examination. An applicant who has not practiced within five years must complete 320 hours of supervised clinical experience under a limited permit (Rule 671-3-.09(3)); Rule 671-3-.06(2) and O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(c) issue that limited permit to an applicant who has successfully completed a national certification examination approved by the Board, which for this licence is the NBCOT Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Certification Examination. Applicants who practiced within five years are not asked for an examination.
Submissions
Rule 671-3-.09(2): reinstatement application and fee with references under Rule 671-3-.02, 24 continuing education hours obtained within two years before the application, verification of any current license in another state, and Board-form employment verification of the last date of occupational therapy practice.
Supervised Clinical Experience
Rule 671-3-.09(3): Form A for Board approval of 320 hours of supervised clinical experience, then Form B certifying completion.
Renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Continuing Education
Rule 671-3-.08(4)-(6): 24 continuing education hours per two-year period, at least 12 on direct patient care through live or real-time interactive formats, at least 2 on occupational therapy ethics, and at most 10 general hours; first-time licensees licensed in the second year of the biennium are exempt for that first renewal (Rule 671-3-.08(7)).
Late Renewal
Rule 671-3-.08(2)-(3): late renewal from April 1 through April 30 with a late fee and continuing education proof; after May 1 the license is revoked by operation of law and reinstatement under Rule 671-3-.09 is required.
Renewal Cycle
O.C.G.A. 43-28-14(a) and Rule 671-3-.08(1): licenses expire biennially on March 31 of even-numbered years and are renewed by renewal application and fee.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-07-15.

Limited Permit (Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy Assistant)

Ninety-day non-renewable limited permit (letter of authority) issued by the Board under O.C.G.A. 43-28-12 and Rule 671-3-.06 to practice occupational therapy under the supervision of a Georgia-licensed occupational therapist; it is not a license.

Licensing authority: Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy · Application information

Limited permit after examination ot
OTR exam
Applicant Type
Applicant for, or holder of an expired, Georgia occupational therapist license.
Forms
Rule 671-3-.06(2)-(3): complete application and fee with Form A or Form C and supporting documents for Board approval; supervised work may not begin before Board approval and issuance of the permit (Rule 671-3-.06(4)).
Prior Examination
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(c) and Rule 671-3-.06(2)-(3): the applicant has successfully completed a Board-approved certification examination, for this licence the NBCOT Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) Certification Examination.
Purpose
One of: demonstrating competency after failing the examination three or more times or not passing within five years of the academic requirements (O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(c), Rule 671-3-.06(3), Rule 671-3-.05(2)-(3)); completing 320 hours of supervised clinical experience when licensed practice within the past five years cannot be documented (Rule 671-3-.06(2)); or a service member, transitioning service member, or military spouse who has taken the licensing examination and meets Rule 671-3-.13(4).
Supervision
Practice for no more than 90 days under the supervision (direct supervision for competency permits) of an occupational therapist holding a current Georgia license; the permit is not renewable.
Limited permit pending examination ot
OTR exam
Applicant Type
Applicant for the Georgia occupational therapist license.
Education And Fieldwork
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(b) and Rule 671-3-.06(1): all requirements for licensure met except the examination, including the academic education and fieldwork requirements of O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(2)-(3).
Examination Scheduling
Application for Licensure question 3: a copy of the NBCOT authorization to test for the Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) Certification Examination and the Prometric confirmation of the scheduled test date; no permit is issued if the documentation arrives within two weeks of the test date.
Failure Effect
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(b) and Rule 671-3-.06(1): an applicant who fails the examination must immediately surrender the limited permit, and it is not renewed.
Supervision
Practice only under the supervision of an occupational therapist holding a current Georgia license; the permit expires 90 days after issuance (Rule 671-3-.06(5)).
Limited permit after examination ota
COTA Certification Exam
Applicant Type
Applicant for, or holder of an expired, Georgia occupational therapy assistant license.
Forms
Rule 671-3-.06(2)-(3): complete application and fee with Form A or Form C and supporting documents for Board approval; supervised work may not begin before Board approval and issuance of the permit (Rule 671-3-.06(4)).
Prior Examination
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(c) and Rule 671-3-.06(2)-(3): the applicant has successfully completed a Board-approved certification examination, for this licence the NBCOT Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Certification Examination.
