Florida Occupational Therapy Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Florida occupational therapy assistants must complete 26 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.
Licenses renew every two years on a fixed statewide date: the current cycle's licenses expire at midnight Eastern Time on February 28, 2027, and become null and void on March 1, 2027 if not renewed. The department mails a renewal notice at least 90 days before expiration, and renewal is completed online through flhealthsource.gov.
Summary
Florida occupational therapy assistants must complete 26 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. Licenses renew every two years on a fixed statewide date: the current cycle's licenses expire at midnight Eastern Time on February 28, 2027, and become null and void on March 1, 2027 if not renewed. The department mails a renewal notice at least 90 days before expiration, and renewal is completed online through flhealthsource.gov. Florida also mandates specific subjects. Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Florida Laws and Rules: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV/AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only (first renewal only). No more than 12 contact hours may be self-study or online.
Florida 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, 02/28 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 26 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 14 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | At most 12 contact hours |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Course presentations and attendance at board meetings, up to 8 hours per biennium (64B11-5.001(10)); Fieldwork or doctoral capstone experience supervision of Level II OT or OTA students, up to 6 hours per biennium (64B11-5.001(11)); Publications, up to 10 hours per biennium: 10 as author of a book, 5 as author of a chapter, 3 for a peer reviewed article, 1 for a non peer reviewed article, 5 as editor of a book (64B11-5.001(12)); Development of or participation in a practice related research project, up to 5 hours per biennium (64B11-5.001(13)); Volunteer expert witness service, up to 6 hours per biennium (64B11-5.001(14)); Pro bono services to the indigent or underserved, up to 6 hours per biennium, 1 hour of credit for every 2 hours worked, with written board approval in advance (64B11-5.001(15)) |
The board's table breaks the 26 hours into 22 general hours plus 2 hours in prevention of medical errors and 2 hours in Florida laws and rules. At least 14 of the 26 must be live or interactive real time, and no more than 12 may be home study. Video presentation credit is limited to 5 credits per subject. Hours count only after licensure and only within the current biennium. First renewal is prorated by half of the biennium: a licensee first licensed in the second half of the biennium (on or after March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027) is exempt from the 26 general hours but must still complete 1 hour of HIV/AIDS and 2 hours of prevention of medical errors, while a licensee first licensed in the first half (March 1, 2025 through February 26, 2026) completes all 26 hours plus the one time HIV/AIDS hour.
Required CE topics for Florida 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of Medical ErrorsMust be a course offered by a Florida Board of Occupational Therapy approved provider. Counts toward the 26 hour total. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Rule 64B11-5.001, F.A.C. |
| Florida Laws and RulesMust be a course offered by a board approved provider. Counts toward the 26 hour total. A licensee first licensed in the second half of the biennium does not have to complete it at the first renewal. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Rule 64B11-5.001, F.A.C. |
| HIV/AIDSRequired at the first renewal only. Any course approved by any profession regulated by the Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance is acceptable. | 1 contact hour | First renewal only | First renewal only | Not stated |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | Yes |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Continuing education is reported to CE Broker, the Department of Health's electronic tracking system, and the Division of Medical Quality Assurance reviews the licensee's CE records in that system at the time of renewal; a licensee whose records are incomplete is prompted to enter the remaining hours before the renewal can proceed. The prevention of medical errors and Florida laws and rules courses must come from a board approved provider. Courses from the Florida Occupational Therapy Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, and occupational therapy courses from an ACOTE accredited education program that meet the rule criteria are approved by the board under 64B11-6.001(4)(a). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Florida OTA need to renew?
- Florida occupational therapy assistants must complete 26 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice. The board's table breaks the 26 hours into 22 general hours plus 2 hours in prevention of medical errors and 2 hours in Florida laws and rules. At least 14 of the 26 must be live or interactive real time, and no more than 12 may be home study. Video presentation credit is limited to 5 credits per subject. Hours count only after licensure and only within the current biennium. First renewal is prorated by half of the biennium: a licensee first licensed in the second half of the biennium (on or after March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027) is exempt from the 26 general hours but must still complete 1 hour of HIV/AIDS and 2 hours of prevention of medical errors, while a licensee first licensed in the first half (March 1, 2025 through February 26, 2026) completes all 26 hours plus the one time HIV/AIDS hour.
- How often does a Florida OTA license need to be renewed?
- Occupational Therapy Assistant licenses in Florida renew every two years. Licenses renew every two years on a fixed statewide date: the current cycle's licenses expire at midnight Eastern Time on February 28, 2027, and become null and void on March 1, 2027 if not renewed. The department mails a renewal notice at least 90 days before expiration, and renewal is completed online through flhealthsource.gov.
- What specific CE topics are required for Florida occupational therapy assistants?
- Prevention of Medical Errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Florida Laws and Rules: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV/AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only (first renewal only). Citations: prevention of Medical Errors (Rule 64B11-5.001, F.A.C.) and Florida Laws and Rules (Rule 64B11-5.001, F.A.C.).
- Do Florida occupational therapy assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Proof of completion must be submitted with the renewal. Continuing education is reported to CE Broker, the Department of Health's electronic tracking system, and the Division of Medical Quality Assurance reviews the licensee's CE records in that system at the time of renewal; a licensee whose records are incomplete is prompted to enter the remaining hours before the renewal can proceed. The prevention of medical errors and Florida laws and rules courses must come from a board approved provider. Courses from the Florida Occupational Therapy Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, and occupational therapy courses from an ACOTE accredited education program that meet the rule criteria are approved by the board under 64B11-6.001(4)(a).
Sources
Last verified September 9, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Occupational Therapy Assistant, licensing and renewal, Florida Board of Occupational TherapyState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Continuing Education CE/CEU, Florida Board of Occupational TherapyState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Licensing and Renewals, Florida Board of Occupational TherapyState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Florida Administrative Code Chapter 64B11-5, Licensure Status and FeesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
Read on the board's separate occupational therapy assistant renewal page rather than carried over from the occupational therapist record. That page carries the same continuing education table, 22 general hours plus 2 hours prevention of medical errors plus 2 hours Florida laws and rules for 26 total, the same 14 hour live minimum and 12 hour home study cap, the same February 28, 2027 expiration, and the same first renewal proration, and its text names occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants together. Florida therefore applies one requirement to both credentials, with no reduced assistant total and no separate renewal date. The board maintains separate lists of approved courses for occupational therapists and for occupational therapy assistants in CE Broker, but the hour requirements are identical. Supervision requirements for assistants are practice rules, not continuing education, and are not recorded here. The full text of Rule 64B11-5.001 is published on flrules.org only as a downloadable word processing file, which was not opened. Record retention years and whether the board audits were not stated on the pages read. NBCOT certification is not required for renewal; the NBCOT examination is an initial licensure requirement only.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy Practice before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.