Can a Occupational Therapist transfer a license to Maryland as a military spouse?
Yes. Maryland is a member of the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact), so a Occupational Therapist holding a multistate/compact license can practice in MD without re-applying. Compact provides clear portability — military spouses with OT licenses should join the compact for maximum flexibility.
Your occupational therapy licensing board in Maryland
We checked Maryland's occupational therapist licensing rules and couldn't find a military-spouse provision written specifically for occupational therapists. That's usually not an oversight on our end: in most of these states the military-spouse licensing law runs through a separate division that doesn't cover this board, so it never reaches the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Maryland Department of Health). It does not leave you stuck — here's the path that still works.
- Start with the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Maryland Department of Health)'s compact/out-of-state route — Maryland is a compact member (above), so a valid out-of-state license should transfer without re-testing.
- Invoke VAEIA 2022 / 50 U.S.C. § 4025a in writing, attaching your sponsor's PCS orders. It legally forces Maryland to recognize your valid out-of-state occupational therapist license on a military move — no separate state rule required.
- If they can't finalize a permanent license within 30 days, ask for a temporary license — the statute requires the board to issue one so you can keep working.
- Keep your receipts: DoD reimburses up to $1,000 per PCS for relicensing, and MyCAA covers up to $4,000 toward portable credentials.
Call the Maryland Board of Occupational Therapy Practice (Maryland Department of Health) to confirm the current military-spouse timeline before you move — and if you find an official MD provision we missed, tell us and we'll source it.
About the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact)
For Occupational Therapists and OT Assistants. Privilege-based practice in member states.
Official compact site ↗All Occupational Therapy member states
30 jurisdictions. Tap any to check that destination for this profession.