Purpose
One of: demonstrating competency after failing the examination three or more times or not passing within five years of the academic requirements (O.C.G.A. 43-28-10(c), Rule 671-3-.06(3), Rule 671-3-.05(2)-(3)); completing 320 hours of supervised clinical experience when licensed practice within the past five years cannot be documented (Rule 671-3-.06(2)); or a service member, transitioning service member, or military spouse who has taken the licensing examination and meets Rule 671-3-.13(4).
Supervision
Practice for no more than 90 days under the supervision (direct supervision for competency permits) of an occupational therapist holding a current Georgia license; the permit is not renewable.
Limited permit pending examination ota
COTA Certification Exam
Applicant Type
Applicant for the Georgia occupational therapy assistant license.
Education And Fieldwork
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(b) and Rule 671-3-.06(1): all requirements for licensure met except the examination, including the academic education and fieldwork requirements of O.C.G.A. 43-28-9(a)(2)-(3).
Examination Scheduling
Application for Licensure question 3: a copy of the NBCOT authorization to test for the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Certification Examination and the Prometric confirmation of the scheduled test date; no permit is issued if the documentation arrives within two weeks of the test date.
Failure Effect
O.C.G.A. 43-28-12(b) and Rule 671-3-.06(1): an applicant who fails the examination must immediately surrender the limited permit, and it is not renewed.
Supervision
Practice only under the supervision of an occupational therapist holding a current Georgia license; the permit expires 90 days after issuance (Rule 671-3-.06(5)).

OTR exam

Format
Three- and four-option single-response multiple-choice items and six-option multi-select scenario sets
Exam questions
180 items
Examination outline
  • Domain 1 — Evaluation and Assessment: Acquire information regarding factors that influence occupational performance on an ongoing basis throughout the occupational therapy process. (23%)
    • Task 1: Identify the influence of development and lived experience; body functions and body structures; values, beliefs, and spirituality; and identity on occupational performance.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Impact of typical development and aging on occupational performance, health, and wellness across the life span.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Expected patterns, progressions, and prognoses associated with conditions that limit occupational performance. Examples include signs and symptoms of disease; stages of disease; secondary complications.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Impact of body functions and body structures on occupational performance. Examples include cognitive impairments; congenital anomalies.
    • Task 1 knowledge 4: Influence of lived experiences and identity on occupational performance. Examples include history of trauma and adverse childhood events; socioeconomic status; gender, race, culture, religion.
    • Task 2: Assess a client’s functional skills, roles, prioritized needs and wants, and performance context to evaluate their occupational performance.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Resources and considerations for acquiring information about the client’s current condition and occupational performance. Examples include referrals; client records; developmental history; Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans; theoretical approach and frame of reference.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Administration, purpose, indications, advantages, and limitations of standardized and nonstandardized screening and assessment tools. Examples include criterion-referenced tests; norm-referenced tests; client and caregiver interviews; observation.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Internal and external factors influencing a client’s engagement in occupation. Examples include roles, habits, routines, and rituals; environmental context; family and social supports; medication side effects and interactions; mental health.
    • Task 3: Perform an activity analysis to determine the influence of task demands, current conditions, performance skills, and context on occupation.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Task requirements, steps to task completion, and task demands across contexts or settings.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Personal and environmental factors that facilitate or inhibit task completion or occupational engagement. Examples include compensation patterns; role of performance context; influence of current conditions.
  • Domain 2 — Analysis, Interpretation, and Planning: Formulate conclusions regarding client needs and priorities to develop and monitor an intervention plan throughout the occupational therapy process. (23%)
    • Task 1: Synthesize assessment results to determine eligibility for services and establish a client-centered intervention plan.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Interpretation and analysis of quantitative assessments. Examples include statistical terminology; scoring; limitations of scores; client reactions to testing.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Interpretation of qualitative findings. Examples include occupational profile; outcomes of needs assessment; results from interviews or observations.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Integration and application of quantitative assessment results and qualitative findings to guide critical decision-making and prioritize needs.
    • Task 2: Collaborate with the client, the client’s relevant others, occupational therapy colleagues, and other professionals using a client-centered approach and therapeutic use of self to manage occupational therapy services.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Roles and responsibilities among interprofessional teams when coordinating client care and providing services. Examples include referral to and consultation with other services; interprofessional communication methods; scope of practice.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Processes for managing interprofessional intervention plans. Examples include Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans; discharge plans; transition plans; palliative and hospice care plans.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Client-centered approaches and considerations for coordinating occupational therapy services. Examples include therapeutic use of self; advocacy; frequency/duration of intervention; level of service delivery.
