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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update and NBCOT Operations

NBCOT has been closely monitoring the evolution of the coronavirus situation and evaluating information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and local and state health departments in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. On Thursday, March 12, the governor of Maryland declared a state of emergency, closed all public schools for two weeks beginning on March 16, and urged residents to social distance and work remotely to help stop the spread of the virus.

At this time, for the safety of our employees and the public, NBCOT’s operations have moved to remote work only. Candidates and certificants will experience delays in the processing of several services. Mail and deliveries to our office in Gaithersburg, MD, will not be processed during this time. All online products and services will continue with no expected interruptions.

For exam candidates, we recommend sending transcripts electronically if possible, as we will not have access to mail during this time. Please apply for the exam online through your MyNBCOT account, as paper exam applications will also be delayed. We understand the impact this may have on candidates preparing to take the national certification exam, and we are committed to maintaining the operations of our programs, products, and services as smoothly and efficiently as we can.

Prometric, our test administration vendor, is evaluating test center closures on a case-by-case basis with a close eye on specific government actions, including closing local offices, public spaces, and university campuses, along with building closures where test centers are located. All test center closures will be posted as decisions are made at www.prometric.com/closures. NBCOT will work with candidates impacted by closures due to the virus and any candidates who need to reschedule due to a positive test for the virus.

For certificants, the following processes will be affected due to mail and special delivery delays to our office:

  • Paper renewal applications – you can renew online in less than 5 minutes through your MyNBCOT account
  • Reinstatement applications
  • Verification of Certification letters – certification status can also be verified online at www.nbcot.org
  • Company Eligibility Confirmations
  • Renewal audit
  • Mailing of initial and renewal certificates
  • State reactivation exam applications
  • Visa Credential Verification Certificate (internationally educated OTRs)
  • Credential Evaluation Letter (internationally educated OTRs)

NBCOT will waive the certification renewal late fee until May 31, 2020.

The best way to communicate with us is via email at info@nbcot.org. Our phone systems will only be taking messages and we will make every effort to provide callbacks in a timely manner, but please note there may be a delay in our response.

We are constantly evaluating the situation and will provide updates as the situation evolves.