WSR 24-24-021
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(Occupational Therapy Practice Board)
[Filed November 22, 2024, 2:10 p.m., effective July 1, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: July 1, 2025.
Purpose: Occupational therapy temporary permit and fee updates. The occupational therapy practice board (board) and the department of health (department) are adopting amendments to the temporary permit and fee rules in response to 2SHB 1009 (chapter 165, Laws of 2023), codified as RCW
18.340.020.
Amendments to WAC 246-847-117 align with the statute by reducing barriers for military spouses entering and remaining in the occupational therapy workforce. The adopted rules extend the length of time the temporary permit can be active from 90 days to 180 days, as required by RCW
18.340.020. This change applies to all recipients of the temporary permit, not just military spouses.
Additionally, the department in consultation with the board is adopting amendments to WAC 246-847-990 to create a new fee to cover the cost of the temporary permit. Currently, there is no fee established to cover the costs of issuing temporary permits; however, RCW
43.70.250 requires that the costs of licensing each profession be fully borne by members of that profession. The department is adopting a fee to cover the cost of issuing 180-day temporary permits and ensure the department is in line with RCW
43.70.250.
The adopted rules remove barriers to entering and remaining in the occupational therapy workforce, provide applicants more time to obtain full licensure, provide recipients of a temporary practice permit more time to work in the state, and they create a fee to cover the costs of issuing temporary permits.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-847-117 and 246-847-990.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-17-077 on August 16, 2024.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kathy Weed, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4883, TTY 711, email kathy.weed@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.gov.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: November 22, 2024.
Mary Spores, Chair
Occupational Therapy Practice Board
Kristin Peterson, JD
Chief of Policy
for Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH
Secretary of Health
OTS-5528.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 92-18-015, filed 8/24/92, effective 9/24/92)
WAC 246-847-117
Temporary permits—Issuance and duration pursuant to RCW 18.130.075.(1) Unless there is a basis for denial of an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant license, an applicant who is currently licensed in a jurisdiction considered by the board to have licensing standards substantially equivalent to Washington's shall be issued a temporary practice permit after receipt of the following documentation by the department of health:
(a) Submission of a completed occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant application on which the applicant indicates that he or she wishes to receive a temporary practice permit;
(b) Payment of the application fee and temporary practice permit fee; and
(c) Direct written verification of current licensure from the state whose licensing standards are substantially equivalent to Washington's.
(2) The temporary practice permit shall expire upon the issuance of a license by the board; initiation of an investigation by the board; or ((ninety))180 days, whichever occurs first.
(3) An applicant who receives a temporary practice permit and who does not complete the licensure application process shall not receive additional temporary practice permits even upon submission of a new application in the future.
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 15-19-149, filed 9/22/15, effective 1/1/16)
WAC 246-847-990Occupational therapy fees and renewal cycle.
(1) Licenses must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday as provided in ((chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 2))WAC 246-12-020 through 246-12-051.
(2) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged for occupational therapist:
Title of Fee | Fee |
Original application | |
| Application and initial license fee | $150.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge | 16.00 |
Limited permit fee | 55.00 |
Temporary permit fee | 50.00 |
Active license renewal | |
| License renewal | 125.00 |
| Late renewal fee | 65.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge ($16.00 per year for two-year cycle) | 32.00 |
| Expired license reissuance | 80.00 |
Inactive license renewal | |
| Inactive license | 15.00 |
| Expired license reissuance | 15.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge ($16.00 per year for two-year cycle) | 32.00 |
Duplicate license | 30.00 |
Verification of license | 30.00 |
(3) The following nonrefundable fees will be charged for occupational therapy assistant:
Title of Fee | Fee |
Original application | |
| Application and initial license fee | $150.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge | 16.00 |
Limited permit fee | 45.00 |
Temporary permit fee | 50.00 |
Active license renewal | |
| License renewal | 105.00 |
| Late renewal fee | 55.00 |
| Expired license reissuance | 70.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge ($16.00 per year for two-year cycle) | 32.00 |
Inactive license renewal | |
| Inactive license | 15.00 |
| Expired inactive license reissuance | 14.00 |
| HEAL-WA* surcharge ($16.00 per year for two-year cycle) | 32.00 |
Duplicate license | 30.00 |
Verification of license | 30.00 |
* | HEAL-WA is the health resources for Washington online library. See RCW 43.70.110. |