    • Task 2 knowledge 4: Factors used to prioritize intervention goals and activities in collaboration with the client and family, teacher, caregiver, and relevant others. Examples include client-reported outcomes; level of support required; context of service delivery; progress toward goals.
    • Task 2 knowledge 5: Strategies for addressing and enhancing health literacy with the client and relevant others. Examples include caregiver training; teaching-learning models; methods for making health information accessible; informed decision-making; navigating challenges to professional expertise.
    • Task 3: Monitor and modify the intervention plan, approach, context, and goals on an ongoing basis using clinical reasoning.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Factors for determining and managing context and activities to meet individual and group intervention goals and objectives. Examples include client needs and priorities; response to intervention.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Strategies for monitoring the effectiveness of individual and group interventions. Examples include client-reported outcomes; reevaluation results; progress toward goals.
    • Task 3 knowledge 3: Clinical decision-making for assessing and adapting the intervention plan and prioritizing goals based on client response to intervention. Examples include physiological changes; behavioral reactions; emotion regulation; developmental needs.
    • Task 3 knowledge 4: Precautions or contraindications associated with a client’s condition or stage of recovery. Examples include postsurgical precautions; vital signs; laboratory values; suicidal ideation.
  • Domain 3 — Select and Manage Interventions: Select and implement interventions for managing a client-centered plan throughout the occupational therapy process. (38%)
    • Task 1: Incorporate preparatory techniques, activities, and modalities as an adjunct to interventions to promote healing and enhance engagement in occupation-based activities.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Considerations for selecting, preparing, and adapting the intervention technique to support optimal engagement and promote goal achievement. Examples include client condition; client safety.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Considerations for selecting, preparing, and adapting the intervention environment to support optimal engagement and promote goal achievement. Examples include ensuring privacy during telehealth sessions; equipment safety; line management.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Indications, contraindications, and precautions associated with wound management and maintaining skin integrity. Examples include stage of wound healing; prevention and management of pressure ulcers.
    • Task 1 knowledge 4: Indications, contraindications, precautions, and clinical application of superficial thermal agents. Examples include dry whirlpool; hot packs; cryotherapy.
    • Task 1 knowledge 5: Indications, contraindications, precautions, and clinical application of deep thermal, mechanical, and electrotherapeutic physical agent modalities. Examples include transcutaneous and neuromuscular electrical stimulation; biofeedback.
    • Task 2: Implement occupation-based strategies to support participation in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation across the life span.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Interventions for supporting leisure and play.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Methods for grading an activity, task, or technique based on level of development, client status, response to intervention, and client needs.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Considerations for facilitating individual and group participation in shared activities. Examples include group processes; group dynamics; group type and function.
    • Task 2 knowledge 4: Interventions to support cognitive, visual-motor, visual, and perceptual processing and sensory arousal. Examples include sensory modulation; proprioceptive input; vestibular strategies; low vision strategies.
    • Task 2 knowledge 5: Compensatory and remedial strategies for managing cognitive and perceptual deficits or developmental disabilities. Examples include graded cueing; chaining; metacognition; memory aids.
    • Task 2 knowledge 6: Adaptive and preventive strategies for supporting optimal engagement in occupation. Examples include use of technology/apps; joint protection; task simplification; energy conservation.
    • Task 2 knowledge 7: Intervention strategies and techniques used to facilitate oral motor skills for drinking, eating, and swallowing. Examples include hand-to-mouth patterns; mastication; adaptive utensils; positioning at mealtime.
    • Task 2 knowledge 8: Prevocational, vocational, and transitional services, options, and resources for supporting strengths, interests, employment, and lifestyle goals across the life span.
    • Task 2 knowledge 9: Strategies, techniques, and client-centered education to facilitate functional transfers.
    • Task 2 knowledge 10: Strategies for promoting wellness and mental health. Examples include relaxation; sleep hygiene; addiction management.
