Frequently Asked Questions

August Credentialing Freeze: All health professional and facility licensing systems will be unavailable from 5 p.m. Friday, August 22, until the morning of Tuesday, August 26, 2025. If your license expires during this time, please renew early to avoid delays. 

 

Licensing Pathways | Initial Licensure | Online Doctoral Degree Programs | Telepath/PSYPACT

Licensing Pathways

Which License Pathway Should I Apply For?

Applicants are encouraged to look closely at the full licensure requirements found in each link, assess professional goals, and determine the best option from one of the licensure paths below.

Temporary Practice Permit – WAC 246-924-480 

  • For applicants who only need to practice for a temporary period.

Endorsement – WAC 246-924-100

  • For applicants seeking full licensure that have had an active license for at least two years in another state or country that has been deemed substantially equivalent by the board based on licensure requirements.

Probationary (Reciprocity Program) – WAC 246-924-493

  • For applicants seeking eventual full licensure who would like to seek and accept employment opportunities while the Department of Health assesses the gap in license requirements. 
  • Applicants will pay for both the Probationary and Examination application fees as listed in WAC 246-924-990 and once licensing requirements are met would be issued the full license. 
  • The probationary license will typically be the best option if you do not meet all education requirements or post-graduation supervised experience requirements. If an applicant does not need time to meet licensing requirements, they would benefit from seeking licensure through one of the other more direct pathways such as by endorsement or examination.

Examination – WAC 246-924-043

  • For applicants who are either seeking full licensure for the very first time as a psychologist or who don’t meet the requirements for psychologists who are already licensed in another state/jurisdiction.
How long is a Temporary Practice Permit valid? How do I qualify for and obtain the Temporary Practice Permit?

The Temporary Practice Permit is valid for one year from the date it’s issued and will allow the holder to practice for a maximum of 90 days within that given year. The days do not have to be consecutive. The license is not renewable but once it expires another application may be submitted.

To Qualify

  • Applicants must be currently licensed and in good standing in another state or jurisdiction that has been deemed substantially equivalent by the board. See the Equivalent States/Countries webpage to determine if your jurisdiction is equivalent. 
    • If the Department of Health can’t verify online that the out-of-state license is in good standing, then the state or jurisdiction must send verification of that license to the Department of Health. 
  • A psychologist may also qualify if they can provide documentation of holding current membership in any of the following:
    • A health service psychologist credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologist 
    • A diplomate from the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology 
    • Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards 
    • A diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology

Verification must come directly from each professional organization to the Department of Health. 

  • If an applicant does not come from a state that has been deemed substantially equivalent, they may still qualify if they can demonstrate proof of graduating from an APA/CPA/PCSAS accredited doctoral program and has successfully completed an APA/CPA/APPIC approved internship.

To Obtain the License

  • Applicants must submit a temporary permit application either online or through a paper application (PDF). 
  • If the Department of Health cannot verify the out-of-state license online, the applicant’s licensing state will need to send a verification directly to the department. 
  • There is no fee.
How can I qualify and obtain a full license through the endorsement pathway?

To Qualify

Washington state has multiple endorsement pathways. Below are the details on how to qualify for each one. Please note that some of our endorsement pathways are very similar but cannot be combined. Therefore, please verify that you meet all the requirements within the pathway you choose to apply through. If you qualify fully for one pathway then you can proceed with submitting a licensing application through endorsement:

To qualify under Pathway 1:

  • Applicants must come from a substantially equivalent state. See the Equivalent States/Countries webpage to determine if your jurisdiction is equivalent;
  • Applicants must have been licensed for at least two years immediately preceding their application without interruption in licensure lasting longer than 90 days; and
  • Applicants must not have not been subject to disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct or impairment in the two years preceding their application or during the pendency of their application. Applicants also cannot be under investigation or subject to charges.

To qualify under Pathway 2A:

  • Applicants must come from an essentially equivalent state or country. See the Equivalent States/Countries webpage to determine if your jurisdiction is equivalent;
  • Applicants must have been licensed for at least two years; and
  • Applicants must hold a doctoral degree with primary emphasis on psychology from an accredited school.

To qualify under Pathway 2B (this pathway can only be used if you are trying to qualify under pathway 2A, it cannot be used under Pathway 1. This pathway is for those that come from a non-essentially equivalent state or country under Pathway 2A.):

  • Applicants must have been licensed for at least two years; and
  • Applicants must provide documentation of meeting Washington state’s credentialing requirements in the area(s) the board has determined are not essentially equivalent. See the Equivalent States/Countries webpage to determine what area(s) were not deemed essentially equivalent for the applicants licensing jurisdiction.

To qualify under Pathway 3: 

  • A psychologist must provide documentation of holding current membership and certification in any of the following:
    • Health service psychologist credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologist;
    • Diplomate from the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology 
    • Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards; or 
    • Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology. 

Verification must come directly from each professional organization to the Department of Health. 

To Obtain the License 

  • Applicants must submit an endorsement application either online or through a paper application (PDF). 
  • Submit an official transcript with degree and date posted received directly from the educational program. Transcripts not in English must have an official translation. If official transcripts are submitted electronically, please request transcripts to be emailed to PSYCapplication@doh.wa.gov.
  • Submit verification of the out-of-state license in good standing, if online verification is not available. 
  • Score transfer of EPPP (out-of-country applicants may be required to take the exam)
  • FBI Fingerprinting (email with instructions is sent by credentialing team after application is submitted)
  • Pay application fee.
  • If applying under Pathway 3, additionally provide verification of current membership from the professional organization directly to the department from the issuing organization. This can be mailed or emailed to PSYCapplication@doh.wa.gov.
  • If applying under Pathway 2B, additionally submit supporting documentation of meeting Washington state’s credentialing requirements in the area(s) the board has determined are not essentially equivalent. See the Equivalent States/Countries webpage to determine what area(s) were not deemed essentially equivalent for the applicants licensing jurisdiction.
How can I qualify and obtain a license through the probationary pathway?

The probationary license is a temporary credential issued for one year, with the option to renew it once for an additional year. Its purpose is to allow the license holder to seek and accept employment while the Department of Health reviews any gaps in meeting the full licensing requirements. During the probationary period, the applicant will have time to address the areas where they do not yet meet the licensure criteria. By the end of the probationary license term, the applicant must either fulfill all the requirements for full licensure as a psychologist or explore other licensure options.

To Qualify 

  • Applicant must currently have or have held a license in the past twelve months from a state that has been deemed substantially equivalent by the Department of Health based on scope of practice. See the Substantially Equivalent States/Countries webpage under scope of practice to determine if your state is equivalent.
    • If the Department of Health can’t verify online that the out-of-state license is in good standing, then the state or jurisdiction must send verification of that license to the Department of Health.
  • Applicant must not have a disciplinary or disqualifying criminal history.

To Obtain the License

  • Applicants must submit both a probationary and examination application either online or through a paper application (PDF). 
  • Submit an official transcript with degree and date posted received directly from the educational program. Transcripts not in English must have an official translation. The doctoral degree submitted must meet the requirements of WAC 246-924-046. If doctoral degree is non-APA/CPA/PCSAS, syllabi may be requested for some or all courses to verify it meets criteria.
  • Submit verification of supervision experience. Each supervisor will need to complete the Professional Reference Request (PRR) form (PDF) and submit directly to the department by email at PSYCapplication@doh.wa.gov or through the mail.
  • Score transfer of EPPP
  • FBI Fingerprinting (email with instructions is sent by credentialing team after application is submitted)
  • Pay application fee.
How can I qualify for and obtain a full license through the examination pathway?

To Qualify 

  • Applicants must hold a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution, obtained from an integrated program of graduate study in psychology. If the doctoral degree was not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) it must include:
    • At least 51 semester hours or 85 quarter hours of graduate courses in curriculum areas described in WAC 246-924-046(2). Courses must be clearly identified by title and course content as being part of an integrated psychology program.
    • A residency as detailed in WAC 246-924-048.
    • Submission of an original dissertation that is psychological in nature and endorsed by the doctoral program.
    • An organized, sequential and coordinated practicum and internship experience as described in WAC 246-924-052 and WAC 246-924-056. 
  • Applicants must have completed a total of 3,300 hours of supervision. 

To Obtain the License

  • Applicants must submit an examination application either online or through a paper application (PDF). 
  • Submit an official transcript with degree and date posted received directly from the educational program. Transcripts not in English must have an official translation. If doctoral degree is non-APA/CPA/PCSAS, syllabi may be requested for some or all courses to verify it meets criteria.
  • Submit verification of supervision experience. Each supervisor will need to complete the Professional Reference Request (PRR) form (PDF) and submit directly to the department by email at PSYCapplication@doh.wa.gov or through the mail. An applicant may not sign off as supervising their own hours.
  • FBI Fingerprinting (email with instructions is sent by credentialing team after application is submitted)
  • Pass the Examination of Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) Exam
  • Pay application fee.

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Initial Licensure

Supervised Experience

How many hours of supervised experience are needed to be licensed in Washington State?

In order to qualify for licensure, an applicant must meet complete of a minimum of 3,300 hours of supervised experience. The hours must be completed as part of different supervised experiences as follows:

See WAC 246-924-043.

Where do I list supervised experience gained after completion of the internship and before conferral of the doctoral degree?

Supervised experience hours must fall within one of the three allowed categories:

None of the categories offer an option for hours completed in between the internship and the conferral of the doctoral degree. Therefore, unless the hours can fall under one of the three allowed categories then they cannot count towards licensure requirements.

Practicum

Does supervising other staff/volunteers count as direct client contact for a practicum?

The practicum hours must be at least 300 hours of direct experience providing psychological services. If the practicum hours are not direct experience, then the hours would not meet the requirements and therefore not count towards licensure.
See WAC 246-924-052.

Can the practicum be completed after the doctoral degree is conferred?

The requirement is for the practicum to be a part of the doctoral degree program. There is no alternative offered to complete the practicum after-the-fact if the doctoral degree program did not include a practicum. 
See WAC 246-924-052.

Internship

If I did not complete an APA/CPA/APPIC-approved internship, what should I include with my application?

Please include with your application:

  • The written statement or brochure describing the goals and content of the internship, stating clear expectations and quality of student work. 
  • Completed Professional Reference Request forms (PDF) for each supervisor. 

See WAC 246-924-056 and WAC 246-924-057.

The APPIC application for doctoral internship allowed hours earned in a master's internship to be counted toward total clinical hours reported. May those master's level internship hours count towards the 1500 internship hours?

The internship must be part of the doctoral degree. Master's level internship hours do not count towards supervised experience required for licensure as a psychologist in Washington state.

See WAC 246-924-056 and WAC 246-924-057.

Can an internship be completed after the doctoral degree is conferred?

The internship requirements state applicants must successfully complete an organized internship as part of their doctoral degree. No alternative is offered to complete this requirement after-the-fact.

Hours completed after the doctoral degree is conferred may count towards supervised experience requirements if they meet the criteria for postdoctoral supervised experience.

See WAC 246-924-056 and WAC 246-924-057 (Internship) and WAC 246-924-059 (Postdoc).

Postdoctoral

Are postdoctoral hours a requirement?

Postdoctoral hours are not a requirement for licensure in Washington. If 3,300 hours of supervised experience haven't been completed at the end of the doctoral degree program, then up to 1,500 hours of supervised postdoctoral experience can be used to satisfy the total requirement if it meets the postdoctoral requirements.

See WAC 246-924-059.

Can I sign off on my postdoctoral hours?

An applicant may not sign off as supervising their own postdoctoral hours.

See WAC 246-924-059

Examinations

How do I get approved to take the Examination of Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) exam? What is the passing score in Washington?

The Examining Board of Psychology only approves individuals who have applied for licensure and have been verified as meeting the educational and supervised experience requirements for licensure in Washington. Once verified, the applicant will receive an email from the credentialing team with instructions on how to register for the exam. 

The passing score is 500 or higher.

Education

If I completed an APA/CPA/PCSAS-approved doctoral program, do I need to complete section six (“Documentation of Non-APA Education”) of the application?

No, only applicants who completed a doctoral educational program that was non-APA/CPA/PCSAS approved are required to complete section six of the application packet.

Do I need to submit official transcripts for all my education?

Official transcripts for your full educational journey do not have to be submitted. The Department of Health only needs official transcripts of your doctoral degree. In the cases where bachelor and master's level coursework is being used to meet the required content areas of study, then official transcripts must be received as well.

Can I submit additional documentation (i.e. resume, curriculum vitae, dissertation, published articles, etc.) with my application to demonstrate my qualifications?

The licensing requirements are set in rule with details on what needs to be submitted to prove each requirement. Additional documents, such as a resume, dissertation, etc., do not establish whether or not licensure requirements are met and therefore will not reviewed in lieu of or in addition to the application.

See WAC 246-924-043.

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Online Doctoral Degree Programs

Online programs must meet the residency requirement in WAC 246-924-048. If you graduated from an online program, please include with your application documentation of either completing one continuous year of either full-time, in-person study at the doctoral degree-granting institution or 500 hours that meet the requirements in WAC 246-924-048.

Residency

What is a residency? Does it have to be completed in Washington?

A residency is the time spent in-person during the doctoral degree program for the purpose of acculturation in the profession, involves the full participation and integration of the individual in the educational and training experience, and includes faculty-student interaction.

The residency requirements per WAC 246-924-048 indicate the doctoral degree program must involve either: 1) an academic residency of at least one continuous year of full-time, in-person study at the brick and mortar institution that grants the degree; or 2) a minimum of 500 hours of in-person educational meetings. Educational meetings are graduate-level classes, courses, seminars, or symposia that are substantially related to acquiring academic knowledge and clinical skills related to psychology. This may be achieved through multiple day or seasonal intensive sessions. See WAC 246-924-048 for full details on what qualifies and what documentation is expected to show completion.

