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National Occupational Therapy Certification
Examination (NOTCE)
Exam Procedures Manual
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
All rights reserved
Ottawa, 2006
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
prior permission of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
Revised March 2010
Revised January 2012
Revised November 2012
Published by
CAOT Publications ACE
Ottawa, Ontario
Copies are available from:
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
CTTC Building
1125-3400 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON K1S 5R1
Tel: (613) 523-2268 or (800) 434-2268
Fax: (613) 523-2552
E-mail: [email protected]
Des exemplaires sont également disponible en français sous le titre:
Manuel de procédures de l’examen
© Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, 2006
ISBN: 1-895437-51-2
PRINTED IN CANADA
Table of Contents
1. General Information
1.1 The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists ............................................. 4
1.2 Purpose of the NOTCE ............................................................................................ 4
1.3 Eligibility to write the NOTCE.................................................................................... 4
1.4 Examination Sites ...................................................................................................... 5
1.5 Examination Deadlines ............................................................................................ 5
1.6 Examination Dates .................................................................................................... 6
1.7 Examination Fees .................................................................................................... 7
2. Registration Information
2.1 Registration Process …………………………………………………………… ............ 8
2.2 Refund Policy ………. …………………………………………………………….............. 8
2.3 Language Preference.…………………………………………………………… ........... 8
2.4 Services for Candidates with Special Needs…………………………… ................... 8
2.5 Additional Exam Site Requests …………………………………………….................. 9
2.6 Petitions on the Basis of Extenuating Circumstances ……… …………… .............. 9
2.7 Site Confirmation Letter for Exam Day…………...………………………………… ............9
3. Examination Administration
3.1 Exam Day…….. ………………………………………………………………………… ...........10
3.2 Time Frame………..…………………………………………………………………… .............10
3.3 Security .……………………………………………………………………………… ......... 11
3.4 Security Violations .…………………………………………………………………… ...... 11
3.5 Examination Evaluation……….………………………………………………………..............11
3.6 Examination Results .……………………………………………………………….......... 11
3.7 Interpretation of Standardized Scores .……………………………………… ............... 12
3.8 Passing Score…….…………………………………………………………………............ 12
3.9 Exam score breakdowns for unsuccessful candidates…………………………… ...........12
3.10 Exam re-writes for unsuccessful candidates...……………………………….............. 12
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1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is the national voluntary professional association for occupational therapists in Canada. CAOT provides services, products, events and networking opportunities to assist occupational therapists to achieve excellence in their professional practice. In addition CAOT provides national leadership to actively develop and promote the client-centred profession of
occupational therapy in Canada and internationally.
Founded in 1926, the CAOT charter lists among CAOT’s purposes:
 the promotion of occupational therapy,
 the advancement of standards of education, and
 the engagement in activities considered to be advantageous to the profession, its members and
the consumers of occupational therapy services.
As part of these efforts, CAOT initiated the sponsorship and development of a National Occupational
Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) as one criterion for membership. The high standards of the
certification examination are ensured by the close working relationships among the National Occupational
Therapy Certification Examination Committee (CEC), the academic community, clinical experts, members
of CAOT, members of regulatory bodies, CAOT staff and test and
measurement experts.
1.2 Purpose of the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE)
The purpose of the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination is to protect public interest by
assessing the written application of academic knowledge and professional behaviour of individuals entering
the occupational therapy profession in Canada. Successful completion of the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination allows candidates to meet:
a) a criterion of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists membership and/or;
b) a registration requirement for regulatory organization(s).
1.3
Eligibility to write the NOTCE
Occupational therapists wishing to become full individual members with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, including graduates from accredited occupational therapy education programs in
Canada and graduates from occupational therapy programs recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) or CAOT approved equivalent, may become eligible to write the exam.
All exam candidates must have established their eligibility to write the NOTCE. For Canadian graduates, eligibility to write the exam is confirmed directly by CAOT National Office with the appropriate university program. Graduates from occupational therapy programs outside of Canada must establish their eligibility to write the exam through an application process initiated by contacting the CAOT National Office
directly. Please view www.caot.ca/exam for additional information and current deadlines.
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1.4 NOTCE Sites
The National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination is offered at various sites within Canada and
one special site in Australia.
The July exam is offered in:
Vancouver, BC
Saskatoon, SK
Hamilton, ON
Quebec City, QC
Toronto, ON
Winnipeg, MB
Ottawa, ON
Saint John, NB
Edmonton, AB
London, ON
Montreal, QC
Halifax, NS
St. John’s, NL
Melbourne, Australia
The November exam is offered in:
Vancouver, BC
Montreal, QC
St. John’s, NL
Regina, SK
Toronto, ON
Québec City, QC
Calgary, AB
Saskatoon, SK
Kingston, ON
Saint John, NB
Edmonton, AB
Hamilton, ON
Ottawa, ON
Halifax, NS
Winnipeg, MB
London, ON
Melbourne, Australia
Exam candidates must indicate their exam site choice directly on the exam registration form. Changes to the
exam site choice may be made prior to the appropriate exam registration deadline only. The exam site
choice cannot be changed after the registration deadline.
