Licensure Information for I-O Psychologists
Licensure of the title "Psychologist" (known as a title law) and/or the practice of "Psychology" (known as a practice law) is restricted in almost every state in the U.S. and province in Canada. The specifics and restrictiveness of state and province licensure requirements differ, but they have a few main requirements in common:
- obtaining a Ph.D./Psy.D. from an accredited university
- supervision for a period of time by a licensed psychologist
- obtaining a qualifying score on the EPPP
- passing an oral exam conducted by the state board (California no longer requires)
The SIOP State Affairs Committee monitors information about state licensing requirements for I-O psychologists. We welcome your comments and experiences with the licensing practices in your state. If you have questions or comments, please contact the Chair of the State Affairs Committee, Judy Blanton: jblanton@rhrinternational.com.
In the following sections you will find information about SIOP's official position on licensure of I-O psychologists, information about terminology used in licensing regulations, and links to information about licensing requirements in individual states and provinces, as well as links to other resources for information about licensing requirements and procedures.
Below is a summary of the SIOP policy on licensure published in the July 1996 issue of The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist (TIP):
Background
A special task force was assembled to reexamine SIOP's policy on licensure in 1993. A report and draft revision of the policy was published in 1995 (The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 1995, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 12-20). Comments from the membership were collected, and further revisions were made to the policy. On April 28, 1996, the SIOP Executive Committee voted to adopt the revised policy on licensure. This revised policy reflects a three-year effort of past presidents (Mike Campion, Wally Borman, and Paul Sackett), the State Affairs Committee (chaired by Jay Thomas), a task force, the Executive Committees, and dozens of SIOP members who took the opportunity to comment.
Policy Preamble
Licensure of the title of "Psychologist" and/or practice of "Psychology" is restricted in many states. Industrial and Organizational Psychologists, as citizens, obey the laws in the states in which they live and work. Concurrently, it is also true that many of the work and research activities of I-O psychologists are not unique to this discipline, do not pose a threat of harm to the public, and are not subject to licensure. In accord with these principles, SIOP has formulated the following policy on licensure:
SIOP recognizes that some states require that certain areas of I-O practice be licensed. SIOP members should be allowed to be licensed in these states if they desire, and SIOP should provide guidance to state licensing boards on how to evaluate the education and training of an I-O psychologist.
In addition, many, if not most, I-O psychologists practice in more than one state from time to time. SIOP recognizes that some states require that I-O psychologists must be licensed in that state before practicing in that state. SIOP believes this is inappropriate for I-O Psychologists. Therefore, it is SIOP s position that:
A licensed I-O psychologist should be allowed to practice in another state for a reasonable period of time without having to obtain a license in that state (e.g., 60 days of professional services per year).
Click here to view SIOP's policy in its entirety.
Licensure Definitions
Title Law--Laws, statutes, rules, and/or regulations which refer to the public use of any title or description of services incorporating the words "psychology", "psychological" or "psychologist", or claims to be trained, experienced, or an expert in the field of psychology and offers to engage or engages in the practice of psychology for any person for a fee. Title use laws vary from state to state.
Practice Law--Laws, statutes, rules, and/or regulations which refer to the actual practice of psychology by a covered person. Activities included under practice law vary widely from state to state, but may include methods and procedures of understanding, predicting and influencing behavior, such as the principles pertaining to learning, perception, motivation, thinking, emotions and interpersonal relationships; the methods and procedures of interviewing; counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and biofeedback; or administering and interpreting tests of mental abilities, aptitudes, interests, attitudes, personality characteristics, emotion and motivation.
