West Virginia Occupational Therapist License Renewal Guide (2026)

ByAllied License Guide Editorial Team
Editorial Note: This page is editorially reviewed by an ARDMS-credentialed sonographer as part of AlliedLicenseGuide.com’s allied health licensing database. Data on this page is based on West Virginia Board of Occupational Therapy (WVBOT) sources and West Virginia Code Chapter 30, Article 28, reviewed August 2026. View the primary source at WVBOT.
Who this guide is for:
  • West Virginia-licensed occupational therapists approaching their December 31 renewal (June 30 for OTAs)
  • Travel occupational therapists holding a West Virginia license who need to renew while on assignment elsewhere
  • OTs whose West Virginia license has lapsed and who need to understand the one-year renewal window

West Virginia OT License Renewal — At a Glance

Renewal Cycle Biennial, on a fixed calendar date that’s the same for every licensee of a given credential type
Renewal Fee $120 for OT, $100 for OTA
Late Renewal Fee $100 flat, assessed if your renewal isn’t submitted by the expiration date
License Expiration Fixed date — December 31 for OT licenses, June 30 for OTA licenses — the same date for every licensee of that type, not tied to your birth month or issue date
Grace Period An expired license is no longer current. State law allows a lapsed license to be renewed within one year of its expiration date; after that year, you must apply as if for an original license.
Renewal Notice Email alerts begin approximately 3 months before your due date. The Board recommends submitting your renewal at least 30 days before expiration to allow time for review and mailing of new license cards.
CE Hours Required 24 contact hours per 2-year period for subsequent renewals (12 hours for a first renewal within the first 12 months of a 24-month cycle) — as most recently published by the Board. West Virginia’s CE rule (Title 13 Series 4) was rewritten via HB4298 and took effect July 1, 2026; confirm current requirements directly with WVBOT, since it wasn’t possible to confirm whether this figure reflects the rule before or after that change.
Mandatory CE Topics None required — but the Board explicitly excludes certain categories from counting: CPR, first aid training, documentation courses, ethics courses, and coding/billing/payment-system training do not count toward your CE hours
Approved CE Sources The Board does not require pre-approval of specific courses or providers, and does not publish or endorse a list of specific commercial CE vendors
CE Category Limits Up to 6 excess CE hours may be carried over from one licensure period to the next, as most recently published — this and other CE details should be confirmed directly with WVBOT given the July 2026 CE rule rewrite noted above
Renewal Method Online through Certemy. Renewal applications submitted more than 6 months before your due date may be rejected — the Board asks you to wait until closer to your actual expiration.
Payment Methods Electronic payment through the State of West Virginia’s e-Gov payment processor
Long-Expired Licenses A lapsed license can be renewed within one year of its expiration date. After one year, state law requires the licensee to apply as if for an original license, meeting whatever requirements are current at that time.
Renewal Portal Certemy
Renewal Contact (304) 285-3150, or wvbot@wv.gov
OT Compact Renewal Implications Compact privileges do not renew automatically when your West Virginia license renews. They expire with your home-state license and must be separately re-purchased through the Occupational Therapy Compact Commission each time.
Unique West Virginia Rules OTAs must upload a new Supervisory Statement with every renewal application. The Board conducts random CE audits — those selected are notified by mail and required to upload their documentation.

West Virginia occupational therapist licenses renew every two years, on a fixed calendar date rather than a birth-month system — December 31 for OT licenses, June 30 for OTA licenses. See the summary table above for the current fee and CE requirement. West Virginia’s renewal process is entirely online through Certemy, with a distinctive detail worth knowing about upfront: submitting your renewal too early can actually get it rejected.

What Makes West Virginia Different

  • West Virginia’s continuing education rule was just rewritten, and it took effect very recently. The Board’s own meeting minutes confirm a bill (HB4298) rewriting Title 13 Series 4 — the Continuing Education and Competence rule — was signed into law and took effect July 1, 2026. The CE figures on this page reflect the most recently published Board information available, but given how recent this change is, confirm current CE requirements directly with WVBOT before relying on the specific hour counts below.
  • OT and OTA licenses run on separate fixed dates. Every OT license in the state expires December 31; every OTA license expires June 30. This is the same for all licensees of each type — there’s no birth-month variation to track.
  • You can renew too early. The Board explicitly asks licensees not to complete the remaining steps of their renewal application more than six months before their due date, warning that early submissions may be rejected. If you’re the type to get ahead of deadlines, this is one where getting too far ahead can backfire.
  • No grace period to practice, but a full year to still renew. These are two different things: you can’t legally practice on an expired West Virginia license at any point after expiration, but the license itself remains renewable (rather than requiring a fresh application) for a full year after it lapses.

Renewal Requirements

To renew, licensees complete the process through Certemy before their fixed expiration date (December 31 for OT, June 30 for OTA), confirming applicant information, uploading any required name-change documentation, and — for OTAs — uploading a new Supervisory Statement. CE hours can be entered into Certemy throughout the licensure period rather than all at once at renewal time.

Continuing Education Detail

A note on timing: West Virginia’s CE rule (Title 13 Series 4) was rewritten and took effect July 1, 2026, very recently relative to this page’s publication. The details below reflect the most recently published Board information available, but confirm current requirements directly with WVBOT rather than relying solely on the specific figures here.

As most recently published, West Virginia requires 24 contact hours of continuing education per two-year period for subsequent renewals, with a reduced 12-hour requirement for your first renewal if you were licensed within the first 12 months of a 24-month reporting cycle. The Board doesn’t pre-approve specific courses or providers — it’s the licensee’s responsibility to select content relevant to occupational therapy theory and practice. Certain categories have been excluded from counting toward the requirement regardless of provider: CPR, first aid training, documentation courses, ethics courses, and coding, billing, or payment-system training. Up to 6 excess hours have been allowed to carry over from one licensure period to the next. The Board conducts random CE audits — if selected, you’ll be notified by mail and required to upload your documentation to comply.