The residency does not need to be completed in Washington state. 

Can I complete part or all my residency hours requirement through virtual means?

Residency is defined as taking place in-person. In-person is defined as contact in the same physical location. Therefore, classes utilizing technology, to include but not limited to webinars, conference calls, zoom calls, etc.... to facilitate communication between individuals who are not meeting face-to-face, do not meet or count towards the residency requirement.

My doctoral program did not include an in-person residency. Can I complete it after-the-fact or replace it with more supervised experience?

The residency is required to be completed as part of the doctoral degree, not before or after. There are no exceptions or alternatives to complete in lieu of the one continuous full-time year or the 500 educational meeting hours.

What documentation should I submit to verify the residency requirement is met?

In order to qualify, an educational meeting must:

  • (a) Include both faculty-student and student-student interaction; 
  • (b) Be conducted by the psychology faculty of the institution at least 75 percent of the time. Faculty are direct employees of the institution, contractors, guest speakers, or lecturers authorized by a faculty member; 
  • (c) Be fully documented by the institution and the applicant; 
  • (d) Relate substantially to the program components specified, involving academic knowledge and clinical skills essential to successfully practicing clinical psychology after graduation; and
  • (e) Be documented on an academic transcript including graduate level classes, courses, seminars, or symposia.

The doctoral program must provide directly to the board on the program's letterhead the following information about every component of each educational meeting: 

  • (a) Date(s) (month, day, year); 
  • (b) Start and end time;
  • (c) Name and title of faculty teaching or leading the educational meeting; 
  • (d) Name of educational meeting, including class name and number on transcript; 
  • (e) For multiday educational meetings, a daily agenda for each day of the event with the above detail. 
  • Meetings that are conducted remotely, are noneducational, or do not substantially relate to a doctoral psychology curriculum do not qualify as educational meetings. This includes conferences, networking activities, receptions, non-psychology trainings, professional association events, and any other activities that do not meet the requirements.
My doctoral degree program offers online and/or hybrid residencies. Does that meet the residency requirement?

Only the board, not a doctoral program, determines whether the residency requirement is met. Applicants from online or hybrid programs must provide the documentation detailed above to verify the residency requirement is met.

My online doctoral degree program has an Academic Year in Residence. Do I still have to provide documentation of residency?

All graduates from online (or hybrid) doctoral degree programs must submit documentation of fulfilling the residency requirement in WAC 246-924-048.

My online doctoral degree program said they meet Washington state licensure requirements. Do I still need to submit proof of residency?

All graduates from online doctoral degree programs must submit documentation of fulfilling the residency requirement in WAC 246-924-048. Only the board, not a doctoral program, determines whether or not the residency requirement is met.

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Telepath/PSYPACT

How do I know if I can provide telehealth to a client in Washington?

Any psychologist providing services to a client located in Washington state must have one of the following (there are no exceptions):

  • A temporary practice permit 
  • A full license issued by Washington state (for any reason, any length of time, etc.)
  • Be an active participant of PSYPACT
Do I need a separate license or permit to provide telehealth?

Telehealth is allowed under the Washington state psychologist license so no further registration or license is needed.

However, beginning January 1, 2021, health care professionals (excluding physicians) who are offering telemedicine services to patients, are required to complete telemedicine training. Please see the Department of Health policy statement with additional information related to this requirement (PDF) for more information. To learn more about the different training options available and access additional resources, please visit the Washington State Telehealth Collaborative Training page. To complete the free and publicly available telemedicine training, please select enroll and create a Canvas account to access the Washington State Medical Professional Telemedicine Training.

Do I need any additional training to provide telehealth?

Yes, beginning January 1, 2021, health care professionals (excluding physicians) who are offering telemedicine services to patients, are required to complete telemedicine training. Please see the Department of Health policy statement with additional information related to this requirement (PDF) for more information. To learn more about the different training options available and access additional resources, please visit the Washington State Telehealth Collaborative Training page. To complete the free and publicly available telemedicine training, please select enroll and create a Canvas account to access the Washington State Medical Professional Telemedicine Training.

What is PSYPACT?

PSYPACT (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact) is an interstate psychology compact that allows qualified psychologists from participating states to provide telehealth services and temporary in-person services to residents of other participating states. More information is available on the PSYPACT website.

Is Washington a participating state in PSYPACT?

Yes, the 2022 legislative session passed SHB 1286 which allowed Washington to join PSYPACT. 

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