Application Processing Questions: 

Do I have to have my license in hand before I can begin practice?

• You must be approved by the Board and must have received a license number before you can begin practice. You will receive an email notice that your license has been approved, and you may begin practice at that time.  

How long will it take to get my application approved?

• Approximately 5-10 days once all supporting documents are received, such as license verification, NBCOT exam scores. 

Does Wyoming have a state OT exam?

• No, we rely solely on the NBCOT exam. 

Does the photo required on the application form have to be a professional, or passport photo?

• No. It does, however, need to be a current photo. 

Can I use my credit card to pay my licensing fees?

• No. Renewal and application fees can be paid by personal check all other fees must be paid by money order or cashier’s check. 

Can I provide a copy of my NBCOT certificate in place of getting a verification sent to you from the NBCOT?

• No, you must contact NBCOT, so they may send official NBCOT scores directly to the Board.

Can I provide a copy of my previous license in place of getting a verification sent to you from the issuing state?

• No. You must provide official verification from each state you hold or held a license in.

Do I need to provide license verification from states that I hold or held a license?

• Yes, you must request official license verification be sent to the Wyoming Board of Occupational Therapy, we no longer look up your licenses on-line. We found that all states do not provide all the information that is needed. 

How do I provide reference letters?

• Letters should be current, and cannot be submitted by the applicant. There is no special form or format required. Letters should be sent directly to the Board office. Letters should address the applicant’s character, ability, and professional performance in the practice of occupational therapy, and they must be signed and dated by the writer. You may email, joann.reid@wyo.gov, fax,(307) 777-3508, or mail, 2001 Capitol Ave. #127, Cheyenne, WY 82002. Do not send multiple copies of the same letter.

Who can submit letters of reference?

• Letters of reference should preferably come from people in the profession of occupational therapy, however, related fields may also be used. New graduates are encouraged to request letters from their field work supervisors, and they can also use letters from their occupational therapy instructors. 

Can I change my references after I have submitted my license application?

• Yes, you can change your reference after you submit your application.

Should I contact the Board to check on the status of my application file?

• Please email a status request to joann.reid@wyo.gov. We will ONLY discuss your application status with you.

License Renewal Questions: 

When will my Wyoming license expire?

• All licenses expire annually on July 31st.

Does Wyoming require continuing education hours for license renewal?

• Yes, applicant’s will renew their license annually, on even years, such as 2022, only licensees who are selected for audit will have to provide the verification of completion of twenty-four (24) contact hours of continuing education which were completed in the previous three years. Licensees who do not meet the June 1 deadline will also have to provide verification of twenty-four (24) contact hours of continuing education completed during the previous three (3) years.

Are there specific areas or courses that are required?

• No, there are no specific areas or courses that are required. Continuing education requirements may be fulfilled through in-service, coursework, conference or workshop attendance, presentation.

What is the difference between Contact Hours, AOTA CEUs & NBCOT PDUs?

• A Contact Hour = one (1) hour or sixty minutes.

• .1 AOTA CEUs = one (1) contact hour.

• 1 .25 NBCOT PDU = one (1) contact hour.

Does the Board pre-approve continuing education classes?

• No. It is the licensee's responsibility to obtain continuing education hours that have significant intellectual or practical content, and the primary objective should be to increase competence in the practice of occupational therapy.  It is the responsibility of the Board to verify that this objective is met. Please keep a copy of courses you submit each year to avoid submitting duplicate classes and in case your renewal should get lost in the mail.

Can I use a credit card to pay my renewal fee?

• No. However, you may submit a personal check instead of the money order or cashier’s check that is required when paying application and license fees.

Why do I have to provide a relevance statement for each class - isn’t that the same as the course description?

• No, they are not the same. The course description explains what the course covered. The relevance statement should state how you used this particular class to better help you practice occupational therapy in your setting.

Wyoming Practice Questions: 

Do I have to have my license in hand before I can begin practice?

• You must be approved by the Board and must have received a license number before you can begin practice. You will receive email verification that your license has been approved, and you may begin practice at that time. 

Is a physician’s order required to provide occupational therapy services in Wyoming?

• No, a physician’s order is not required to provide services. However, it may be required for third party reimbursements, ie, insurance or Medicare.

Does Wyoming occupational therapy practice allow the use of modalities? 

• The Board has adopted Rules in Chapter 3, Section 5 concerning the use of modalities.  Under the new rules, the OT or OTA must have 6 hours of training in each modality they use.  They also must have been supervised during 5 treatments for each modality.

• The supervisor of the training can be anyone licensed under Title 33 of Wyoming Statute (doctor, nurse, PT, AT, etc) that has received proper education and training at a minimum of the save level as required for OT and OTA.  The supervisor must be observing the treatment directly when it is occurring to meet the requirement of the Rule.

• You can use training and supervision that you have had in the past as long as you have the proper documentation to show the Board, if it is requested.

• You do not have to submit the documentation to the Board Office.  Retain it for your own records in case it is requested by the Board.

Dry Needling

After reviewing our statutes, the Board has determined that the Board of Occupational Therapy’s Practice Act/Statute DOES support that Wyoming licensed Occupational Therapists who are properly trained are able to use dry needling techniques in their practice.

The Wyoming Board of Occupational Therapy recommends the use of the following guidelines when engaging in dry needling and intends to add these recommendations, or similar requirements to the Board’s rules and regulations in the near future.

• Licensees will need to have evidence of competence before they can begin using dry needling techniques in their practice.

• Licensed occupational therapists shall be able to demonstrate upon the Board’s request that they have received training in dry needling that meet the Board’s requirements.

• Training shall include, but not be limited, to training in indications, contraindications, potential risks, proper hygiene, proper use and disposal of needles, and appropriate selection of clients.

• Training shall include a minimum of twenty-seven (27) hours of live face-to-face instruction. Online courses are not appropriate training in dry needling.  

• Dry needling may not be performed by an occupational therapy assistant or any other supportive personnel.

• The occupational therapist shall supply written documentation, upon request by the Board, that substantiates appropriate training as required by this rule. Failure to provide written documentation may result in disciplinary action taken by the Board.