State and Provincial Licensure Boards
Alabama Alabama * Alaska * Alberta *Arizona * Arkansas * British Columbia * California * Colorado * Connecticut * Delaware * District of Columbia * Florida * Georgia * Hawaii * Idaho * Illinois * Indiana * Iowa * Kansas * Kentucky * Louisiana * Maine * Manitoba * Maryland * Massachusetts * Michigan * Minnesota * Mississippi * Missouri * Montana * Nebraska * Nevada * New Brunswick * Newfoundland * New Hampshire * New Jersey * New Mexico * New York * North Carolina * North Dakota * Northwest Territories * Nova Scotia * Ohio * Oklahoma * Ontario * Oregon * Pennsylvania * Prince Edward Island * Quebec * Rhode Island * Saskatchewan * South Carolina * South Dakota * Tennessee * Texas * Utah * Vermont * Virginia * Washington * West Virginia * Wisconsin * Wyoming
Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology
660 Adams Avenue, Suite 360
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 242-4127
Alaska Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
Tel (907) 465-3811
Fax (907) 465-2974
Contact: Ruth Bluhm
- Detailed site
- Online application
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
- I-O or related activities not included
College of Alberta Psychologists
2100 SunLife Place
10123 - 99 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 3H1
Tel (780) 424-5070
Fax (780) 420-1241
Contact: Dr. Alexandra Kinkaide (Registrar) or
Pierre Berube (Deputy Registrar)
Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners
1400 West Washington, Room 235
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 542-8162
Contact: Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners
Fax: (602) 542-8279
- Detailed site
- Online application and exam schedules
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Arkansas Board of Examiners in Psychology
101 East Capitol, Suite 415
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 682-6168
Contact: Janet Welsh
- Detailed site
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
College of Psychologists of British Columbia
Suite 404, 1755 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6J 4S5
Tel (604) 736-6164 & (800) 665-0979
Fax (604) 736-6133
Contact: Dr. Andrea Kowaz (Registrar)
California Board of Psychology
1422 Howe Avenue, Suite 22
Sacramento, CA 95825-3200
(916) 263-2699
Contact: California Board of Psychology
- Detailed site
- Exam schedules
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Colorado Board of Psychologist Examiners
1560 Broadway, Suite 1370
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 894-7770
- Detailed site
- Online application
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Connecticut Board of Examiners of Psychologists
Department of Public Health
410 Capitol Avenue, MS# 12APP
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
(860) 509-7648
Contact: Donna Winiarski
- Limited site
- Online applications and exam schedules
- State rules and regulations
Delaware Board of Examiners of Psychology
861 Silver Lake Blvd.
Cannon Building, Suite 203
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
(302) 739-4522, ext. 220
- Limited site
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
District of Columbia Board of Psychology
825 N. Capitol St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-9200
Florida Board of Psychology
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C05
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3255
(850) 245-4373
Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217-3858
Tel (478) 207-1670
Fax (478) 207-1676
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Hawaii Board of Psychology
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
(808) 586-2693
Idaho Board of Psychologist Examiners
Bureau of Occupational Licenses
1109 Main Street, Suite 220
Boise, ID 83702-5642
Tel (208) 334-3233
Fax (208) 334-3945
Contact: Idaho State Board of Psychologist Examiners
- Limited site
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Illinois Dept. of Professional Regulation
Department of Professional Regulation
320 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786
Tel (217) 785-0800
Fax (217) 782-7645
- Limited site
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Indiana State Psychology Board
402 W. Washington St., Room 041
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-1129
Contact: Kimberly Oakley
- Limited site
- Exam schedules
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Iowa Board of Psychology Examiners
Bureau of Professional Licensure
Iowa Department of Public Health
321 East 12th Street
Lucas State Office Bldg. - 4th Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
(515) 281-4401
E-mail: scook@idph.state.ia.us
Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board
712 S. Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603-3817
(785) 296-3240
Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology
P.O. Box 1306
Frankfort, KY 40602
(502) 564-4818, ext. 226
Contact: Wendy Satterly
- Detailed site
- Online application, but no exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
8280 YMCA Plaza Drive, Building 8-B
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
(225) 763-3935
Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists
35 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 624-8600
Contact: Linda Duffy
Psychological Association of Manitoba
59 Goulet St., Suite 307
Winnipeg, MB R2H 0R5
Tel (204) 947-3698
Fax (204) 487-0784
E-mail: pam@mts.net
Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists
4201 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215-2299
(410) 764-4787
Contact: Joe Compton
Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists
Division of Registration
239 Causeway Street
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 727-3074
Contact: Karen Schwartz
- Detailed site
- Online application and exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Michigan Board of Psychology
611 West Ottawa
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 373-9102
Minnesota Board of Psychology
2829 University Avenue SE, Suite 320
St. Paul, MN 55414-3237
(612) 617-2230
Mississippi State Board of Psychological Examiners
4273 I-55 North, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39206
(601) 321-4621
Missouri State Committee of Psychologists
3605 Missouri Blvd.
P.O. Box 1335
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1335
Tel (573) 751-0099
Fax (573) 526-3489
Contact: State Committee of Psychologists
- Detailed site
- Online application and exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Montana Board of Psychologists
111 N. Last Chance Gulch
Arcade Building, Lower Level
P.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Tel (406) 444-5436
Fax (406) 444-1667
Contact: Cheryl Brandt
- Detailed site
- Online application and exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Nebraska Board of Examiners of Psychologists
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
Tel (402) 471-2117
Fax (402) 471-3577
e-mail: doh6121@vmhost.cdp.state.ne.us
State of Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners
P.O. Box 2286
Reno, NV 89505-2286
(775) 688-1268
e-mail: nobp@govmail.state.nv.us
College of Psychologists of New Brunswick
403 Regent St., Suite 211
Fredericton, NB E3B 3X6
Tel (506) 459-1994
Fax (506) 459-3608
Contact: Arthur L. Lamrock (Registrar)
E-mail: cpnb@nbnet.nb.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador Psychology Board
P.O. Box 5666, Station C
St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 5W8
(709) 579-6313
Contact: Registrar
New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice
105 Pleasant Street, Room 204C
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-6762
New Jersey State Board of Psychological Examiners
P.O. Box 45017
Newark, NJ 07101
(973) 504-6439
- Site contains only contact information
New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners
2055 Pacheco Street, Suite 400
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 476-7077
E-mail: PsychologistExaminers@state.nm.us
New York State Board for Psychology
NYS Education Dept.
Cultural Educ. Ctr., Rm. 3041
Albany, NY 12230
(518) 474-3866
Contact: New York State Board for Psychology
- Limited site
- Title regulations summarized
- Title law
North Carolina Psychology Board
895 State Farm Rd., Suite 101
Boone, NC 28607
(828) 262-2258
North Dakota State Board of Psychologists Examiners
P.O. Box 8380
Grand Forks, ND 58202
(701) 777-2044
Registration of Psychologists in the Northwest Territories
Department of Health and Social Services
Eighth Floor, Centre Square Tower
Government of the NWT
Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Tel (867) 920-8637
Fax (867) 873-0484
Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology
Suite 1115, Halifax Professional Centre
5991 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, NS B3H 1Y6
Tel (902) 423-2238
Fax (902) 423-0058
Contact: Ms. Rilda van Fegellen (Registrar)
E-mail: nsbep@ns.sympatico.ca
Ohio State Board of Psychology
77 S. High Street - 18th Fl.
Columbus, OH 43266-0321
(614) 466-8808
Contact: State Board of Psychologists
- Detailed site
- Exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
1000 N.E. 10th St., Room 504
Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1299
(405) 271-6118
College of Psychologists of Ontario
1246 Yonge St., Suite 201
Toronto, ON M4T 1W5
Tel (416) 961-8817 & (800) 489-8388
Contact: Dr. Catherine Yarrow (Registrar)
E-mail: cpo@cpo.on.ca
Oregon State Board of Psychologist Examiners
3218 Pringle Rd. SE, Ste. 130
Salem, OR 97302-6309
(503) 378-4154
Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
Tel (717) 783-7155
Fax (717) 787-7769
E-mail: psycholo@pados.dos.state.pa.us
Prince Edward Island Psychologists Registration Board
Office of the Dean of Arts
University of PEI
Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3
Tel (902) 566-0307
Fax (902) 566-0304
Contact: Dr. Philip Smith (Registrar)
Ordre des Psychologues du Quebec
1100 Avenue Beaumont
Bureau 510
Mont-Royal (Quebec) H3P 3H5
Tel (514) 738-1881 & (800) 363-2644
Fax (514) 737-6431
Contact: Dr. Rene Corriveau (Secretaire general)
