Connecticut Occupational Therapist License Renewal Guide (2026)

Connecticut occupational therapist licenses renew every two years through DPH’s eLicense system. See the summary table above for the current fee and CE requirement. Connecticut’s renewal structure has one feature worth understanding clearly: what actually happens if you miss your renewal date is more specific — and less forgiving — than a typical “grace period” implies.

What Makes Connecticut Different

• A specific, named mandatory CE topic — not just “relevant to practice.” Beginning with your first renewal and at least once every six years after that, Connecticut requires 2 hours of training specifically on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression, and grief, plus suicide-prevention training. This training must come from one of three named source types: the Connecticut Occupational Therapy Association, a licensed hospital or health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education — a narrower approved-provider list than applies to your other CE hours.
• Missing your renewal date doesn’t immediately void your license — but the 90-day window isn’t a “you may keep practicing” grace period either. Connecticut’s statute says a license becomes void 90 days after the renewal date if you haven’t renewed. What it does not say is that you’re authorized to continue practicing on an unrenewed license during those 90 days. Treat the renewal date itself as the real deadline, not the 90-day mark.
• CE documentation is audit-based, not submitted upfront. You attest to CE compliance at renewal, but you only need to produce your actual documentation if DPH selects you for audit — though you still must retain records for three years in case that happens.
• Connecticut is not an OT Compact member. Renewal here has no compact-privilege dimension to manage, unlike states that are members.

Renewal Requirements

To renew, licensees complete the renewal application through eLicense, pay the $205 renewal fee, and attest to having completed 24 contact hours of qualifying continued competency activity during the preceding two-year period (18 hours for OTAs). Continued competency completed in one registration period cannot be carried over to the next. If this is your first renewal, the general 24-hour CE requirement doesn’t apply to you — but the mandatory PTSD/suicide-prevention training still does.

Continuing Education Detail

A contact hour is defined as a minimum of 50 minutes. Qualifying activities include academic courses, institutes, seminars, structured in-service training, and scientific meetings directly related to OT practice, each earning 1 contact hour per hour of attendance. Several categories carry specific caps: teaching as an ACOTE-accredited faculty member (where teaching isn’t your primary role) is capped at 6 hours per period; a first-time scientific or educational exhibit presentation is capped at 12 hours per period; a peer-reviewed publication or textbook chapter earns 10 hours each; and passing the NBCOT exam five or more years after graduation earns a one-time 12-hour award. DPH does not review or pre-approve individual courses or providers for the general CE requirement — the burden is on the licensee to confirm relevance to OT practice.

How to Renew Your Connecticut OT License

1. Log in to your eLicense account before your renewal date.
2. Complete the online renewal application.
3. Attest to having completed your required continuing competency hours for the current two-year period, including the mandatory PTSD/suicide-prevention training if this cycle requires it.
4. Pay the $205 renewal fee through eLicense.
5. Retain your CE certificates of completion and related documentation for at least three years, in case you’re selected for audit.

If You Miss Your Renewal Date

Connecticut’s statute provides that a license becomes void 90 days after the renewal date if it hasn’t been renewed. DPH notifies licensees who haven’t complied that this voidance is coming. Beyond noting that this 90-day window exists, official sources did not confirm whether practicing is permitted during that window — treat your actual renewal date as the operative deadline. If a license does lapse into void status, Connecticut maintains a dedicated “Reinstatement of a Lapsed License” process; no hard cutoff after which reinstatement becomes permanently unavailable was identified on the sources reviewed for this page.

Practical Notes

• Don’t treat the 90-day void window as breathing room — renew by your actual renewal date rather than relying on that window as a buffer, since official sources don’t confirm you’re covered to practice during it.
• Track your six-year cycle for the mandatory PTSD/suicide-prevention training separately from your general CE hours — it has its own narrower list of approved provider types, so a course that counts for your general 24 hours may not satisfy this specific requirement.
• Keep your CE certificates of completion organized as you earn them rather than reconstructing them later — you won’t need to submit them unless audited, but the three-year retention requirement applies regardless.
• If this is your first renewal, don’t spend time on general CE — it’s not required — but don’t skip the mandatory PTSD/suicide-prevention training if it falls due in this cycle.
• If you’re relying on an OT Compact privilege from another state, confirm early that it doesn’t apply here — Connecticut isn’t a member, so a standard Connecticut license (and its own renewal cycle) is what actually governs your ability to practice.

Relevant Statutes and Regulations

• Connecticut General Statutes §20-74f — Licensing fee; use of title or designation
• Connecticut General Statutes §20-74h — License renewal; training or education requirement
• Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §20-74i-1 — Definitions
• Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §20-74i-2 — Number of continued competency contact hours required
• Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §20-74i-3 — Award of continued competency contact hours
• Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §20-74i-4 — Criteria for qualifying continued competency activities

Related Pages

• Connecticut Occupational Therapist Initial Licensing Requirements
• New Jersey Occupational Therapist License Renewal
• Occupational Therapist Licensing by State — Complete Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do I need to renew my Connecticut OT license?

Connecticut OT licenses renew every two years (biennially). Source: Connecticut General Statutes §20-74h

How many continuing education hours do I need to renew my Connecticut OT license?

Connecticut requires 24 contact hours of qualifying continued competency activity per two-year period for occupational therapists (18 hours for occupational therapy assistants). Your first renewal is exempt from this general requirement. Source: Connecticut DPH OT Continuing Education page

Does Connecticut require a specific continuing education topic?

Yes. Connecticut requires 2 hours of training on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression, and grief, plus suicide-prevention training, offered or approved by the Connecticut Occupational Therapy Association, a hospital or licensed health care institution, or a regionally accredited institution of higher education. This is required during your first renewal and at least once every six years after that. Source: Connecticut General Statutes §20-74h

What happens if I miss my renewal date in Connecticut?

By statute, your license becomes void 90 days after your renewal date if it isn’t renewed. Whether you’re authorized to continue practicing during that 90-day window isn’t confirmed on official sources — treat your actual renewal date as the real deadline. Source: Connecticut General Statutes §20-74h

What is the renewal fee for a Connecticut OT license?

The renewal fee is $205, set by statute as two times the professional services fee (Class B) plus $5. Source: Connecticut General Statutes §20-74h

Is Connecticut part of the OT Compact?

No. Connecticut has not enacted OT Compact legislation as of this page’s last verification date, so there is no compact-privilege dimension to Connecticut renewal. Source: CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts