Washington Occupational Therapist license renewal and CE requirements
Washington occupational therapists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Occupational Therapy Practice Board (Department of Health).
An occupational therapist license must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday, under WAC 246-847-990(1) and the general credentialing rules in WAC 246-12-020 through 246-12-051. Continuing competency must be complete before the expiration date; the board grants extensions only for extenuating circumstances, averages about six months when it does, and requires the past due hours on top of the next period's 24.
Summary
Washington occupational therapists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Occupational Therapy Practice Board (Department of Health). An occupational therapist license must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday, under WAC 246-847-990(1) and the general credentialing rules in WAC 246-12-020 through 246-12-051. Continuing competency must be complete before the expiration date; the board grants extensions only for extenuating circumstances, averages about six months when it does, and requires the past due hours on top of the next period's 24. Washington also mandates specific subjects. Suicide assessment training, including risk assessment, screening and referral: 3 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Health equity continuing education training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
Washington Occupational Therapist 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 24 contact hours |
| Category 1 minimum | 20 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
| Other accepted activities | Employer sponsored in-service training or professional study groups (maximum 15 hours per period); Accredited college or university course work taken after the occupational therapy degree and beyond entry level (one course credit equals five hours, maximum 15 hours per period); Interactive online courses and webinars; Presentations to professionals, including poster presentations, with one hour of preparation counted per hour presented (maximum 10 hours per period, each presentation reportable once); Guest lecturing on an occupational therapy topic in an academic setting, for licensees not primarily employed in academia, with one hour of preparation per hour of lecture (maximum 10 hours); Authoring a publication (peer reviewed journal article or textbook chapter maximum 10 hours, non-peer-reviewed professional publication maximum 5 hours); Developing instructional materials in alternative media such as video, audio or software (maximum 10 hours); Professional manuscript review, one hour per hour of review (maximum 10 hours); Service on a professional board, committee, disciplinary panel or association (maximum 10 hours); Self-study of peer reviewed role-related articles, textbooks or professionally developed multimedia, with a one-page typed synopsis of each item (maximum 10 hours); Direct supervision of an occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant student (40 hours of supervision per student equals 1 hour, maximum 12 hours per supervisor); Mentoring (maximum 5 hours, and mentoring credits do not count toward the 20 hours that must relate directly to occupational therapy practice); Attending a Washington occupational therapy practice board meeting (maximum 2 credits); Passing the department's occupational therapy jurisprudence examination with a score of 100 percent (maximum 0.5 hours) |
WAC 246-847-065 requires licensed occupational therapists and licensed occupational therapy assistants to complete 24 hours of continued competency every two years in the form of continuing education and professional development, drawn from two or more of the listed activity types. At least 20 of the 24 must relate directly to the practice of occupational therapy as defined in RCW 18.59.020 and WAC 246-847-010; the remaining hours may be professional development that enhances the licensee's practice. Suicide assessment training and health equity training both count toward the 24. Excess hours cannot be carried into the next reporting cycle (WAC 246-12-230), the same course counts only once in a cycle (WAC 246-12-240), and a credit hour cannot be less than 50 minutes of actual course time (WAC 246-12-220). There is no single cap on online or self-directed learning: interactive online courses and webinars are uncapped, while self-study of articles and textbooks is capped at 10 hours and employer sponsored in-service at 15.
Required CE topics for Washington occupational therapists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suicide assessment training, including risk assessment, screening and referralAt least three hours every six years, from a single provider on the department's suicide prevention training model list, required since January 1, 2014. The first training is due in the first full continued competency reporting period after January 1, 2014 or after initial licensure, whichever is later; a licensee first licensed on or after January 1, 2014 who already completed a qualifying three hour training within the prior six years may delay for six years after initial licensure. The hours count toward the 24, and documentation must be kept for six years. | 3 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | WAC 246-847-065(1) and WAC 246-847-066 |
| Health equity continuing education trainingAt least two hours every four years, required as of January 1, 2024. The course must meet the minimum standards in RCW 43.70.613 and WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830. These hours count toward the 24. | 2 contact hours | Periodic | All licensees | WAC 246-847-065(2); RCW 43.70.613; WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board does not pre-approve continuing competency courses for presenters or licensees. WAC 246-847-065(3) instead specifies the documentation required for each activity type, for example a certificate or documentation of attendance for course work, a transcript for university course work, and a letter of verification from the school for student supervision. Every record must show the licensee's name, the date of the activity and the number of hours. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Washington OT need to renew?
