The purpose of this special communication is to provide an overview of noninvasive cortical stimulation techniques, the types of mechanistic information they can provide, and the ways their use is contributing to our understanding of current models of neurorehabilitation. The focus is primarily on studies using noninvasive cortical stimulation techniques in the human motor system. Noninvasive cortical stimulation techniques are useful tools in the field of neurorehabilitation that are being actively used to test proposed models of functional recovery after neurologic injury. They can provide insight into the physiologic mechanisms of functional recovery and are under investigation as a possible auxiliary intervention to modulate cortical excitability and enhance training effects.