For Initial Licensure Renewal

Licensees initially licensed within the second half of the licensure biennium are exempt from the completing the total 26 hours of CE requirements for renewal with the exception of:

• Two (2) hour course relating to prevention of medical errors
• One (1) hour course in HIV/AIDS

If you were licensed on or after 03/01/12, you are exempt from completing the total 26 hours required for the biennium ending 02/28/13.  Even though you completed a 2 hour course in prevention of medical errors for initial licensure purposes, you must complete an additional 2 hours of prevention of medical errors for each renewal.  You must also complete a 1 hour HIV/AIDS course prior to your first renewal, but only after being issued a license. Licensees cannot acquire CE for renewal requirements until after licensure. The 1 hour of HIV/AIDS CE requirement is a one time requirement.

For Renewal of License Following Your First Biennium

Every licensee must complete 26 hours of approved continuing education (CE):

• Two (2) hours of a course provided by a Board of Occupational Therapy approved provider relating to the Prevention of Medical Errors.
• Two (2) hours of a course provided by a Board of Occupational Therapy approved provider relating to the laws and rules for occupational therapy, i.e., chapters 456 and 468 Part III, Florida Statutes, and chapter 64B11, Florida Administrative Code.
• Twelve (12) hours of home study per biennium are allowed. Home study education is independent study and requires a certificate of completion. Home study education does not include a web-based, satellite transmitted or online instruction program that allows or requires the licensee to interact or communicate back and forth with the instructor during the presentation of the program.

See Rule 64B11-2.007, FAC, Rule 64B11-3.005, F.A.C., Rule 64B11-5.001, F.A.C. and Rule 64B11-6.001, F.A.C. for more information about continuing education requirements and guidelines for Occupational Therapists

The licensee shall retain the certificates of attendance or other records for 4 years for documentation purposes, in case of audit.

List of Approved continuing education providers

• You may view and/or print a list of approved providers from the Approved Continuing Education Providers button above
• Programs offered by the Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA)
• Programs offered by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Please Note:

1. A contact hour shall consist of fifty clock minutes.
2. A licensee who is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is exempt from all licensure renewal provisions for any period of time in which the licensee is absent from the State of Florida due to the spouse's duties with the Armed Forces. The licensee must document the absence and the spouse's military status to the Board. Additionally, if a licensee returns to the state and the licensure status change occurs within the second half of a biennium (on or after 3/1/2010, 3/1/2012, 3/1/2014, etc.), the licensee is exempt from the continuing education requirement for that biennium. See Rule 64B11-5.0065
3. For the HIV/AIDS 1 hour (for first renewal only) requirement, the board approves any course approved by any of the professions regulated within the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, the Department of Health. Visit our continuing education pages for more information.
4. Providers Offering Online Interactive Courses (Not counted as home study)- These are Board approved providers that offer online courses that are not required to be considered as home study hours, because the courses are considered as interactive online courses. According to the Board CE Rules, Florida Administrative Code 64B11-5.001(3), Home study education does not include a web-based, satellite transmitted or online instruction program that allows or requires the licensee to interact or communicate back and forth with the instructor during the presentation of the program.  These providers offer interactive courses which allow all CE requirements to be completed online if desired. However, some of these providers offer the mandatory Prevention of Medical Errors and Laws and Rules courses, and some do not.
5. Licensees may receive CE credit for courses that have not been pre-approved by the Board of Occupational Therapy Practice nor sponsored by an approved provider, including out of state courses taken for other state(s) CE requirements, if such courses meet the same criteria as needed for provider approval. In summary, the Board does not provide individual course approval, however, allows the professional licensee to determine if a course is appropriate for CE credit if such courses meet the CE Rule requirements.
6. The course must be relevant to the practice occupational therapy; given by appropriate educators, with experience and credentials relevant to the course or program’s subject matter; documentation obtained regarding the course educational goals, objectives and teaching methods; and receipts, vouchers, certificates, or other papers documenting proof of completion and proof of the number of the contact hours awarded. See 64B11-6.001(5), F.A.C.
7. For Applicants Seeking Reentry Into The Profession,
   Rule 64B11-2.012, F.A.C., requires an applicant seeking reentry into the profession who has not been in active practice within the last five years, to submit to the Board documentation of 50 occupational therapy continuing education units, 12 of which may be home study, taken within the year prior to licensure. Proof of continuing education must be submitted to “complete” an application before the issuance of a license. See Application instructions.