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COTA Certification Examination (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) (COTA) Exam Blueprint

COTA

NBCOT

200Questions
240 minDuration
450/Scaled score 300–600; passing score is 450 for both OTR and COTA examsPassing Score
$475Price
3 yearsValid For
Practice COTA Certification Examination (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) on QuizForge

Exam Domains

1 Acquire and Interpret Information to Guide OT Practice Weight not published
2 Formulate, Implement, Evaluate, and Modify an Intervention Plan Weight not published
3 Uphold Professional Standards and Responsibilities Weight not published
4 Gather and Reason Through Information to Direct OT Practice Weight not published

Exam Details

Question TypesMultiple Choice, Multiple Response, Computer-Adaptive
FormatComputer-adaptive at Pearson VUE testing centers
Online ProctoringAvailable
ID RequirementsGovernment-issued photo ID required. Name must match NBCOT registration exactly. Secondary form of ID may be required.
RenewalRequired -- NBCOT certification renews on a 3-year cycle. 36 Professional Development Units (PDUs) required per renewal period. PDUs must align with NBCOT-approved categories (professional development, scholarship, service). Renewal fee applies; failure to renew results in certification lapse. Lapsed certification requires meeting current reinstatement requirements.
PrerequisitesGraduate of an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy assistant program (associate level); completion of Level II fieldwork (recommended)
Retake Policy45-day waiting period between attempts. Maximum of 4 attempts; after the 4th failed attempt, candidate must demonstrate remediation (e.g., additional coursework) before NBCOT will approve further attempts. Each attempt requires full exam fee payment and new eligibility application.

Official Study Resources

candidate handbookNBCOT Candidate Handbook (free)
practice examNBCOT OTR/COTA Practice Exams
Source