How to Renew Your West Virginia OT License

  1. Watch for email alerts, which begin roughly 3 months before your due date.
  2. Wait until within 6 months of your actual expiration date before completing the remaining steps of your renewal application — earlier submissions may be rejected.
  3. Confirm your applicant information is current, including any name change documentation if applicable.
  4. If you’re an OTA, upload a new Supervisory Statement.
  5. Confirm your CE hours are logged in Certemy for the current period.
  6. Submit your renewal at least 30 days before your expiration date, as the Board recommends, to allow time for review and mailing your new license cards.
  7. Pay the applicable renewal fee electronically.

If You Miss Your Renewal Date

An expired West Virginia license is no longer current, and a $100 late fee applies if your renewal isn’t submitted by the expiration date. State law does allow a lapsed license to be renewed within one year of its expiration date, without needing to meet original-licensure requirements again. After that one-year window closes, you must apply as if for a brand-new license, meeting whatever requirements are current at that time.

Practical Notes

From the field: These notes reflect practical considerations beyond the official requirements — things that affect your renewal timeline as a working West Virginia OT.
  • Don’t rush to complete your renewal application the moment it becomes available in Certemy — wait until you’re within six months of your actual due date, since earlier submissions risk rejection and having to start over.
  • Log your CE hours in Certemy as you complete them throughout the two-year cycle rather than saving that task for the end — the portal is built for ongoing entry, and it’s easier to track than reconstructing two years of records right before your deadline.
  • Keep your excess CE hours in mind if you regularly exceed 24 hours per cycle — up to 6 can carry forward, so a strong CE year doesn’t have to be “wasted” if you plan around the carryover allowance.
  • If you’re an OTA, don’t forget the Supervisory Statement — it’s a required upload at every renewal, separate from your CE documentation.
  • If you hold or plan to use OT Compact privileges, remember they don’t renew automatically alongside your West Virginia license — budget the separate repurchase step and its fees into your renewal planning.

Relevant Statutes and Regulations

  • West Virginia Code §30-28-14 — Renewal of license; renewal of lapsed license; reinstatement
  • Title 13 CSR Series 4 — Continuing Education and Competence, rewritten via HB4298, effective July 1, 2026
  • West Virginia Code §30-1-6(d) — Social Security number reporting requirement

Related Pages

Frequently Asked Questions

When does my West Virginia OT license expire?

OT licenses expire December 31; OTA licenses expire June 30 — the same fixed date for every licensee of that type, every two years, regardless of when the license was originally issued. Source: WVBOT, Initial Application — Full License

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

As most recently published, 24 contact hours per two-year period for subsequent renewals, or 12 hours for your first renewal if you were licensed within the first 12 months of a 24-month reporting cycle. West Virginia’s CE rule was rewritten effective July 1, 2026 — confirm current requirements directly with WVBOT. Source: WVBOT, Continuing Education Requirements

Did West Virginia recently change its OT continuing education rules?

Yes. According to the Board’s own meeting minutes, a bill (HB4298) rewriting Title 13 Series 4, the Continuing Education and Competence rule, was signed into law and took effect July 1, 2026. Because this change is so recent, the specific CE figures on this page should be confirmed directly with WVBOT rather than relied on as a permanent baseline. Source: WVBOT Board Meeting Minutes, May 1, 2026

Is there a grace period for West Virginia OT license renewal?

An expired West Virginia license is no longer current. State law allows a lapsed license to be renewed within one year of its expiration date before original-licensure requirements would apply. Source: West Virginia Code §30-28-14

Can I renew my West Virginia OT license online?

Yes. Renewal is completed online through Certemy — but don’t start the final steps more than six months before your due date, since the Board may reject applications submitted too early. Source: WVBOT, License Renewal

What happens if my West Virginia OT license has been expired for a while?

You have one year from the expiration date to renew the lapsed license under normal procedures. After one year, state law requires you to apply as if for an original license, meeting whatever requirements are current at that time. Source: West Virginia Code §30-28-14

Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is based on West Virginia Board of Occupational Therapy sources and West Virginia Code reviewed in August 2026. West Virginia’s continuing education rule (Title 13 Series 4) was rewritten and took effect July 1, 2026 — a very recent change relative to this page’s last verification — so the specific CE figures on this page should be confirmed directly with WVBOT rather than treated as a stable baseline. Other renewal requirements and fees are also subject to change. Always verify current renewal requirements directly with WVBOT before submitting a renewal application. This page does not constitute legal or professional licensing advice. Verify at WVBOT →
Change Log: 2026-08-02 — Page created. Fixed December 31 (OT) / June 30 (OTA) expiration dates confirmed across multiple official WVBOT pages. $100 late fee confirmed. The 1-year lapsed-license renewal window and the after-one-year original-application requirement confirmed directly against West Virginia Code §30-28-14. Clarified that the Board does not preapprove specific CE providers and does not publish or endorse a list of specific commercial CE vendors. The 6-hour CE carryover allowance was added. Continuing education rule (Title 13 Series 4) confirmed to have been rewritten via HB4298, effective July 1, 2026 — a change that had already occurred as of this page’s verification date. Because it could not be confirmed whether the specific CE figures on this page (24/12 hours, 6-hour carryover, exclusions list) reflect the rule before or after that change, risk level and regulatory volatility were elevated to high, and CE-related content throughout the page was flagged for direct verification with WVBOT. OT Compact figures updated with dated operational data directly from the Board.

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