    • Task 3: Select and implement interventions for improving sensory, motor, neurological, and physiological status, considering client condition and current stage of recovery, to support occupational performance.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Methods for grading therapeutic exercise and conditioning programs consistent with indications and precautions.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Techniques for sensory and motor reeducation, pain management, desensitization, edema reduction, and scar management. Examples include manual edema mobilization; nerve gliding; neuromuscular reeducation; constraint-induced movement.
    • Task 3 knowledge 3: Techniques for promoting improved postural stability, dynamic balance, body mechanics, and breathing patterns during functional tasks.
    • Task 4: Select, fabricate, and modify orthotic devices, and provide training in the use of orthotic and prosthetic devices to support functional outcomes.
    • Task 4 knowledge 1: Types and functions of immobilization, mobilization, and restriction orthoses for managing specific conditions and congenital anomalies across the life span.
    • Task 4 knowledge 2: Types and functions of prosthetic devices for upper and lower extremity amputations.
    • Task 4 knowledge 3: Implications of anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, cognitive, and socioeconomic factors and healing principles for orthotic selection, design, fabrication, and modification.
    • Task 4 knowledge 4: Client-centered education and training methods for the safe and effective use of orthotic and prosthetic devices.
    • Task 5: Select assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment to enable participation in occupation.
    • Task 5 knowledge 1: Factors related to measuring, selecting, monitoring the fit of, and recommending modifications to seating systems, positioning devices, and mobility aids. Examples include equipment components; biomechanical considerations; usability and maintenance.
    • Task 5 knowledge 2: Types, characteristics, and features of high- and low-tech assistive technology and adaptive devices. Examples include interface options and processor parameters; equipment components.
    • Task 5 knowledge 3: Mobility options, vehicle adaptations, and alternative devices for supporting participation in community mobility. Examples include adapted driving controls; wheelchair tie downs; alternative transportation options; dynamic mobile standers; navigation apps.
    • Task 5 knowledge 4: Client factors influencing successful use and maintenance of assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment. Examples include developmental, physical, functional, cognitive, and mental health status; prioritized needs.
    • Task 5 knowledge 5: Client-centered education and training methods for successful use and maintenance of assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment.
    • Task 6: Recommend environmental modifications, while considering accessibility guidelines, standards, and legislation, to support participation in occupation consistent with client needs and status, task demands, and context.
    • Task 6 knowledge 1: Principles of ergonomics and universal design for identifying, recommending, and implementing features and reasonable accommodations in the workplace, home, and virtual and public spaces.
    • Task 6 knowledge 2: Processes and procedures for identifying, recommending, and implementing modifications in the workplace, home, and virtual and public spaces.
  • Domain 4 — Competency and Practice Management: Manage professional activities of self and relevant others as guided by evidence, regulatory compliance, and standards of practice to promote quality care. (16%)
    • Task 1: Employ evidence-based strategies and approaches to provide safe, effective, and efficient services relevant to individuals, groups, and populations.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Methods for locating, reviewing, interpreting, and critically appraising scholarly research to guide practice-relevant decision-making. Examples include defining a clinical question; determining the clinical bottom line.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Methods for applying continuous quality improvement processes and procedures to occupational therapy service delivery. Examples include program evaluation; outcome measures.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Evidence-based programming for advancing population health outcomes. Examples include aging in place; fall prevention; health and wellness; community support groups.
    • Task 2: Incorporate risk management techniques at the individual and practice-setting levels to protect clients, self, staff, and others from injury or harm.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Infection control procedures and universal precautions for reducing transmission of contaminants. Examples include PPE; isolation precautions; cleaning equipment.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Responses to adverse reactions, minor injuries, and emergency situations. Examples include minor burns and cuts; seizures; diabetic reactions.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Preventive measures for minimizing risk and promoting safety. Examples include proper body mechanics; safety data sheet (SDS); standard operating procedures; equipment maintenance; emergency preparedness; personal safety in the client’s environment.
    • Task 2 knowledge 4: Strategies and resources to prevent professional burnout. Examples include assessment of personal needs; self-advocacy regarding workload; stress management.
    • Task 3: Provide occupational therapy services in accordance with laws, regulations, state occupational therapy practice acts, and accreditation guidelines to protect consumers and meet applicable reimbursement requirements related to the service delivery setting.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Application of federal regulations, state practice acts, facility policies, and accreditation guidelines related to service delivery across occupational therapy practice settings. Examples include health care legislation; accreditation organizations; licensing and credentialing; supervisory role under state practice acts.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Influence of reimbursement policies and guidelines on occupational therapy service delivery.