E-mail: sercomm@orderpsy.qc.ca
Rhode Island Board of Psychology
3 Capitol Hill - 104 Cannon Bldg.
Providence, RI 02908-5097
(401) 222-2827
Saskatchewan College of Psychologists
P.O. Box 3664
Regina, SK
S4P 3N8
Tel (306) 352-1699
Fax (306) 352-1697
E-mail: skcp@sasktel.net
South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology
P.O. Box 11329
Columbia, SC 29211-1329
Tel (803) 896-4664
Fax (803) 896-4687
Contact: Patricia Glenn
- Detailed site
- Exam schedule and online application
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists
135 East Illinois, Suite 214
Spearfish, SD 57783
Tel (605) 642-1600
Fax (605) 642-1756
Contact: Board of Examiners of Psychologists
- Limited site
- Exam schedule and online application
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology
426 5th Avenue North
Cordell Hull Building, 1st Floor
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
(615) 532-5127
Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
333 Guadalupe, Tower 2, Room 450
Austin, TX 78701
Tel (512) 305-7700
Fax (512) 305-7701
Contact: Board of Examiners of Psychologists
- Limited site
- Exam schedule
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Utah Psychologist Licensing Board
Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing
160 E. 300 S, Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741
(801) 530-6628
- Limited site
- Online application
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Vermont Board of Psychological Examiners
Office of Professional Regulation
26 Terrace Street, Drawer 09
Montpelier, VT 05609-1101
(802) 828-2373
Virginia Board of Psychology
6606 West Broad St, 4th Floor
Richmond, VA 23230-1717
(804) 662-9913
Contact: Board of Psychology
- Limited site
- Online application
- Rules and regulations
Washington State Examining Board of Psychology
Department of Health
P.O. Box 47869
Olympia, WA 98504-7869
(360) 236-4910
West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists
P.O. Box 3955
Charleston, WV 25339-3955
(304) 558-0604
Bureau of Health Service Professions - Psychology Examining Board
Department of Regulation & Licensing
1400 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 266-0145
- Limited site
- Statutes, rules, and regulations
- Title and practice law
Wyoming State Board of Psychology
2020 Carey Avenue, #201
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Tel (307) 777-6529
Fax (307) 777-3508
Contact: Debra L. Bridges (Occupational licensing officer)
Licensure Links
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
Association of state, provincial, and territorial agencies responsible for licensure and certification of psychologists throughout the United States and Canada. Administers the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). Distributes licensure related brochures for a fee.
American Psychological Association Licensure Information
Discusses the APA's position on licensure. Links to ASPPB site and APA-affiliated state psychological associations.
Related Sites
SIOP's Response to the APA Commission on Education and Training Leading to Licensure (Sept, 2001)
The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Division 14 of the APA and Affiliate of American Psychological Society (APS). Site includes membership links, information on related activities, affiliated groups, and links to the journal TIP.
American Psychological Association
Scientific and professional organization representing psychology and psychologists in the United States. Site includes membership links, APA publications, psychology related information, and APA activities.
Association for Psychological Science
Organization dedicated to scientifically oriented psychology. Site includes membership links, APS publications, psychology related information, and APS activities.
Other Resources
Licensing Issues for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists and Other Non-Health Care Providers. By Judith Blanton published in Psychology Licensure and Certification: What Students Need to Know, edited by Thomas J. Vaughn and published by APA 2006.
This page last modified on November 9, 2007
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