Connecticut Psychology Licensure Requirements

500

Connecticut DPH states a passing scaled score of 500 on the EPPP for examinations taken on or after April 2001 (the ASPPB-recommended cut score). For examinations taken before April 2001 the cut score was 70%. The board's pages reference only the EPPP as currently administered through Prometric; there is no published Connecticut adoption of an 'EPPP Part 1 only' or EPPP Part 2 (Skills) requirement.

Connecticut requires at least ONE YEAR of supervised work experience that may be completed at either the pre-doctoral OR post-doctoral level; it is not split into separate pre-doc and post-doc totals, so the figure is reported as a single total. The internship completed as part of the doctoral degree does NOT count toward it. Sec. 20-188-3(a)(1) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies gives two alternative ways to satisfy the year: (A) no less than 35 hours per week for no less than 46 weeks within 12 consecutive months (approximately 1,610 hours), or (B) no less than 1,800 hours within 24 consecutive months. The 1,800 figure is option (B); an applicant using option (A) can qualify with fewer total hours. No more than 40 hours per week may be credited. Supervision: for each 40 hours of work experience, at least 3 hours of supervision, of which no less than 1 hour must be individual, direct, face-to-face; the supervising doctoral-level psychologist must be licensed in the state where the experience occurred and may not concurrently supervise more than 3 individuals completing the work experience. The experience must be completed no later than 8 weeks before the scheduled licensure examination. An applicant already licensed or certified as a psychologist in another U.S. state may substitute two years of licensed work experience in lieu of this requirement (Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-188).

Not required

None currently. Connecticut formerly required a Connecticut jurisprudence / State Law Examination of 25 multiple-choice items with 18 correct required to pass, administered by DPH six times per year. That requirement no longer appears on the Department's current licensure requirements page.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT ABOUT THE STALE PDF: portal.ct.gov still hosts a 'Psychology State Law Study Guide' PDF (PsychStateLawStudyGuidepdf.pdf, page-stamped 2011) whose cover letter describes a State Law Examination of 25 multiple-choice items, minimum 18 correct to pass, administered six times per year, and states that all psychology applicants including reinstatement applicants must pass it. That document is stale and orphaned: it is dated 2011, points readers to a long-dead URL (state.ct.us/dph/Publications/BRS/HSR/exams.htm), and is not linked from any current DPH psychology page. Basis for reporting required=false: (1) the Department's current Psychologist Licensure Requirements page enumerates the complete eligibility checklist and lists only ONE examination -- 'Successful completion of the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)'; (2) archived copies of that same page from 2019 and 2020 read 'Successful completion of the following examinations' and included a bullet for 'The Connecticut jurisprudence examination,' so the bullet was affirmatively removed by the Department (removal occurred between October 2020 and October 2022); (3) as of this check, none of the current Psychology index, Psychologist Licensure, Psychologist Licensure Requirements, Reinstatement of a Lapsed License, or Board of Examiners of Psychologists pages contain any reference to a state law or jurisprudence examination; (4) the jurisprudence exam was never in statute -- Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-188 requires only 'an examination in psychology prescribed by the department with the advice and consent of the board,' so the Department could and did drop it administratively. Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-190 still permits (but does not require) the Department to ask an endorsement applicant for 'satisfactory evidence that the applicant understands Connecticut laws and regulations relating to the practice of psychology.' Applicants should confirm with DPH at (860) 509-7603 before relying on this.

1. Earn a doctoral degree from a psychology program accredited by the American Psychological Association during your attendance, or from a program that passes DPH individual review under Section 20-188-2 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
2. Complete a supervised pre-doctoral internship as part of the doctoral program; this internship does not count toward Connecticut's separate one-year work experience requirement.
3. Complete at least one year of supervised work experience at the pre- or post-doctoral level -- either 35+ hours per week for 46+ weeks within 12 consecutive months, or 1,800+ hours within 24 consecutive months -- with 3 hours of supervision per 40 hours worked, at least 1 of which is individual face-to-face, from a doctoral-level licensed psychologist; use DPH's Work Experience Pre-Approval process to confirm the setting qualifies.
4. If you need to practice before finishing the experience or the exam, apply for a $100 post-doctoral training permit, valid for no more than one year after your degree date and not renewable.
5. Apply online through the Connecticut eLicense system with the $565 application fee, and arrange for your official transcript, supervisor-completed work experience verification, EPPP score transfer, and verification of every psychology license you have ever held to be sent directly to DPH.
6. Pass the EPPP with a scaled score of at least 500; DPH notifies you of eligibility, then you register online and schedule within a 60-day Prometric testing window.
7. Complete the state and national fingerprint-based criminal history records check required of psychology licensure applicants under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-187c (effective July 1, 2023), and thereafter renew annually for $570.

PSYPACT member

Connecticut offers several routes for already-licensed psychologists. (1) Licensure by endorsement under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-190: the applicant must be a currently practicing, competent practitioner licensed or certified by a similar board of another state whose standards the Department considers substantially similar to or higher than Connecticut's, or hold a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ); the Department may waive the examination for a person holding a diploma from an approved nationally recognized board or agency, and may require evidence that the applicant understands Connecticut law and regulations governing psychology practice. Fee is $565. No license issues while disciplinary action or an unresolved complaint is pending. (2) ASPPB CPQ route: DPH may license an applicant who is a currently practicing, competent practitioner in another state and holds a current CPQ; documentation is license verifications plus CPQ verification sent directly from ASPPB, with the $565 fee. (3) Four-year practice route: DPH may license an individual who holds a current license in at least one other U.S. jurisdiction in the same profession, has practiced not less than four years, has all licenses in good standing with no pending or past discipline, and pays the normal fee -- DPH states that under this route 'you will not be required to provide transcripts, verification of any training or be required to complete an examination.' (4) Experience substitution: an applicant licensed or certified as a psychologist in another state, territory or commonwealth may substitute two years of licensed work experience in lieu of the one-year supervised work experience requirement. (5) PSYPACT: Connecticut adopted the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact pursuant to Section 42 of Public Act 22-81, effective October 1, 2022 (codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 20-187b), allowing telepsychology and temporary in-person practice across member state lines; applications are made through psypact.org, not through DPH.

Connecticut Board of Examiners of Psychologists

(860) 509-7603

Official board page →