    • Task 3 knowledge 3: Accountability processes and procedures for justifying, tracking, and monitoring outcomes. Examples include relevant practice terminology; documentation guidelines.
    • Task 4: Engage in professional development and competency assessment activities relevant to the job role, practice setting, scope of practice, and professional certification standards.
    • Task 4 knowledge 1: Methods for identifying, documenting, and monitoring service competency and professional development needs. Examples include competency self-assessment; mentoring.
    • Task 4 knowledge 2: Application of ethical decision-making and professional behaviors guided by the NBCOT Practice Standards and Code of Conduct.
Examination sources

COTA Certification Exam

Format
Three- and four-option single-response multiple-choice items and six-option multi-select items
Exam questions
190 items
Examination outline
  • Domain 1 — Collaborate and Gather Information: Under the supervision of the OTR, acquire information on an ongoing basis regarding factors that influence occupational performance. (27%)
    • Task 1: Recognize the influence of development and lived experience; body functions and body structures; values, beliefs, and spirituality; and identity on occupational performance.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Impact of typical development and aging on occupational performance, health, and wellness across the life span.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Expected patterns, progressions, and prognoses associated with conditions that limit occupational performance. Examples include signs and symptoms of disease; stages of disease; secondary complications.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Impact of body functions and body structures on occupational performance. Examples include cognitive impairments; congenital anomalies.
    • Task 1 knowledge 4: Influence of lived experiences and identity on occupational performance. Examples include history of trauma and adverse childhood events; socioeconomic status; gender, race, culture, religion.
    • Task 2: Acquire information about a client’s functional skills, roles, prioritized needs and wants, and performance context to inform the development of and updates to an occupational profile.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Resources for acquiring information about the client’s current condition and occupational performance. Examples include referrals; client records; developmental history; Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Purpose, advantages, limitations, and service competency needs related to the administration of standardized and nonstandardized assessments and screening methods. Examples include criterion-referenced tests; norm-referenced tests; client and caregiver interviews; observation.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Internal and external factors influencing a client’s engagement in occupation. Examples include roles, habits, routines, and rituals; environmental context; family and social supports; medication side effects and interactions; mental health.
    • Task 3: Perform an activity analysis to determine the influence of task demands, current conditions, performance skills, and context on occupation.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Task requirements, steps to task completion, and task demands across contexts or settings.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Personal and environmental factors that facilitate or inhibit task completion or occupational engagement. Examples include compensation patterns; role of performance context; influence of current conditions.
    • Task 4: Collaborate with the client, the client’s relevant others, occupational therapy colleagues, and other professionals using a client-centered approach and therapeutic use of self to provide quality occupational therapy services.
    • Task 4 knowledge 1: Roles and responsibilities among interprofessional teams when coordinating client care and providing services. Examples include referral to and consultation with other services; interprofessional communication methods; scope of practice.
    • Task 4 knowledge 2: Processes for supporting interprofessional intervention plans. Examples include Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans; discharge plans; transition plans; palliative and hospice care plans.
    • Task 4 knowledge 3: Client-centered approaches and considerations for coordinating occupational therapy services. Examples include therapeutic use of self; advocacy; frequency/duration of intervention; level of service delivery.
    • Task 4 knowledge 4: Factors used to prioritize intervention goals and activities in collaboration with the client and family, teacher, caregiver, and relevant others. Examples include client-reported outcomes; level of support required; context of service delivery; progress toward goals.
    • Task 4 knowledge 5: Strategies for addressing and enhancing health literacy with the client and relevant others. Examples include caregiver training; teaching-learning models; methods for making health information accessible; informed decision-making; navigating challenges to professional expertise.
    • Task 5: Monitor the intervention plan, approach, context, and goals on an ongoing basis, in collaboration with the OTR, using clinical reasoning.
    • Task 5 knowledge 1: Factors for determining and managing context and activities to meet individual and group intervention goals and objectives. Examples include client needs and priorities; response to intervention.
    • Task 5 knowledge 2: Strategies for monitoring the effectiveness of individual and group intervention. Examples include client-reported outcomes; reevaluation results; progress toward goals.