Requests for an additional exam site within Canada may be made prior to the appropriate exam registration
deadline by completing an additional site request application form and paying the additional site fee. Please
refer to page 3 for more information.
1.5 National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination Deadlines
The CAOT certification exam is held two times each year. All exam candidates must be fully registered
before they write the NOTCE. The registration process differs slightly for Canadian graduates and internationally educated candidates.
Canadian graduates: The exam registration deadline is May 15 for the July exam sitting or September 15
for the November exam sitting. The exam registration period begins 16 weeks before the scheduled exam
sitting. Graduates from occupational therapy education programs in Canada may register for the exam at
any time between the beginning of the registration period and the registration deadline. Please see section
1.6 for details about the exam dates and deadlines. Exam registration information including how to download
the exam registration forms and the exam booklets can be found on the CAOT web site in the certification
exam section. There you will find a section for exam candidates.
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Internationally-educated candidates: Internationally-educated candidates complete a two-step
process before they are fully registered to write the NOTCE.
1) The first step is the application to establish eligibility to write the NOTCE. The application
must be received in the CAOT office at least 16 weeks (10 weeks for graduates of U.S.
programs) before the scheduled exam sitting. Once the application is approved, CAOT will
issue the applicant a statement of candidacy. Once the statement of candidacy is issued,
the applicant becomes an exam candidate.
2) The second step is the exam registration. Only internationally educated exam candidates
who have been issued a statement of candidacy that states their eligibility to write the
NOTCE may register for the NOTCE. Registration begins 16 weeks before the scheduled
exam sitting. The registration deadline is May 15 for the July exam sitting and September
15 for the November exam sitting. Please see section 1.6 for details about the exam dates
and deadlines.
Exam registration information including how to download the exam registration forms and the
exam booklets can be found on the CAOT web site in the certification exam section. There you
will find a section for exam candidates. www.caot.ca/exam
Completed exam registrations from both groups of exam candidates listed above must be received by the CAOT national office on or before the registration deadline. Each year, the registration deadline is May 15 for the July sitting or September 15 for the November sitting. Registrations received after the deadline will not be accepted.
1.6 NOTCE Dates
International Graduates
Registration Begins
(Canadian
and International Graduates)
Jul 6, 2013
Apr 30, 2013
Mar 21, 2013
May 15, 2013
Nov 2, 2013
Aug 30, 2013
Jul 21, 2013
Sept 15, 2013
Jul 5, 2014
Apr 30, 2014
Mar 21, 2014
May 15, 2014
Nov 1, 2014
Aug 30, 2014
Jul 21, 2014
Sept 15, 2014
Exam Date
Eligibility Application
Deadline
Registration Deadline
** Examination dates are subject to change by CAOT. Should there be any changes to exam dates CAOT will ensure that timely and
appropriate notification is provided to all applicants.
Important Note: In order to maintain fair and consistent practice towards all candidates, the above exam
registration deadlines are strictly maintained. Any incomplete and/or late applications will not be accepted and will be automatically forwarded to the next available exam. It is the responsibility of the
candidate to ensure that their completed form has been received at CAOT National Office prior to the appropriate deadline.
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1.7 Exam Fees
Exam fees cover the costs for all aspects of the exam administration. This includes:
• rental of examination rooms
• site coordinator and invigilator fees
• examination production (including computer storage, selection and printing)
• marking and reporting results
• National Office administration costs (e.g.: mailing, staff time, printing of certificates)
• cost of research activities into the ongoing reliability and validity of the examination
The fees for the NOTCE are:
Cost (CDN $)
Note
Examination
$455.00 plus taxes
Refund policy on page 8
Additional exam site
within Canada
$400.00 plus taxes
More information on page 9
No Additional Charge
More information on page 8
Special accommodation
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2. REGISTRATION INFORMATION
2.1 Registration Process
The exam registration form must be completed and returned with payment to the CAOT National Office
prior to the appropriate deadline. Candidates will be considered fully registered for the exam only
upon completion of the exam registration by the appropriate deadline.
Registration forms may be returned with payment by courier, regular mail or fax (where payment is made
by VISA or MasterCard).The CAOT National Office contact information is indicated directly at the top of the
exam registration form.
