Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Assistant license renewal and CE requirements
Pennsylvania occupational therapy assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure.
An occupational therapy assistant license expires June 30 of every odd numbered year unless it is renewed for the next biennium, the same date as the occupational therapist license, so the biennium runs July 1 of an odd year to June 30 of the next odd year. To renew, the occupational therapy assistant completes the biennial renewal application, pays the fee, certifies completion of the continued competency requirement, and submits documentation of at least 2 hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting. Unlike an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy assistant is not required to certify professional liability insurance coverage at renewal. Practicing past the renewal date without renewing adds a fee of $5 for each month or partial month of unrenewed practice.
Summary
Pennsylvania occupational therapy assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure. An occupational therapy assistant license expires June 30 of every odd numbered year unless it is renewed for the next biennium, the same date as the occupational therapist license, so the biennium runs July 1 of an odd year to June 30 of the next odd year. To renew, the occupational therapy assistant completes the biennial renewal application, pays the fee, certifies completion of the continued competency requirement, and submits documentation of at least 2 hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting. Unlike an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy assistant is not required to certify professional liability insurance coverage at renewal. Practicing past the renewal date without renewing adds a fee of $5 for each month or partial month of unrenewed practice. Pennsylvania also mandates specific subjects. Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. The first renewal is exempt.
Pennsylvania 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, 06/30 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Mentorship, 1 contact hour for every 5 hours, up to 12 contact hours per biennium for both mentor and protege; Level I fieldwork supervision, 1 contact hour per student, up to 12 contact hours per biennium; Level II fieldwork supervision, 3 contact hours per student, up to 12 contact hours per biennium; Professional writing, up to 15 contact hours per biennium (book 15, book chapter 10, peer reviewed article 10, non peer reviewed article 5); Editing, up to 15 contact hours per biennium (editing a book up to 10, journal article review up to 6 at 1 per article); Presentation and instruction, 2 contact hours for each 60 minute presentation, up to 12 contact hours per biennium; Unpaid service, 1 contact hour for every 5 hours, up to 12 contact hours per biennium |
49 Pa. Code 42.53(a) states the occupational therapy assistant requirement in its own sentence: beginning with the July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021 biennium, an occupational therapy assistant must complete a minimum of 24 contact hours in each biennial period in the acceptable continued competency activities listed in 49 Pa. Code 42.55. That is the same total the same subsection sets for occupational therapists, but it took effect six years later, with the 2019 to 2021 biennium rather than the 2013 to 2015 biennium. At least 2 of the 24 hours must be in child abuse recognition and reporting. For continuing education courses contact hours equal the number of instructional hours, and one academic credit equals 15 contact hours. Contact hours are awarded only for activities relevant to occupational therapy practice including direct care, management, education and research, and never for marketing, office management, financial gain or self promotion. Under 42.53(b) a licensee is exempt from the 24 hour requirement for the first biennial renewal period after initial licensure, with the limited exception of the 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting training, which is still required. Chapter 42 sets no cap on self study or online learning and states no carryover of excess hours. Supervision of an occupational therapy assistant under 49 Pa. Code 42.22 is a practice standard, not continuing education, and is not counted here.
Required CE topics for Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child abuse recognition and reportingAt least 2 of the required 24 hours each biennium must be in child abuse recognition and reporting, in a Board approved course. 49 Pa. Code 42.16(c)(2) requires the occupational therapy assistant to submit documentation verifying those 2 hours with the biennial renewal application. It is the one requirement a licensee must still meet at the first biennial renewal despite the first renewal exemption. Applicants for initial licensure complete at least 3 hours of the same training. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | 49 Pa. Code 42.53(a); 49 Pa. Code 42.48(b); 49 Pa. Code 42.16(c)(2) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | 49 Pa. Code 42.54 preapproves courses from a national, international or state level occupational therapy association, the American Occupational Therapy Association's Approved Provider Program, the American Society of Hand Therapists, the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, the Department of Education, an accredited college, university or post secondary vocational technical school, Federal or State government health care programs, providers approved by other licensing boards in the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, national and State professional health care organizations, national and State professional education organizations, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Case Management Society of America. The licensee is responsible for confirming a provider's approval before enrolling. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Pennsylvania OTA need to renew?