    • Task 5 knowledge 3: Clinical decision-making for prioritizing goals and implementing modifications to the intervention plan based on client responses, under the supervision of the OTR. Examples include physiological changes; behavioral reactions; emotion regulation; developmental needs.
    • Task 5 knowledge 4: Precautions or contraindications associated with a client condition or stage of recovery. Examples include postsurgical precautions; vital signs; laboratory values; suicidal ideation.
  • Domain 2 — Select and Implement Interventions: Implement interventions, under the supervision of the OTR, in accordance with the intervention plan and level of service competence to support client participation in areas of occupation throughout the occupational therapy process. (55%)
    • Task 1: Incorporate preparatory techniques, activities, and modalities as an adjunct to interventions to promote healing and enhance engagement in occupation-based activities.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Considerations for selecting, preparing, and adapting the intervention technique to support optimal engagement and promote goal achievement. Examples include client condition; client safety; theoretical approach and frame of reference.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Considerations for selecting, preparing, and adapting the intervention environment to support optimal engagement and promote goal achievement. Examples include ensuring privacy during telehealth sessions; equipment safety; line management.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Indications, contraindications, and precautions associated with wounds and maintaining skin integrity. Examples include stage of wound healing; prevention and management of pressure ulcers.
    • Task 1 knowledge 4: Indications, contraindications, precautions, and clinical application of superficial thermal agents. Examples include dry whirlpool; hot packs; cryotherapy.
    • Task 1 knowledge 5: Indications, contraindications, precautions, and clinical application of deep thermal, mechanical, and electrotherapeutic physical agent modalities. Examples include transcutaneous and neuromuscular electrical stimulation; biofeedback.
    • Task 2: Implement occupation-based strategies to support participation in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation across the life span.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Interventions for supporting leisure and play.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Methods for grading an activity, task, or technique based on level of development, client status, response to intervention, and client needs.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Considerations for facilitating individual and group participation in shared activities. Examples include group processes; group dynamics; group type and function.
    • Task 2 knowledge 4: Interventions to support cognitive, visual-motor, visual, and perceptual processing and sensory arousal. Examples include sensory modulation; proprioceptive input; vestibular strategies; low vision strategies.
    • Task 2 knowledge 5: Compensatory and remedial strategies for managing cognitive and perceptual deficits or developmental disabilities. Examples include graded cueing; chaining; metacognition; memory aids.
    • Task 2 knowledge 6: Adaptive and preventive strategies for supporting optimal engagement in occupation. Examples include use of technology/apps; joint protection; task simplification; energy conservation.
    • Task 2 knowledge 7: Intervention strategies and techniques used to facilitate oral motor skills for drinking, eating, and swallowing. Examples include hand-to-mouth patterns; mastication; adaptive utensils; positioning at mealtime.
    • Task 2 knowledge 8: Prevocational, vocational, and transitional services, options, and resources for supporting strengths, interests, employment, and lifestyle goals across the life span.
    • Task 2 knowledge 9: Strategies, techniques, and client-centered education to facilitate functional transfers.
    • Task 2 knowledge 10: Strategies for promoting wellness and mental health. Examples include relaxation; sleep hygiene; addiction management.
    • Task 3: Implement interventions for improving sensory, motor, neurological, and physiological status, considering client condition and current stage of recovery, to support occupational performance.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Methods for grading therapeutic exercise and conditioning programs consistent with indications and precautions.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Techniques for sensory and motor reeducation, pain management, desensitization, edema reduction, and scar management. Examples include manual edema mobilization; nerve gliding; neuromuscular reeducation; constraint-induced movement.
    • Task 3 knowledge 3: Techniques for promoting improved postural stability, dynamic balance, body mechanics, and breathing patterns during functional tasks.
    • Task 4: Select, fabricate, and modify orthotic devices, and provide training in the use of orthotic and prosthetic devices in order to support functional outcomes.
    • Task 4 knowledge 1: Types and functions of immobilization, mobilization, and restriction orthoses for managing specific conditions and congenital anomalies across the life span.
    • Task 4 knowledge 2: Types and functions of prosthetic devices for upper and lower extremity amputations.
    • Task 4 knowledge 3: Implications of anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, cognitive, and socioeconomic factors and healing principles for orthotic selection, design, fabrication, and modification.
    • Task 4 knowledge 4: Client-centered education and training methods for the safe and effective use of orthotic and prosthetic devices.