- Washington occupational therapists must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Occupational Therapy Practice Board (Department of Health). WAC 246-847-065 requires licensed occupational therapists and licensed occupational therapy assistants to complete 24 hours of continued competency every two years in the form of continuing education and professional development, drawn from two or more of the listed activity types. At least 20 of the 24 must relate directly to the practice of occupational therapy as defined in RCW 18.59.020 and WAC 246-847-010; the remaining hours may be professional development that enhances the licensee's practice. Suicide assessment training and health equity training both count toward the 24. Excess hours cannot be carried into the next reporting cycle (WAC 246-12-230), the same course counts only once in a cycle (WAC 246-12-240), and a credit hour cannot be less than 50 minutes of actual course time (WAC 246-12-220). There is no single cap on online or self-directed learning: interactive online courses and webinars are uncapped, while self-study of articles and textbooks is capped at 10 hours and employer sponsored in-service at 15.
- How often does a Washington OT license need to be renewed?
- Occupational Therapist licenses in Washington renew every two years. An occupational therapist license must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday, under WAC 246-847-990(1) and the general credentialing rules in WAC 246-12-020 through 246-12-051. Continuing competency must be complete before the expiration date; the board grants extensions only for extenuating circumstances, averages about six months when it does, and requires the past due hours on top of the next period's 24.
- What specific CE topics are required for Washington occupational therapists?
- Suicide assessment training, including risk assessment, screening and referral: 3 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Health equity continuing education training: 2 contact hours on a periodic schedule set by the board. Citations: suicide assessment training, including risk assessment, screening and referral (WAC 246-847-065(1) and WAC 246-847-066) and health equity continuing education training (WAC 246-847-065(2); RCW 43.70.613; WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830).
- Do Washington occupational therapists 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. The board does not pre-approve continuing competency courses for presenters or licensees. WAC 246-847-065(3) instead specifies the documentation required for each activity type, for example a certificate or documentation of attendance for course work, a transcript for university course work, and a letter of verification from the school for student supervision. Every record must show the licensee's name, the date of the activity and the number of hours.
Sources
Last verified September 9, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- WAC 246-847-065, Continued competency (occupational therapy)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
- WAC 246-847-066, Suicide assessment training standardsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
- WAC 246-847-990, Occupational therapy fees and renewal cycleStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
- Chapter 246-12 WAC, Administrative procedures and requirements for credentialed health care providers (sections 180, 190, 200, 220, 230, 240)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 9, 2026
- Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant, Continuing Education, Washington State Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
- Occupational Therapist and Occupational Therapy Assistant, Washington State Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 9, 2026
Washington has its own Occupational Therapy Practice Board inside the Department of Health, separate from the Board of Physical Therapy, and the two schedules differ in a way that is easy to get wrong: physical therapists renew annually on their birthday but count 32 continuing education hours over a two year period, while occupational therapists renew every two years on their birthday and count 24 hours over that same two years. None of the physical therapy figures were reused. Hours, the 20 hour practice related minimum, the activity table and caps, the suicide assessment and health equity mandates and the two year birthday cycle were read in WAC 246-847-065, 246-847-066 and 246-847-990 on app.leg.wa.gov, which serves the code as readable HTML. The declaration of compliance at renewal, the random audit of up to 25 percent of practitioners after renewal, the four year record retention, the no-carryover rule and the 50 minute credit hour come from chapter 246-12 WAC. NBCOT is not named in WAC 246-847-065; current certification is neither a renewal condition nor a substitute for hours, though WAC 246-847-127 addresses applicants who already hold national certification. The department's occupational therapy jurisprudence examination is an optional activity worth up to 0.5 hours, not a mandate, so it is listed under alternatives rather than mandatory topics. Wound care management and sharp debridement endorsements are available to occupational therapists under SSB 5018 with their own statutory education and training, carry no extra fee, and the department states no separate continuing education total for them, so nothing was folded into the base 24.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Washington State Occupational Therapy Practice Board (Department of Health) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.