Colorado Psychology Licensure Requirements

Not yet independently verified for this state. Confirm with the board →

POSTDOCTORAL: C.R.S. 12-245-304(1)(d) requires "at least one year of postdoctoral experience practicing psychology under supervision approved by the board," and Board Rule 1.14(C)(4)(b) quantifies that year as at least 1,500 clock hours reasonably uniformly distributed over a minimum of twelve months. Rule 1.14(C)(5)(a) additionally requires a minimum of 75 clock hours of supervision, at least 50 of which must be face-to-face individual supervision, also spread over at least twelve months. Sub-caps apply: teaching may count for up to 500 hours, research up to 500 hours, and experience supervised by a board-certified psychiatrist up to 375 hours; at least 50 hours must involve racial/ethnic bases of behavior. IMPORTANT TIMING RULE: DPO states that post-degree experience and supervision hours count toward licensure only once the applicant is registered as a Psychologist Candidate (PSYC) (or is a registered Unlicensed Psychotherapist or practising in an exempt facility). Registration as a PSYC itself requires passing the Colorado jurisprudence exam, so the jurisprudence exam must be taken BEFORE the postdoc year begins. PREDOCTORAL: the 1,500-hour internship figure comes from the Board's doctoral-program equivalency criteria in Rule 1.14(B)(2)(g)(2) - clinical, school and counseling psychology internships must encompass at least 1,500 experience hours. Applicants from APA-accredited programs satisfy this through accreditation rather than a separately counted board tally, so treat preDoc/total as the program-level standard rather than a separate filing requirement. The same rule sets a minimum practicum of 400 hours (at least 150 in direct service and 75 in formally scheduled supervision).

Required

Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination - a Board-developed, online, web-administered, open-book test of 45 multiple-choice one-best-answer items. It is untimed but must be completed within a 60-day eligibility window that opens when the fee is paid. Scores are reported on a 200-800 scale and a minimum scaled score of 500 is required to pass. A 10-day wait applies between attempts, with no limit on retakes. A passing Results Report is valid for one year and can be used for more than one application filed in that year.

Fee: $25 per attempt

Required for BOTH psychologist licensure and Psychologist Candidate (PSYC) registration - C.R.S. 12-245-304(3)(a)(III) and Board Rules 1.12(D) and 1.14(D)(1). The exam is shared across the Colorado mental health boards (addiction counselors, LPCs, MFTs, psychologists, social workers, unlicensed psychotherapists) and covers Parts 1 and 2 of the Mental Health Practice Act, Title 12 Article 245. Also required for the telehealth-only psychologist licence and for reinstating a licence that expired more than two years ago. Format/fee details are from the Board's Test Taker Information Bulletin, version 08.10.2020 - the most recent version DPO links from its Psychology Applications and Forms page; confirm the fee is current before relying on it.

1. Earn a doctoral degree with a major in psychology (or a board-determined equivalent) from an APA-accredited program or an equivalent program, including a practicum of at least 400 hours and an internship of at least 1,500 hours.
2. Pass the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination - a 45-item open-book online exam costing $25 per attempt - before anything else, because you cannot register as a Psychologist Candidate without it.
3. Register with the Board as a Psychologist Candidate (PSYC) before you start accruing post-degree hours; hours earned before you are registered do not count toward licensure.
4. Complete at least 1,500 clock hours of board-approved postdoctoral supervised practice over a minimum of twelve months, including at least 75 hours of supervision of which 50 must be face-to-face individual supervision.
5. Apply directly to ASPPB to sit for the EPPP and pass it; Colorado accepts examination results for up to five years after the test date.
6. Submit the psychologist licence application through DPO Online Services with a Colorado Bureau of Investigation name-based criminal history check completed no earlier than 60 days before applying, a Post-Degree Experience and Supervision form signed by each approved supervisor, and the required fee.

PSYPACT member

Endorsement runs through Colorado's Occupational Credential Portability Program (C.R.S. 12-245-207 and 12-20-202(3); Board Rule 1.12). An applicant holding a current, unrestricted psychology licence in good standing in another state, US territory, or through the federal government may apply if they hold a qualifying doctoral degree; attest that a licensing jurisdiction required a written competency examination covering the three areas in 12-245-304(2)(b) (or, if no exam was required at original licensure, attest to 20 years of independent practice in an ASPPB jurisdiction); attest to one year of postdoctoral supervised experience before that licensure, or to one year of active practice averaging at least 20 hours per week; and attest that their post-degree hours are substantially similar to Colorado's Rule 1.14 requirements. Alternatively an applicant may show at least one year holding a current unrestricted licence in a jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice. Shortcuts: holders of an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) in good standing are deemed to meet criteria (1) through (5); National Register health service psychologists and ABPP diplomates with five years of independent practice in an ASPPB jurisdiction are deemed to meet criteria (4) and (5). The Colorado jurisprudence examination is still required for endorsement applicants. PSYPACT: Colorado participates in the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact - C.R.S. 12-245-308 gives the Board the duty "To facilitate Colorado's participation in the compact" (the compact itself is at part 39 of article 60 of title 24), and the Board links PSYPACT from its homepage as the Interstate Psychology Compact. Colorado also offers a separate telehealth-only psychologist licence for out-of-state licensees, which requires passing the Colorado jurisprudence exam, verification of an equivalent active out-of-state licence, an attestation to practise telehealth only, and a Colorado registered agent.

Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners

(303) 894-7800

Official board page →