Alberta occupational therapists register with the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists: an approved degree, 1,000 hours of supervised clinical education, the NOTCE, $5 million in personal liability insurance, and a March 1 to February 28 registration year.
Applies in: Alberta
To become an occupational therapist in Alberta, you complete an approved occupational therapy degree with 1,000 hours of supervised clinical education, pass the national certification examination, and register for a practice permit with the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT). New Canadian graduates can start on the Provisional Register while the degree and examination finish. Internationally educated therapists start one step earlier, with the national SEAS assessment, before ACOT.
Written November 14, 2026
The ACOT application page lists the Canadian program requirements:
General registration rests on results from successful completion of the National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam (NOTCE). ACOT contacts the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists to confirm eligibility to write the examination on the internationally educated route, and the same examination sits at the centre of the Canadian graduate route.
Apply through the ACOT application form for registration and a permit. Two supporting requirements apply to every applicant:
Once a completed application is submitted, ACOT states it may take up to ten business days to be processed.
Practice hours currency matters for applicants who are not new graduates. The page lists 400 hours within the past year, 800 hours in the past 2 years, 1,200 hours in the past 3 years, or 1,550 hours in the past 5 years, or successful completion of the refresher or re-entry program of 320 hours.
The ACOT schedule of fees sets a $150 application fee, required for all new applicants to either the General or Provisional Register, paid separately from the register permit fee. A reinstatement application following a cancellation of registration is considered a new application.
The new permit fee is prorated by start date:
Fees must be paid in full; no monthly fee payments are accepted. The College registration year is March 1 to February 28/29, and renewal of a General or Provisional Register permit is $550 up to February 14 and $650 after February 14.
A new graduate of a Canadian university can apply for provisional registration while waiting for conferment of the degree, completion of the national certification exam, or submission of examination results to ACOT. A new graduate has up to one year on the Provisional Register to submit successful NOTCE results and to request official, complete transcripts to be sent directly from the university to ACOT.
Provisional registration rests on confirmation of entitlement to graduate, proof of registration to write the NOTCE, information on your employer, occupational therapist supervisor and projected employment start date, a current criminal record check with a vulnerable sector check, and personal professional liability insurance. When all registration requirements are met, members on the Provisional Register can apply for a General Register permit.
Occupational therapists who completed their education outside Canada — including Canadians who travelled outside Canada for their occupational therapy education — and who want to register anywhere in Canada except Quebec must first apply to the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) to complete the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS) process. SEAS determines the extent to which your educational qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to those of a Canadian-educated occupational therapist.
SEAS has four main components:
All internationally educated occupational therapists in SEAS must also demonstrate a minimum level of language proficiency.
After successfully completing SEAS, the Registrar reviews the SEAS results — the ACOT page states this review may take 1 to 3 business days — and, based on your eligibility, you may then apply to ACOT. ACOT contacts the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists to confirm your eligibility to write the NOTCE. If you have not written the national exam, you are placed on the Provisional Register if you apply before passing it, and provisional registration requires employment and a General Registered occupational therapist supervisor lined up.
The ACOT application on this route also requires a completed online application form, a criminal record check with a vulnerable sector check from Canada within the past 6 months and an equivalent check from the country where you are or were a citizen, completion of the eLearning mandatory module for Competencies for Occupational Therapists in Canada with its proof of completion form, proof of professional liability insurance in Alberta of no less than $5 million, and a Regulatory History Form from the board you are or were registered with plus an employer letter stating your practice hours. Fees on this route are $150 for the application, plus the registration fee prorated throughout the year. Once ACOT receives all required documents, the page asks you to provide 5 to 10 business days to process your registration.
An occupational therapist licensed or registered in another Canadian jurisdiction may have their qualifications recognized for registration in Alberta under the Labour Mobility Support Agreement (LMSA) between provincial regulatory organizations. You arrange for the originating jurisdiction to complete an LMSA confirmation form and a regulatory history form. ACOT charges a $40 fee to process an LMSA, and the schedule of fees lists the same $40 LMSA charge when you send in the application. A courtesy register permit, for short periods of service delivery in Alberta, is $40 per 30-day period.
The ACOT pages opened for this guide state the Canadian program requirements, the provisional route, the SEAS components and the schedule of fees. They do not state the SEAS assessment fees on the ACOT pages read here — ACOT directs applicants to ACOTRO for SEAS requirements and fees — so this guide gives no SEAS dollar figure. They also do not state the NOTCE examination fee, so this guide gives none.
| Application fee | $150, required for all new applicants, paid separately from the permit fee |
|---|---|
| New permit on or after March 1 | $550 for the General or Provisional Register |
| New permit on or after June 1 | $412.50, prorated |
| New permit on or after September 1 | $275, prorated |
| New permit on or after December 1 | $137.50, prorated |
The College registration year is March 1 to February 28/29. Renewal is $550 up to February 14 and $650 after February 14.
The Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT). Registration with ACOT is mandatory in Alberta, and only registered members may use the protected titles and provide the restricted activities set out in the regulations.
A baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy or an entry-level master's degree in occupational therapy from a Canadian occupational therapy program approved by the ACOT Council, successful completion of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical education, and official transcripts.
The National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam (NOTCE). A new Canadian graduate can apply for provisional registration while waiting for degree conferment, completion of the national certification exam, or submission of examination results to ACOT.
A $150 application fee for all new applicants, plus a new permit fee that is prorated through the year: $550 on or after March 1, $412.50 on or after June 1, $275 on or after September 1, and $137.50 on or after December 1.
You must personally hold professional liability insurance of no less than $5,000,000 per occurrence to register for or renew your practice permit. Employer coverage alone is not sufficient.
With the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO), through the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS). Once you are deemed substantially equivalent by ACOTRO, you may apply to ACOT to continue the registration process.