WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

AB 2773

California Board of Occupational Therapy: licensing: fees.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Extends the California Board of Occupational Therapy to 2031, aligns licensure with ACOTE standards, adds email requirement, and modestly adjusts fees.

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
#californiaboardofoccupationaltherapy #fees #licensing
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 2773

Summary of AB 2773 (2025-2026) – California Board of Occupational Therapy: licensing: fees

Purpose and intent

AB 2773, introduced by the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions, aims to:
- extend the life of the California Board of Occupational Therapy (BOT) through January 1, 2031 (instead of the current expiration tied to 2027).
- update licensing requirements to align with ACOTE accreditation standards.
- adjust certain fees (notably capping the limited permit fee) and add new licensee communication requirements (electronic mail address).

The bill also expresses the Legislature’s intent to evaluate the BOT through the joint sunset review process and to consider recommendations from that review.

Key provisions and changes

Board duration and meeting requirements

  • Extends BOT’s existence to January 1, 2031.
  • Reframes meeting obligations: the board must meet at least three times per year, with at least one meeting in northern California and at least one in southern California.

Education, training, and accreditation

  • Recast licensure prerequisites to require:
    • Educational programs to be accredited by ACOTE (American Occupational Therapy Association Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education) or by a predecessor/accreditation pathway.
    • An applicant must successfully complete a supervised entry-level doctoral capstone experience approved by the board and arranged by an ACOTE-accredited institution.
  • These changes apply to both occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs). The bill clarifies that individuals completing these experiences are not hindered from practicing if they meet other licensure requirements.

Application and practice provisions

  • Maintains existing carve-outs allowing certain activities for students, fieldwork, and those pursuing supervised study, but with ACOTE accreditation as the controlling standard.
  • Reaffirms that supervised experiences (fieldwork and doctoral capstone) must align with ACOTE standards in effect when the individual completed their program.

Electronic mail address requirement

  • Requires every applicant or licensee to provide an electronic mail address to the BOT by July 1, 2027, and to keep it updated within 30 days of any change.
  • The board must remind licensees and applicants of this obligation with each renewal.

Fees and financial provisions

  • Caps the limited permit fee at $125.
  • Requires the BOT to establish fees for:
    • Pocket cards
    • Duplicate wall certificates
    • Letters of good standing, endorsements, or verification of licensure
    • Fees related to fingerprints for criminal history checks and National Practitioner Data Bank queries
    • All initial license/renewal fees continue to be subject to a cap of $150 annually (with separate line items for the additional fees listed).

Governance and sunset terms

  • Provides for ongoing legislative sunset review of the BOT and directs consideration of recommendations arising from that process.

Who is affected

  • Licensed or seeking licensure as occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants in California.
  • ACOTE-accredited education programs and institutions that prepare OT/OTA students.
  • Applicants and licensees required to maintain an up-to-date email address with the BOT.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • As amended, the bill would extend BOT’s status to 2031 and implement new accreditation requirements and fee structures.
  • The bill’s action history shows committee referrals and amendments in early 2026, with ongoing consideration in the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions.

Overall, AB 2773 aligns California’s occupational therapy licensure framework with ACOTE standards, enhances licensure-related administrative requirements, tightens board oversight through sunset review, and implements modest fee changes and an electronic correspondence requirement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.