Concerns, conditions or restrictions on practice
The public register of occupational therapists lists information about anyone who is, or was, a registrant of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.
The register will confirm an occupational therapist is eligible to practice in Ontario. It will tell you if an occupational therapist is allowed to practice occupational therapy in Ontario and if there are any restrictions on their practice. It will also provide important information about an occupational therapist’s regulatory history and business contact information.
Accessing the public register
You can access the public register by clicking on the Find an Occupational Therapist (OT) button at the top of any page on our website.
If there are any concerns, conditions or restrictions on an occupational therapist’s practice, you’ll see a yellow triangle with a white exclamation mark beside the individual’s status on the public register. You can click the concerns and/or conditions tab to view more information.
The College is unable to share information beyond what is publicly posted on the public register.
Certificate of registration FAQ
When an occupational therapist’s certificate of registration becomes subject to terms, conditions or limitations, the occupational therapist is required to ensure they are practising in accordance with those terms. This always includes providing information to their employer so that appropriate arrangements can be put in place. Failure to comply with the terms could be considered professional misconduct and needs to be reported to COTO. If you are employing an occupational therapist whose certificate of registration is subject to terms, conditions or limitations and you have information suggesting the occupational therapist is not practising in accordance with those terms, please contact COTO at investigations@coto.org.
When an occupational therapist becomes subject to employment-related terms that require monitoring, the employer will be asked to sign a form agreeing to support the occupational therapist’s completion of the terms. For example, ensuring the occupational therapist has no access to narcotics or has a workplace monitor in place.
COTO may contact the occupational therapist’s designated supervisor by telephone or in writing to obtain information if necessary. Although employers are requested to support occupational therapists with these terms, the responsibility to comply with the terms rests with the occupational therapist.
No. COTO will not conduct employer notifications when a suspension or terms, conditions or limitations are removed from an occupational therapist’s certificate of registration. Employers can view updated information on Find an Occupational therapist. The occupational therapist is advised about the removal of terms and may choose to provide a copy of COTO’s correspondence to their employer.
*This content is adapted, with permission, from the College of Nurses of Ontario; the original work is available on cno.org