Prospective applicants to the Approved Provider Program

AOTA APP promotes high quality and relevant professional development (PD) activities for occupational therapy practitioners. AOTA Approved Providers may assign AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) to approved PD activities.

The Application for Recognition as a Provider (as of July 1, 2021) is tiered based on the number of PD activity titles delivered each year. 

Tier 1: ≤9 activities annually $575

Tier 2: 10–49 activities annually $1,125

Tier 3: ≥50 activities annually $1,375

Yes. AOTA Approved Providers must submit each PD activity for approval, and the cost is $75. Approvals last for 5 years. AOTA Approved Providers also pay an annual fee based on the number of PD activity titles delivered each year 

Tier 1: ≤9 activities annually $300

Tier 2: 10–49 activities annually $500

Tier 3: ≥50 activities annually $1,250

Once recognized, an AOTA Approved Provider has the ability to award AOTA CEUs for PD activities that are relevant to the practice of occupational therapy. These CEUs generally satisfy state licensure requirements and National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) recertification.

Yes. To be eligible, an organization or sole proprietor must demonstrate that within the preceding 3 years they have delivered a minimum of one PD activity in one content delivery format. 

Are you a sole proprietor or small business owner interested in becoming an AOTA Approved Provider, but nervous about the process? Watch an interview with a provider to get a first-hand perspective!

AOTA considers an activity eligible if another accrediting body formally approved it within the preceding 3 years. AOTA also considers an activity eligible if the applicant had processes and procedures in place to determine satisfactory completion of the activity and the number of contact hours awarded. 

A PD activity may be considered approved if the prospective applicant was primarily involved in the planning, organization, distribution, and implementation of the PD activity. 

An eligible PD activity would likely include:

Publications (APP Criteria and Guidelines | Section 10)

Learning outcomes (APP Criteria and Guidelines | Section 13)

Assessment of learning outcomes (APP Criteria and Guidelines | Section 14)

Satisfactory completion requirements that resulted in contact hours awarded (APP Criteria and Guidelines | Section 3). 

Please contact app@aota.org for questions about your organization’s eligibility. 

Prospective applicants may begin an application by creating an account in Survey Monkey Apply and clicking apply. 

Although the application must be submitted online, applicants may view it in PDF format. To download a PDF enter into the online form, click on the three dots (top right), and click download.

It is important to understand that when completing an Application for Recognition as an Approved Provider, the applicant is not applying for a specific PD activity approval. Instead, the applicant is applying to be an Approved Provider. Therefore, the organization should write general, overarching processes. The Recognition as an Approved Provider Application: Tips for Writing a Process will help you write them.  

The AOTA APP is glad you started the application process and is happy to provide guidance. The following webinars explain each section of the application.