Licensing guide · Ontario

How to Become an Occupational Therapist in Ontario

Last checked October 10, 20266 sources checkedNOC 31203

Do you need a licence?

Licence required

You must be registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario to work as an occupational therapist in Ontario or to use a protected title.

Protected titles: occupational therapist, OT

Show the source

“It’s illegal in Ontario for someone to use the title “occupational therapist”, the initials “OT” or any variation if they are not registered with the College.”

From coto.org/employers/hiring-an-occupational-therapist, checked October 10, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status: Licence required See the source
Routes: Trained in Canada: 0 steps

Licensed in another province: 10 steps, listed one-time fees $271.20

Trained outside Canada: 2 steps
Annual fees: Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

Steps not listed by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

Listed one-time fees: $271.20
8 steps without a listed fee

Listed fees for this route

One-time total listed: $271.20

One-time fees listed for Licensed in another province, by type
Fee type	Amount	Share
Other	$271.20	100%
One-time total	$271.20	100%

8 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

2 steps without a listed fee

Complete SEAS process
Complete the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System process, which determines whether your education and competencies are substantially equivalent to an Ontario-educated occupational therapist.

Source
“SEAS will determine whether your educational qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to an Ontario-educated occupational therapist. The Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) administers SEAS as a service provider to the College.”
coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated
Pass the exam
Pass the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination, which you can write once the College confirms you meet the education requirement.

Source
“The approved exam is the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE or ‘the exam’) which is administered by the Canadian Association of Occupation Therapists (CAOT).”
coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

2 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

You must have a Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in Occupational Therapy obtained in Canada, or an occupational therapy degree considered equivalent by the College's Registration Committee.
Source
“A Bachelor of Science degree or Master of Science in Occupational Therapy obtained in Canada, or An occupational therapy degree considered equivalent by the College’s Registration Committee.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot
If you were educated outside of Canada, your education is reviewed by ACOTRO to ensure it is substantially equivalent to the content of an Ontario occupational therapy program.
Source
“If you were educated outside of Canada, your education is reviewed by the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) to ensure that it is substantially equivalent to the content of an Ontario occupational therapy program.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot

Experience

You must have successfully completed 1000 hours of fieldwork or clinical practicum as part of your education program.
Source
“Successful completion of 1000 hours of fieldwork or clinical practicum as part of the education program.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot
You must meet the currency requirement by graduating from an approved occupational therapy program within the past 18 months, or completing 600 hours of occupational therapy practice within the past 3 years, or successfully completing a College-approved Refresher Program within the last 18 months.
Source
“Graduation from an approved occupational therapy program within the past 18 months, or 600 hours of occupational therapy practice within the past 3 years, or Successful completion of a College approved Refresher Program within the last 18 months.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot

Police check

You must submit a current Vulnerable Sector (VS) Check as part of the suitability to practise requirement.
Source
“This requirement includes submission of a current Vulnerable Sector (VS) Check.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot

Insurance

Professional liability insurance with a sexual abuse therapy and counseling fund endorsement is mandatory for registration with the College.
Source
“Professional liability insurance with a sexual abuse therapy and counseling fund endorsement is mandatory for registration with the College.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot

Good character

The College must be satisfied that you will practice occupational therapy safely and ethically.
Source
“The College must be satisfied that you will practice occupational therapy safely and ethically.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot

Residency

You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or be authorized under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2001 to engage in work as an occupational therapist.
Source
“Must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or Be authorized under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2001 to engage in work as an occupational therapist.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot
Under As of Right, you must be physically present in Ontario to provide services to Ontario residents.
Source
“Be physically present in Ontario to provide services to Ontario residents.”
coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/as-of-right

Other

You must be able to speak and write either English or French with reasonable fluency, and provide evidence of fluency if English or French is not your first language or your education was not in English or French.
Source
“Must be able to speak and write either English or French with reasonable fluency. If English or French is not your first language, or your education was not in English or French, you will need to provide evidence of fluency.”
coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot
Under As of Right, you must not have been refused registration in another Canadian jurisdiction within the past two years.
Source
“Not been refused registration in another Canadian jurisdiction within the past two years.”
coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/as-of-right
Under As of Right, you must have the equivalent of an Ontario General Practicing certificate of registration in a Canadian jurisdiction.
Source
“You must have the equivalent of an Ontario General Practicing certificate of registration.”
coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/as-of-right

Already licensed in another province?

Direct transfer

Occupational therapists registered in another Canadian province can register in Ontario and, under As of Right, can begin working based on their existing registration in a Canadian jurisdiction without completing SEAS or retaking the entry-to-practice exam.

Source

“applicants who are currently registered in Canada and applying through the labour mobility provisions do not complete SEAS and should review Applicants Registered in Another Province.”

coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS)
Determines whether the educational qualifications and competencies of internationally educated applicants are substantially equivalent to an Ontario-educated occupational therapist.
Source
“SEAS will determine whether your educational qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to an Ontario-educated occupational therapist.”
coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated

Exams

National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE)

Source
“The approved exam is the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE or ‘the exam’) which is administered by the Canadian Association of Occupation Therapists (CAOT).”
coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated

Language tests

No minimum test score stated by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Exemptions: You meet the language fluency requirement if your first language is English or French, or the language of your occupational therapy program instruction is English or French, or you have achieved an acceptable score on a College accepted test.

Source

“your first language is English or French; or the language of your occupational therapy program instruction is English or French; or you have achieved an acceptable score on a College accepted test”

coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/labour-mobility-...

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 31203, Occupational therapists. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Ontario and Canada
Where	Low	Median	High	Outlook
Ontario	$33.33	$45.00	$55.90	Good (4 of 5)
Canada	$36.17	$46.00	$55.00	—

Wages by region and job outlook in Ontario

Wages in every province and territory

Occupational therapists in other provinces and territories

Regulated in all 12 other jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

British Columbia Licence required
Alberta Licence required
Saskatchewan Licence required
Manitoba Licence required
Quebec Licence required
New Brunswick Licence required
Nova Scotia Licence required
Prince Edward Island Licence required
Newfoundland and Labrador Licence required
Yukon Licence required
Northwest Territories Licence required
Nunavut Licence required

Compare occupational therapist licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 10, 2026.

Hiring an OT | College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/employers/hiring-an-occupational-therapist · fetched October 10, 2026
Becoming an OT | College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/applicants/becoming-a-registered-ot · fetched October 10, 2026
Registered in Another Province – The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province · fetched October 10, 2026
As of Right – The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/as-of-right · fetched October 10, 2026
Labour Mobility Support Agreement – The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/applicants/registered-in-another-province/labour-mobility-... · fetched October 10, 2026
Internationally Educated Applicants – The College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario coto.org/applicants/internationally-educated · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a licence to work as an occupational therapist in Ontario?

Yes. Registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario is required to practise in Ontario, and to use the title occupational therapist or OT.

Which exams are required?

National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE).

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