- Pennsylvania occupational therapy assistants must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure. 49 Pa. Code 42.53(a) states the occupational therapy assistant requirement in its own sentence: beginning with the July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021 biennium, an occupational therapy assistant must complete a minimum of 24 contact hours in each biennial period in the acceptable continued competency activities listed in 49 Pa. Code 42.55. That is the same total the same subsection sets for occupational therapists, but it took effect six years later, with the 2019 to 2021 biennium rather than the 2013 to 2015 biennium. At least 2 of the 24 hours must be in child abuse recognition and reporting. For continuing education courses contact hours equal the number of instructional hours, and one academic credit equals 15 contact hours. Contact hours are awarded only for activities relevant to occupational therapy practice including direct care, management, education and research, and never for marketing, office management, financial gain or self promotion. Under 42.53(b) a licensee is exempt from the 24 hour requirement for the first biennial renewal period after initial licensure, with the limited exception of the 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting training, which is still required. Chapter 42 sets no cap on self study or online learning and states no carryover of excess hours. Supervision of an occupational therapy assistant under 49 Pa. Code 42.22 is a practice standard, not continuing education, and is not counted here.
- How often does a Pennsylvania OTA license need to be renewed?
- Occupational Therapy Assistant licenses in Pennsylvania renew every two years. An occupational therapy assistant license expires June 30 of every odd numbered year unless it is renewed for the next biennium, the same date as the occupational therapist license, so the biennium runs July 1 of an odd year to June 30 of the next odd year. To renew, the occupational therapy assistant completes the biennial renewal application, pays the fee, certifies completion of the continued competency requirement, and submits documentation of at least 2 hours of approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting. Unlike an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy assistant is not required to certify professional liability insurance coverage at renewal. Practicing past the renewal date without renewing adds a fee of $5 for each month or partial month of unrenewed practice.
- What specific CE topics are required for Pennsylvania occupational therapy assistants?
- Child abuse recognition and reporting: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Citations: child abuse recognition and reporting (49 Pa. Code 42.53(a); 49 Pa. Code 42.48(b); 49 Pa. Code 42.16(c)(2)).
- Do Pennsylvania occupational therapy assistants have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 4 years. 49 Pa. Code 42.54 preapproves courses from a national, international or state level occupational therapy association, the American Occupational Therapy Association's Approved Provider Program, the American Society of Hand Therapists, the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, the Department of Education, an accredited college, university or post secondary vocational technical school, Federal or State government health care programs, providers approved by other licensing boards in the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, national and State professional health care organizations, national and State professional education organizations, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Case Management Society of America. The licensee is responsible for confirming a provider's approval before enrolling.
- Is the first Pennsylvania OTA renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Pennsylvania does not require continuing education for a OTA's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- 49 Pa. Code 42.53, Continued competency requirementsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 42.55, Acceptable continued competency activitiesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 42.54, Education program providersStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 42.57, Documentation and reporting of continued competency activitiesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 42.48, Child abuse recognition and reporting, mandatory training requirementStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code 42.16, Biennial renewal; inactive status; failure to renewStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 42, State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure, table of contentsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Occupational Therapy Renewal Information, Pennsylvania Department of StateState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure, Pennsylvania Department of StateState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
Pennsylvania occupational therapy has its own board, the State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure, separate from the State Board of Physical Therapy. The occupational therapy assistant total was read in its own sentence of 49 Pa. Code 42.53(a), which sets the assistant requirement separately from the therapist requirement and dates it to the July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021 biennium; the totals happen to match at 24 contact hours, but the assistant figure was not inferred from the therapist figure. The one substantive renewal difference is in 49 Pa. Code 42.16(c): an occupational therapist must also certify maintenance of professional liability insurance with the company name and policy number under 49 Pa. Code 42.61, and an occupational therapy assistant is not asked for that. Both credentials expire June 30 of odd numbered years, both certify continued competence, and both submit documentation of the 2 child abuse hours. None of the Pennsylvania physical therapy figures were reused. NBCOT certification is not a renewal condition and is not a substitute for hours; passing the NBCOT examination is a licensure requirement under 49 Pa. Code 42.11. Chapter 42 sets no mandated subject beyond child abuse recognition and reporting, and states no carryover, no self study or online cap and no live or interactive minimum, so those fields are null. The Department of State renewal page points to a renewal guide PDF that was not opened, so nothing in this record depends on it.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.