Annual Renewal & Employers

Employers are primarily responsible for confirming that their regulated health care professionals—like occupational therapists—hold valid and current licenses.

While individual regulated health care professionals are responsible for renewing their licenses, employers must be proactive in verifying these credentials before hiring or assigning staff returning from leave to patient care roles.

Before hiring anyone, be sure to cross-reference their license status on the College’s public register to maintain compliance and patient trust.

Employers need to be aware of several key points regarding COTO’s annual licensing renewal:

1. License Renewal Deadlines: Occupational therapists are required to renew their license every year. The renewal period is between April 1 and May 31^st.
   
   The College’s public register will display a 2026 expiry date with the registrant’s profile if renewal has been completed.
2. Verification Process: Employers should regularly verify their employees’ license status, using the College’s public register as an online verification tool that tracks licensing expiration dates.
3. Currency: Occupational therapists are required to practice at least 600 hours in the past 3 years, or complete a practice refresher program (including supervised practice hours and continuing education) to maintain their ability to provide safe and effective care. 
4. Quality Assurance: Occupational therapists are required to participate in the College’s Quality Assurance program and complete its annual requirements.
   
   The Quality Assurance (QA) program helps occupational therapists reflect on their professional roles and responsibilities, and identify new areas of learning. Registrants participate in continuous quality improvement activities that reflect evolving practice and the expectations for safe, effective and ethical services. 

Employers should check license renewal status for all occupational therapists, including those returning from leave.

This proactive approach allows for timely identification of any issues, such as missed deadlines or failure to meet the renewal deadline. It also ensures that professionals are not in a position where they may be practicing without a valid license, which could lead to legal and financial consequences.

• All the individuals who are qualified and able to practice occupational therapy in Ontario are listed on the public register with a status of “registered”.
• Individuals may not begin working, or participate in orientation or training at the workplace until they are registered with the College.
• It is illegal in Ontario for someone to use the title “occupational therapist”, the initials “OT” or any variation if they are not registered with the College.
• A new employee cannot use title or call themselves an occupational therapist until registered with the College and in receipt of written confirmation and a registration number.

Employers can check the licensing status of their occupational therapists on the College’s public register named Find an OT on coto.org.

The public register displays whether an occupational therapist is registered, or their license is expired or suspended.

There are several key reasons why employers should be proactive in confirming licensing renewal:

1. Public Safety: At the core of health care licensing is the protection of patients. By ensuring that staff members hold valid licenses, employers are helping to maintain a high standard of care, which directly impacts public safety and trust in the health care system.
2. Risk Mitigation: Health care employers face significant legal and financial risks if they allow unlicensed professionals to provide patient care. Failure to ensure valid licenses can result in penalties, lawsuits, and loss of reputation.
3. Compliance: Health care professionals must comply with federal and provincial regulations. Non-compliance with licensing requirements can lead to investigation and disciplinary action, including license revocation.
4. Operational Integrity: Renewing licenses on time ensures that the health care facility can continue to function smoothly without interruptions. It also fosters a culture of accountability and professionalism among staff.