Michigan Jurisprudence Exam: OT Scheduling, Prep, and Licensing

The Michigan OT jurisprudence exam is a state laws-and-rules test that every occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant must pass before the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) will issue a license. You need a score of at least 75% to pass, and your passing score must reach LARA within three years of your application date.1Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide The exam is administered by PSI, and it tests Michigan law only. It is not a clinical exam.

What the Exam Covers

Questions are drawn from four bodies of Michigan law and regulation:1Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide

  • The Administrative Rules of the Michigan Board of Occupational Therapy, which set out licensure requirements, continuing education standards, supervision obligations, and the tasks an OT may delegate to an OTA.
  • The Bureau of Professional Licensing General Administrative Rules, which govern all LARA-licensed health professions.
  • Public Health Code, Article 1, Parts 11 and 12, covering definitions and general powers and duties applicable to all regulated health professions.
  • Public Health Code, Article 15, Parts 161 and 183. Part 161 addresses discipline, licensing procedures, and prohibited conduct across health professions. Part 183 is the occupational therapy-specific article defining the scope of practice.

In practical terms, expect items on what OTs and OTAs are legally allowed to do, how supervision must be structured and documented, what triggers disciplinary action, confidentiality obligations, continuing education rules, and the licensing process itself. A few specifics that come up often:

  • Supervision of OTAs. The supervising OT must complete the initial evaluation before delegating treatment tasks and must meet with the OTA at least once a month using live, synchronous contact. Those meetings must cover evaluation of the OTA’s performance, review of the patient, and education supporting the OTA’s professional development, and both parties must sign documentation of each meeting. The OT must also keep a record of every OTA to whom tasks have been delegated.2Michigan Administrative Rules Supplement. Occupational Therapists General Rules – R 338.1229
  • Grounds for discipline. Negligence, incompetence, substance use disorder affecting safe practice, fraud in obtaining fees, felony convictions, and out-of-state disciplinary action are all independent grounds for action against a Michigan license.3Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 333.16221
  • Conditional scope items. Vision therapy and low vision rehabilitation may only be provided under a referral from, or under the supervision of, a licensed physician or optometrist.4Michigan Legislature. MCL Section 333.18301
  • Continuing education for renewal. At least 20 hours every two years, with at least one hour on pain and symptom management.5Michigan Administrative Rules Supplement. Occupational Therapists General Rules – R 338.1252

Detail matters. Conditions and limits on what you are allowed to do are exactly the kind of items the exam is built to catch.

How to Schedule and Take the Exam

Schedule through PSI at psiexams.com or by phone at 800-733-9267.1Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide PSI reports your score directly to LARA. The score is valid for three years before your application date and up to two years after it, so you have some flexibility on when you sit for it in relation to submitting your application.6Legal Information Institute. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.1235 – Licensure by Endorsement of Occupational Therapy Assistant Requirements

The passing score is 75%.

How to Prepare

LARA does not publish a study guide or an official practice exam. Preparation means reading the source materials directly. The four sources listed above are freely available online through the Michigan Legislature’s website and LARA’s administrative rules database. The reading list is short but dense, so plan to work through the actual statutes and rules rather than relying on outside summaries. Focus your reading on Part 161 (discipline and prohibited conduct), Part 183 (OT scope), and the Board’s administrative rules on supervision and continuing education, since those sections generate the most testable detail.

Where the Exam Fits in the License Application

The jurisprudence exam is one requirement among several for an initial Michigan OT license. You also need:1Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide

  • Completion of an occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).7Michigan Administrative Rules Supplement. Occupational Therapists General Rules – R 338.1223
  • A passing score on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. Michigan adopts the NBCOT exam and its passing score as the state licensure examination, so this is separate from the jurisprudence exam.8Michigan Administrative Rules Supplement. Occupational Therapists General Rules – R 338.1221a
  • A criminal background check. LARA emails instructions after your application is received.
  • One-time human trafficking training, required since October 2022 under Administrative Rule 338.1215.
  • Two hours of implicit bias training completed within the five years before your license is issued.
  • Direct verification from any other state or country where you hold or have ever held a license, confirming no pending disciplinary proceedings.

The application fee is $187.40, which covers both the application and a two-year license. Payment runs through LARA’s online portal at michigan.gov/miplus by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.1Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Occupational Therapist Licensing Guide

One warning worth taking seriously: “application submitted” and “license issued” are not the same thing. Do not begin treating patients until LARA has actually issued your license number. Working before then counts as unauthorized practice regardless of whether you have passed every exam.

Endorsement Applicants Also Take the Jurisprudence Exam

If you already hold an active OT or OTA license in another state and are applying to Michigan by endorsement, you still have to pass the jurisprudence exam with a score of at least 75%. There is no waiver for out-of-state experience, because the exam tests Michigan-specific law rather than clinical competence. An applicant who has been actively licensed and in good standing for five or more years must also disclose all licenses held in other jurisdictions, and the current licensing agency must verify that no disciplinary proceedings are pending.6Legal Information Institute. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.1235 – Licensure by Endorsement of Occupational Therapy Assistant Requirements

After You Pass

The jurisprudence exam is a one-time requirement for initial licensure. Renewal is a different obligation and does not repeat the exam. Michigan OT licenses renew every two years at a fee of $165.40, with at least 20 hours of continuing education during each two-year cycle and at least one of those hours on pain and symptom management.9Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. License Renewal Fees5Michigan Administrative Rules Supplement. Occupational Therapists General Rules – R 338.1252 Track those hours through the cycle rather than at the end, since failing to meet the requirement can result in suspension or revocation.