Frequently Asked Questions
AIDS Education and Training
Application Process
Limited Permits
Renewal Process
License Verification
Continuing Competency/Continuing Education:
How do I get AIDS/HIV training?
A minimum of seven hours of AIDS
education and training is required for
occupational therapy licensure in Washington
State.
Information on the availability of
HIV/AIDS courses or the AIDS curriculum can
be obtained though the following:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/hiv/prevention/training/default.htm
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How much is the application fee?
See Fee Page
If I have a student-issued transcript,
can I send that with my application?
No. All
required documentation must be sent directly
from the issuing institution to the
Department of Health, Occupational Therapy
Practice Board, P.O. Box 47877, Olympia, WA
98504-7877.
If I'm licensed in another
state, can I begin practicing once you have
my application?
No. You must have a valid
Washington occupational therapy practitioner
license before practicing as an occupational
therapist or occupational therapy assistant.
How do personal data questions affect my
application?
A "yes" answer to a personal
data question or the existence of a criminal
conviction does not automatically prohibit
the Department from issuing a credential. If
you answer "yes" on any of the personal data
questions or if criminal history appears on
a background check, the Board or the Board's
designee will evaluate your file on an
individual basis. The application now
becomes an exception file and normal
processing time does not apply.
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What is the process for obtaining a Limited Permit?
The applicant will need to download and
submit a completed application, application
fee and the required supporting documents.
If your transcripts are not yet
available, you may be issued a Limited
Permit upon submission of a letter from your
program director verifying successful
program completion and date of graduation.
The applicant needs to provide verification
of being scheduled to take the NBCOT
examination. The Limited Permit Attestation
portion of the application must be signed
and dated. The sponsor is required to sign
and date the Limited Permit Attestation
portion of the application.
Under my graduate limited permit, can I have more than one sponsoring occupational therapist?
Yes. The law requires you to be under the
supervision of a licensed occupational
therapist. Some limited permit holders work
at more than one facility. You may be
sponsored by as many supervising
occupational therapists as you need.
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Can I renew my Limited Permit?
Limited Permits are
not renewable. One 90 day extension of this
permit may be granted if the applicant has
failed the examination.
How much is my renewal fee?
See Fee Page.
If you renew after
your birth date / expiration date, there is
an additional late penalty fee.
It is
important to plan ahead. With more than
3,000 licensed Occupational Therapy
Practitioners in Washington, the Board is
not able to fax copies of licenses or
provide written verification for those who
renew late. Internet or online verification
is available at
https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/providercredentialsearch. This
verification system meets the requirements
of the Joint commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organization (JCAHO).
What if I didn't receive my renewal notice?
The
renewal notice is a courtesy reminder. You
must renew you license on or before the date
of expiration with or without a renewal
notice. Be sure to contact Customer Service
Center at 360.236.4700 or
hsqa.csc@doh.wa.gov
to make an address change or verify correct
address is on record.
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What if I am not practicing? (inactive status)
There is an
inactive status available for individuals
not currently practicing. A written request
along with renewal fee must be received. You
may not practice while you have this type of
license. You will be required to renew the
inactive license every two years. When you
choose to return to active practice, you
will be required to verify continuing
competency and pay the current active status
renewal fee.
What is the process for having
a verification of my Washington occupational
therapy practitioner license sent to another
jurisdiction?
Submit a written request with
certification fee in a
check or money order made payable to:
Department of Health
Occupational Therapy
Practice Board
P.O. Box 1099
Olympia, WA
98507-1099 How many continuing competency hours am
I required to report and when?
To
renew an occupational therapy practitioner
license, you must have 30 hours of
continuing competency every two years.
Occupational therapy practitioners must have
completed this requirement by their birth
date every two years. The continuing
competency must have been obtained during
the preceding two years, from birth date to
birth date. Continuing competency hours can
not be carried over to the next reporting
period.
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Does the Board pre-approve continuing competency courses?
No. The Board
does not pre-approve continuing competency
courses for presenters or licensees. The 30
contact hours may be obtained through two or
more of the following methods which have
specified goals and objectives relating to
the practice of occupational therapy as
defined in RCW 18.59.020 and WAC 246-847-010; inservices, coursework,
conferences, workshops, peer reviewed self
study, presentations, or publications.
Can I get an extension of time to complete my
continuing competency?
Extensions may be
granted for emergency situations only. It is
not advisable to wait until the CE is due to
request the extension. If you have exhausted
all possibilities for fulfilling your
continuing competency requirements and are
contemplating requesting an extension, keep
in mind that:
- Requests could take six weeks
or longer. If your license is set to expire
before your request can be considered, you
can't practice without an active license.
- The average extension of time granted by the
Board is six months.
- If your request is
denied, you will still have to complete the
30 hours of continuing competency prior to
your expiration date or before your license
can be renewed.
- If an extension is granted,
you must complete all past due requirements
in addition to the 30 hours of continuing
competency required for the next reporting
period.
- The Board grants extensions of time
to complete continuing competency
requirements only for extenuating
circumstances. Each request is determined on
a case by case basis.
What happens if I am audited?
The Board audits a percentage of
all currently licensed occupational therapy
practitioners to ensure compliance with the
continuing competency requirements.
If
audited, you will be required to provide:
- Certificates of completion.
- Course sponsors.
- Dates of attendance.
- Contact hours earned.
- Two-page synopsis for all cassette tape,
video tape and book reviews.
- Course
description/syllabus and exam scores for
correspondence courses.
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