    • Task 5: Integrate assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment into the intervention to enable participation in occupation.
    • Task 5 knowledge 1: Factors related to measuring, selecting, monitoring the fit of, and recommending modifications to seating systems, positioning devices, and mobility aids. Examples include equipment components; biomechanical considerations; usability and maintenance.
    • Task 5 knowledge 2: Types, characteristics, and features of high- and low-tech assistive technology and adaptive devices. Examples include interface options and processor parameters; equipment components.
    • Task 5 knowledge 3: Mobility options, vehicle adaptations, and alternative devices for supporting participation in community mobility. Examples include adapted driving controls; wheelchair tie downs; alternative transportation options; dynamic mobile standers; navigation apps.
    • Task 5 knowledge 4: Client factors influencing successful use and maintenance of assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment. Examples include developmental, physical, functional, cognitive, and mental health status; prioritized needs.
    • Task 5 knowledge 5: Client-centered education and training methods for successful use and maintenance of assistive technology options, adaptive devices, mobility aids, and other durable medical equipment.
    • Task 6: Implement environmental modifications, while considering accessibility guidelines, standards, and legislation, to support participation in occupation consistent with client needs and status, task demands, and context.
    • Task 6 knowledge 1: Principles of ergonomics and universal design for identifying, recommending, and implementing features and reasonable accommodations in the workplace, home, and virtual and public spaces.
    • Task 6 knowledge 2: Processes and procedures for identifying, recommending, and implementing modifications in the workplace, home, and virtual and public spaces.
  • Domain 3 — Uphold Professional Standards and Responsibilities: Uphold professional standards and responsibilities by achieving service competence and applying evidence-based interventions to promote quality in practice. (18%)
    • Task 1: Employ evidence-based strategies and approaches to provide safe, effective, and efficient services relevant to individuals, groups, and populations.
    • Task 1 knowledge 1: Methods for locating, reviewing, and interpreting scholarly research to guide practice-relevant decision-making. Examples include applying the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) model; identifying best evidence.
    • Task 1 knowledge 2: Methods for contributing to continuous quality improvement processes and procedures related to occupational therapy service delivery. Examples include program evaluation; acquiring information to measure outcomes.
    • Task 1 knowledge 3: Types of evidence-based programming for advancing population health outcomes. Examples include aging in place; fall prevention; health and wellness; community support groups.
    • Task 2: Incorporate risk management techniques at the individual and practice-setting levels to protect clients, self, staff, and others from injury or harm.
    • Task 2 knowledge 1: Infection control procedures and universal precautions for reducing transmission of contaminants. Examples include PPE; isolation precautions; cleaning equipment.
    • Task 2 knowledge 2: Responses to adverse reactions, minor injuries, and emergency situations. Examples include minor burns and cuts; seizures; diabetic reactions.
    • Task 2 knowledge 3: Preventive measures for minimizing risk and promoting safety. Examples include proper body mechanics; safety data sheet (SDS); standard operating procedures; equipment maintenance; emergency preparedness; personal safety in the client’s environment.
    • Task 2 knowledge 4: Strategies and resources to prevent professional burnout. Examples include assessment of personal needs; self-advocacy regarding workload; stress management.
    • Task 3: Provide occupational therapy services in accordance with laws, regulations, state occupational therapy practice acts, and accreditation guidelines to protect consumers and meet applicable reimbursement requirements related to the service delivery setting.
    • Task 3 knowledge 1: Application of federal regulations, state practice acts, facility policies, and accreditation guidelines related to service delivery across occupational therapy practice settings. Examples include health care legislation; accreditation organizations; licensing and credentialing.
    • Task 3 knowledge 2: Influence of reimbursement policies and guidelines on occupational therapy service delivery.
    • Task 3 knowledge 3: Accountability processes and procedures for justifying, tracking, and monitoring outcomes. Examples include relevant practice terminology; documentation guidelines.
    • Task 4: Engage in professional development and competency assessment activities relevant to the job role, practice setting, scope of practice, and professional certification standards.
    • Task 4 knowledge 1: Methods for identifying, documenting, and monitoring service competency and professional development needs. Examples include competency self-assessment; mentoring.
    • Task 4 knowledge 2: Application of ethical decision-making and professional behaviors guided by the NBCOT Practice Standards and Code of Conduct.
Examination sources