Ahead of the annual renewal period, we want registrants to know that registration fees for 2026–2027 will increase by 2% (about $15).
In 2024 the Board approved a 5-year financial sustainability plan to annually review fees and, as appropriate, increase registration fees by up to 2% per year. This will be the third consecutive year of a modest annual adjustment. We understand that cost of living pressures continue to affect many people, and even modest increases can still be felt. At the same time, making steady, gradual adjustments helps ensure the College has the resources it needs to continue operating effectively and efficiently.
A key reason for this year’s increase is the continued inflationary pressures affecting almost every sector. Costs for technology, staffing, and other essential services keep rising, and fee adjustment helps the College maintain financial stability while keeping changes predictable for registrants.
The increase strengthens the foundation needed to advance COTO’s strategic priorities and helps keep longer term initiatives on track. In addition, the College must carefully manage its reserve levels to stay financially resilient. Healthy reserves help the College respond to unexpected events, maintain consistent services, and reduce the need for larger fee changes down the road.
A portion of the increase will go toward ongoing investment in IT systems. Reliable, secure, and modern technology is essential to support registration, quality assurance, practice, complaints and investigations, and communication with registrants and the public. Continued investment ensures these systems remain stable and keep pace with cybersecurity and regulatory needs.
The College remains committed to transparency and responsible financial management. This measured 2% increase reflects the need to balance careful budgeting with the ongoing delivery of high-quality services that protect the public.
Please send any questions to gslaughter@coto.org.
To learn more, see our page: Understanding College Fees