2.2 Refund Policy
A candidate who withdraws their application will be refunded fifty percent (50%) of the examination fee if
CAOT National Office receives written notification of such withdrawal a minimum of fourteen (14) days
prior to the examination date. Candidates who have not withdrawn their registrations in writing at least
fourteen (14) days prior to the exam date will forfeit the entire fee.
A candidate who is unable to write the examination due to circumstances beyond their control may apply for a refund. Such a candidate must submit written evidence of the circumstances to CAOT. The
amount of any such refund will be at the discretion of the CAOT Executive Director.
2.3 Language Preference
The National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination is offered in either one of Canada’s two official
languages. Candidates must indicate their choice of either English or French at the time of registration on the
exam registration form. Special language services are not provided.
Candidates may within one half hour of the start of the examination request to continue the
exam in the other language. In this case the candidate must submit the first version to the exam
invigilator. No extra time will be allotted. Candidates also have the option to review a question in the
second language at any point during the examination.
2.4 Services for Candidates with Special Needs
Candidates with special needs may request special accommodations and arrangements to take the examination on the national exam date. In order to request and have special accommodations arranged for
the exam, candidates must:
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• contact CAOT National Office prior to the appropriate exam registration deadline to request a
special accommodations application form or download it from the exam website.
• complete the accommodation form by clearly indicating what specific accommodations they are requesting
• include appropriate documentation supporting their request (e.g. letter from regulated health professional, educational assessment, etc.)
 return the completed application with documents to CAOT National Office before the appropriate
exam registration deadline
All special accommodation requests are subject to approval by the CAOT Executive Director on a case by
case basis. Candidates will be notified of the decision on their request by telephone or email. Approved
special accommodations will be arranged for the candidate at no extra charge.
2.5 Additional Exam Site Requests
At the discretion of CAOT, additional exam sites within Canada may be arranged at an additional cost. In
order to request and have an additional exam site arranged, candidates must:
 contact CAOT National Office prior to the appropriate registration deadline to request an
additional site application form or download the form from the exam website
• complete the additional site application form by indicating what city in Canada they are requesting to write the exam in
 return the completed application with the additional examination site fee payment to CAOT
National Office before the appropriate exam registration deadline
For additional sites where more than one candidate is registered to write on exam day, a discount will be
applied against the additional exam site application fee. (An administration fee of $35 (plus GST/HST) will
be retained.) In this case, refunds will be issued to eligible candidates approximately four weeks after the
examination date.
2.6 Appeals on the Basis of Extenuating Circumstances
Candidates who experience ill health during the exam and continue to write the exam, or believe that
there were administrative issues on the examination day that significantly impaired their performance can
petition on the basis of extenuating circumstances.
Candidates who submit an appealon the grounds of ill health should inform the exam invigilator and deliver a letter with medical report to the CAOT Executive Director within fourteen (14)
days of the exam date. Candidates who submit a petition for administrative issues should inform the invigilator and forward a detailed letter to the CAOT Executive Director within seven
(7) days of the exam date. Both these petitions must be accompanied by a $50.00 (plus GST/HST)
petition fee made payable to CAOT to cover the costs of the required investigation. Exam results will be
withheld from the candidate until the required investigation has taken place. Should the claim prove valid,
CAOT will refund the fee in full.
2.7 Site Confirmation Letter for Exam Day
All candidates who complete their registration to write the NOTCE by the appropriate deadline will receive
a Site Confirmation Letter approximately three (3) weeks prior to the exam date. This letter will include the
date, time and exact examination location. Site changes are not possible at this time.
The site confirmation letter must be retained for presentation at the exam site on the examination day.
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3. EXAM ADMINISTRATION
3.1 Exam Day
On the day of the exam all candidates must bring the following to the exam site:
 One piece of photo identification (e.g.: student card, driver’s license, or passport)
 Site Confirmation Letter
Candidates are required to report one half hour (30 minutes) prior to the examination starting time for
admittance, identification and verbal instructions.
Candidates must ensure they have adequate time for arranging travel to and from the examination site.
Important Note: Candidates arriving more than thirty (30) minutes after the examination starting
time will not be admitted into the exam and will forfeit their exam.
It is recommended that candidates familiarize themselves with the exact location of the exam site prior to
exam day. On the day of the exam please note that:
 it is advisable to dress appropriately (i.e., layered clothing) as exam room temperatures may
vary

bottled water is permitted in the exam room

drinks (other than bottled water) and food are NOT permitted in the exam
room

all supplies will be provided at the exam
site

no scratch paper is allowed

no unauthorized visitors will be permitted into the exam room

cell phones are not permitted in the exam room
It is the responsibility of the individual candidate to notify CAOT National Office if they are ill
on the day of the examination and cannot attend. Candidates must contact CAOT office immediately by telephone at 1-800-434-2268 ext 235 to determine what options are available to
them.
