Connecticut Occupational Therapy Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Connecticut occupational therapy assistants must complete 18 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section.
Occupational therapy licenses renew every two years and expire on July 31 of odd numbered years. The department mails a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration. A 90 day grace period follows expiration, during which the licensee may keep practicing and renew; on the 91st day the license becomes void and reinstatement is required.
Summary
Connecticut occupational therapy assistants must complete 18 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section. Occupational therapy licenses renew every two years and expire on July 31 of odd numbered years. The department mails a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration. A 90 day grace period follows expiration, during which the licensee may keep practicing and renew; on the 91st day the license becomes void and reinstatement is required. Connecticut also mandates specific subjects. Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and suicide prevention training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
Connecticut Occupational Therapy Assistant renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 07/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 18 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Teaching as an appointed faculty member at an ACOTE accredited occupational therapy school, up to 6 contact hours per registration period, when teaching is not the licensee's primary role; Full time post-graduate attendance in an ACOTE accredited advanced educational program, 10 contact hours per semester credit hour; Passing the NBCOT Certification Examination for Occupational Therapist five years or more after graduation, 12 contact hours; First presentation of a paper, essay or formal lecture in occupational therapy, 1 contact hour; First presentation of a scientific or educational exhibit at a professional meeting, 1 contact hour per hour up to 9 per registration period; Article in a peer reviewed professional publication or chapter in a professional textbook, 10 contact hours; First article in a non peer reviewed publication, 5 contact hours; Appointment as a research assistant on a grant funded occupational therapy research project, 10 contact hours per project; Appointment as a teaching assistant at an ACOTE accredited school, 8 contact hours per registration period; Serving as primary direct clinical supervisor of a 12 week occupational therapy or 8 week occupational therapy assistant fieldwork placement, 1 contact hour per week up to 9 per registration period; Professional manuscript review or editing, 1 contact hour per 5 hours of review, up to 9 per registration period; Auditing formal academic coursework, 2 contact hours per 15 clock hours, up to 9 per registration period |
The department requires a minimum of 18 contact hours of qualifying continued competency activity during the two year period for which the license is being renewed, which matches the two year renewal cycle. Hours completed in one registration period cannot be carried over. The per activity caps on this credential are 9 contact hours per registration period for exhibits, fieldwork supervision, manuscript review and audited coursework, where the occupational therapist page sets those same caps at 12. Business meetings, banquet speeches, reading on one's own, correspondence courses and stand alone audio-visual materials do not qualify. Passing the NBCOT certification examination five years or more after graduation earns 12 contact hours, but current NBCOT certification is not a renewal requirement.
Required CE topics for Connecticut occupational therapy assistants
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and suicide prevention trainingOn and after January 1, 2022 the renewal requirements include not less than two hours of training or education on screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and on suicide prevention, during the first renewal period and not less than once every six years after that. The training must be offered or approved by the Connecticut Occupational Therapy Association, a hospital or other licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The suicide prevention part may be satisfied by the evidence based youth suicide prevention training program administered under Conn. Gen. Stat. 17a-52a. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-74h |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Connecticut OTA need to renew?
- Connecticut occupational therapy assistants must complete 18 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section. The department requires a minimum of 18 contact hours of qualifying continued competency activity during the two year period for which the license is being renewed, which matches the two year renewal cycle. Hours completed in one registration period cannot be carried over. The per activity caps on this credential are 9 contact hours per registration period for exhibits, fieldwork supervision, manuscript review and audited coursework, where the occupational therapist page sets those same caps at 12. Business meetings, banquet speeches, reading on one's own, correspondence courses and stand alone audio-visual materials do not qualify. Passing the NBCOT certification examination five years or more after graduation earns 12 contact hours, but current NBCOT certification is not a renewal requirement.
- How often does a Connecticut OTA license need to be renewed?
- Occupational Therapy Assistant licenses in Connecticut renew every two years. Occupational therapy licenses renew every two years and expire on July 31 of odd numbered years. The department mails a renewal notice about 60 days before expiration. A 90 day grace period follows expiration, during which the licensee may keep practicing and renew; on the 91st day the license becomes void and reinstatement is required.
- What specific CE topics are required for Connecticut occupational therapy assistants?
- Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and suicide prevention training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Citations: screening for post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and suicide prevention training (Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-74h).
- Do Connecticut occupational therapy assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates.
Sources
Last verified September 9, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- OTA Continuing Education Requirements, Connecticut Department of Public HealthState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- OTA License Requirements, Connecticut Department of Public HealthState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 376a, Occupational Therapists (Sec. 20-74h, License renewal, training or education requirement)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
- Health Care Practitioner License Types that Expire Biennially, Connecticut DPHState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Health Care Practitioner Renewal Information, Connecticut DPHState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
Read on the department's own occupational therapy assistant continuing education page, not carried over from the occupational therapist record, and the totals genuinely differ: 18 contact hours for occupational therapy assistants against 24 for occupational therapists, with the per activity caps set at 9 rather than 12. The two year cycle and the July 31 odd year expiration are shared, confirmed in Conn. Gen. Stat. 20-74h and on the department's list of license types that expire biennially, which names occupational therapy assistant with the same July 31 odd year footnote. The two hour post-traumatic stress, suicide risk and suicide prevention training in 20-74h names occupational therapy assistants along with occupational therapists, so the same statutory text is cited for both records. Gaps specific to this credential: the assistant page does not repeat the occupational therapist page's statements about the 50 minute contact hour, the first renewal exemption, the three year record retention, document production on request, or the department not approving providers, so those fields are left null here rather than copied across. Supervision of an occupational therapy assistant by an occupational therapist is a practice requirement, not continuing education, and is not recorded. NBCOT certification is not required to renew.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.