1. (1) The license to practice as an Occupational Therapist or an Occupational Therapy Assistant is prescribed and limited by the Tennessee Code Annotated (see especially T.C.A. § 63-13- 103). The license is conferred by the Board of Occupational Therapy for applicants who have been found to meet established standards.

2. (2) The Board adopts for licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, as if fully set out herein, the “Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics” issued by the American Occupational Therapy Association effective December 2020, and the “Candidate/Certificant Code of Conduct” approved by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy effective July 2022, except to the extent that it conflicts with the laws of the state of Tennessee or the rules of the Board. If either document conflicts with state law or rules, the state law or rules govern the matter. Information to acquire copies may be obtained by contacting the following:

   1. (a) The American Occupational Therapy The National Board for Association, Inc. Certification in 6116 Executive Boulevard Occupational Therapy, Inc. Suite 200 One Bank Street North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929 Suite 300 Telephone: 800-729-2682, ext. 2652 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 (members) or 301-652-2682, ext. Telephone: (301) 990-7979 2652 (nonmembers) Fax: (301) 869-8492 Fax: (301) 652-7711 Email: info@nbcot.org Email: customerservice@aota.org or Internet: www.nbcot.org otpractice@aota.org Internet: www.aota.org
   2. (b) Board of Occupational Therapy 665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor Nashville, TN 37243 Telephone: (615) 741-3807 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Email: Unit2HRB.Health@tn.gov Internet: www.tn.gov/health
3. (3) “Occupational therapy practice” is defined at T.C.A. § 63-13-103.
4. (4) Universal Precautions for the Prevention of Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) - The Board adopts, inclusive of any guidelines of the Department of Health, the Guidelines for the Standard Precautions (Guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can be found in The Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee 2007 Guidelines for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Health Care Settings. Am J Infect Control. 2007 Dec;35(10 Suppl 2):S65-164, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2007.10.007 and any amendments made by the CDC to the Guideline.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 63-13-103, 63-13-201, and 63-13-216. Administrative History: Original rule filed March 15, 1996; effective May 29, 1996. Amendment filed March 21, 1996; effective June 4, 1996. Amendment filed February 13, 2002; effective April 29, 2002. Amendment filed March 10, 2005; effective May 24, 2005. Amendment filed April 17, 2007; effective July 1, 2007. References to Board of Occupational and Physical Therapy Examiners have been changed by the Secretary of State to the applicable entity: Board of Occupational Therapy and/or Board of Physical Therapy pursuant to Public Chapter 115 of the 2007 Session of the Tennessee General Assembly. Amendments filed March 23, 2026; effective June 21, 2026.