3.2 Time Frame
The NOTCE time frame is as follows:
 Paper 1 is held from 9:00 am until 11:00 am.
 Paper 2 is held from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm
Each examination paper has a set of instructions at the beginning. The invigilator will review these instructions at the start of both the morning and afternoon sessions. Do not arrive late or you will miss these vital instructions.
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3.3 Security
NOTCE procedures are designed to promote fair and equal treatment for all candidates including protection
against cheating by other candidates. Cheating is defined by CAOT as any action on the part of the candidate intended to circumvent the purposes of the examination. To ensure that impostors do not replace bona
fide candidates, identification of the candidates attempting the examination by facial photograph or other
acceptable means must be validated before entry to each paper of the examination session.
Candidates are not permitted to remove or attempt to remove any examination material from the examination site. All materials related to the examination must be turned in to the invigilator. The back cover of the
examination booklet can be used by candidates to make notes during the examination. Both the examination booklet and the answer sheet must be turned in to the invigilator with all pages attached and intact. If the
back cover of the examination booklet is not turned in or is missing, the corresponding answer sheet will not
be accepted or marked.
The performance of all examinees is monitored and may be analyzed statistically for purposes of detecting
fraud. If it is determined that a score has questionable validity, CAOT may conduct an inquiry to determine
whether the examinee’s score will be released.
3.4 Security Violations
Examination results of the candidate(s) proven to have violated any of the preceding security conditions
will be deemed null and void. Additional prosecution measures may also be imposed on the offending candidate(s).
3.5 Examination Evaluation
All candidates are requested to complete the Examination Evaluation Form upon completion of the exam.
All feedback from the evaluation forms are collated and reviewed by the Certification Examination Committee (CEC) after each exam administration.
3.6 Examination Results
All candidates will be notified of their examination results by mail approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks
after the exam date. Results will not be provided by telephone, facsimile or email for reasons of
confidentiality. Address forms will be provided to candidates on the examination date. This address will
be used as a delivery address for candidate results. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure
that this address is correct and current.
All exam results are final. In order to ensure accuracy, all unsuccessful exams are re-scored
by hand before the results are sent to the candidates.
It is the responsibility of the candidate to forward their examination results to provincial regulatory organizations and/or employers where necessary. It is the mandate of the provincial regulatory organization to determine your eligibility to practice. CAOT will forward examination results on behalf
of a candidate to a specific provincial regulatory organization only upon receipt of a written request and
payment of an administrative fee. This will only be done once the candidate has already received their results by mail.
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3.7 Understanding your performance profile
The scores reported to candidates in the profile of performance on the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination are converted to a standardized scale ranging from a minimum of 100 to a maximum
of 450. The passing score for the NOTCE is 290. Candidates who correctly answer more items than are
required to pass the examination will obtain scaled scores that are between 290 and 450. Candidates who
did not correctly answer enough items to pass will obtain scaled scores between 100 and 289.
The passing score for the examination was determined through a systematic process of rating item
difficulty conducted by subject matter experts.
Candidates are provided their overall scaled score as well as scaled scores for each of the content
categories of the examination blueprint. Candidates cannot add up or average their scaled scores to
arrive at their overall scaled score. The number of items from each content category within the two
axes of the Enabling Occupation (i.e., Professional Knowledge and Practice Process) and the Supporting Role Components of the examination differs and therefore averaging or summing the scaled
scores is inappropriate for producing the total examinations score.
3.8 Exam score breakdowns for unsuccessful candidates
Candidates who are not successful will receive a detailed breakdown of their results with their examinations
score letter. The detailed examination score breakdown profile provides further analysis of the candidate’s
performance by each content category within the two axes of the Enabling Occupation and the Supporting
Role components of the examination blueprint. For example, if candidates receive a score below 290 in any
of the blueprint categories, they should focus their study efforts on that category as well as all the other categories the next time they write the examination.
Candidates should review their examinations scores for each examination category by comparing their performance to the column providing the average performance for the Canadian educated candidates writing
for the first time (the reference group). This will help the candidate see how well they performed compared
to that group.
All candidates with scores very close to the passing score are routinely hand-scored prior to their results being released. This provides a quality control step to ensure that candidates are scored accurately. Unsuccessful candidates should note that their papers have already been hand-scored and reviewed for possible errors in the marking system prior to their results being released.
3.9 Exam re-writes for unsuccessful candidates
Unsuccessful exam candidates may re-write the examination at any subsequent sitting upon completion of
the exam registration form with payment prior to the appropriate exam deadline. For CAOT membership
purposes, there is no limit to the number of times a candidate may attempt the exam.
Candidates should contact their provincial regulatory organization to find out the conditions under which they may be employed as an occupational therapist and to find out how many times the
exam may be attempted for provincial registration purposes.
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Notes:
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