Your 36 NBCOT renewal units: what counts, and what to keep.

What NBCOT asks of certificants

36 units each renewal cycle. NBCOT's renewal handbook says: "Certificants must accrue at least 36 units during their renewal cycle."

The renewal season. "The certification renewal season occurs between January and March annually," and a late fee applies to applications submitted after March 31 of the scheduled renewal year.

Online courses from continuing-education providers. Item 18 of NBCOT's renewal activities chart covers workshops, seminars, lectures, conferences or online courses approved by continuing-education providers, including continuing-education companies, at 1 unit per hour. The evidence it lists is a certificate of attendance or a letter from the sponsor verifying contact hours or CEU, dates, event title, attendee name and workshop agenda (if available).

Random audits. All OTR and COTA certificants who renew are subject to a random audit. NBCOT says: "Certificants should maintain all of their documentation for one full year after renewing their certification in the event that they are audited."

Your state license is separate. State licensing boards set their own renewal rules. Check with your board.

Read NBCOT's own documents before you plan your units: NBCOT certification renewal

Does an online autism course from Special Learning count toward my NBCOT renewal units?

Item 18 of NBCOT's renewal activities chart covers online courses approved by continuing-education providers, including continuing-education companies, at 1 unit per hour. Whether a course qualifies is NBCOT's call, so before counting one toward renewal, check that it meets NBCOT's requirements for your renewal. Our certificate of completion shows your name, the course title, the dates and the hours. Special Learning is not an AOTA Approved Provider. Your state license is separate.

Two collaboration courses for OTs

Each recorded course is 2 hours and costs $39, paid once, with a downloadable slide deck and a certificate of completion after you pass its quiz. The certificate shows your name, the course title, the dates and the hours. Under item 18 that is 1 unit per hour; before counting a course toward renewal, check that it meets NBCOT's requirements for your renewal. Special Learning is not an AOTA Approved Provider.

Shared clients

Collaboration Series Module 5: OT & ABA

Julie Riordan talks with Gina Vitucci about how occupational therapists and behavior analysts can work together: how the two roles and their terms differ, collaboration models, sensory processing, assessment, and the practical barriers to shared, client-centered goals.

See the course, $39

School teams

Collaboration Series Module 1: IEP Team Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Ann Beirne and Jennifer Rumfola look at overlapping responsibilities on an IEP team: team roles, shared goals and disagreements between disciplines, collaboration models, parent participation, social validity and evidence-based practice in school teams.

See the course, $39

Other professions

Speech-language pathologists, psychologists, school psychologists, counselors and social workers: find your profession's course and board rule. Questions about a course? Contact us.