Iowa Psychology Licensure Requirements

500

Iowa's rules do not print a numeric cut score. For initial licensure, 481 IAC 880.3(2)"b" says only "The EPPP passing score shall be utilized as the Iowa passing score." The endorsement rule, 481 IAC 880.6(1)"c"(1), is explicit that "The recommended passing score established by the ASPPB shall be considered passing" — i.e. the ASPPB-recommended scaled score of 500. The rules refer to the EPPP as a single national examination and say nothing about an EPPP Part 2 (Skills) requirement, so Iowa appears to be Part 1 only; treat that as unstated rather than affirmatively excluded.

Postdoctoral: 481 IAC 880.8(1) requires a postdoctoral residency of at least 1,500 hours completed in no less than ten months, begun only after all doctoral academic requirements including the predoctoral internship are finished. It must include at least 45 hours of individual supervision by a licensed psychologist (group supervision does not count). Iowa Code 154B.6(1)"a" states the underlying requirement as "at least one year of supervised professional experience." Predoctoral: a predoctoral internship must be completed before the residency starts, but the psychology licensure rules set no hour figure for it, so preDoc is left null. (A 1,500-hour / 12-month internship standard does appear at 481 IAC 880.2(5)"b"(12), but it applies only to non-APA/CPA/APPIC internship programs being evaluated for the separate certified health service provider in psychology credential — not to the basic psychologist licence — so it was not carried into preDoc.) total is null because the predoctoral figure is unverified.

Not required

No Iowa state law / jurisprudence examination for psychologists. The examination rule, 481 IAC 880.3(2), requires only the national EPPP, and the board's own application checklist lists the EPPP as the sole examination requirement. Renewal does require attestation of two hours of training in child abuse identification and reporting and two hours in dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (481 IAC 880.12), but these are continuing-education/mandatory-reporter items, not a licensure examination.

1. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology from a program accredited by the APA or the Canadian Psychological Association or designated by the ASPPB/National Register (or hold ABPP board certification or an APA-accredited postdoctoral respecialization certificate), and have official transcripts sent directly to the board.
2. Complete the predoctoral internship; you may apply for a provisional psychology license ($120) during the internship by submitting your acceptance letter and training director information.
3. Register your supervision plan with the board and complete a postdoctoral residency of at least 1,500 hours over no fewer than ten months, including at least 45 hours of individual supervision by a licensed psychologist.
4. Apply to the Board of Behavioral Health Professionals through the DIAL online licensing portal, pay the $120 nonrefundable licence fee, and have your supervisor file the Supervision Report.
5. Pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and have ASPPB send the score directly to the board; the ASPPB-recommended passing score is used as Iowa's passing score.
6. If you work in a clinical setting, apply separately for the certified health service provider in psychology certification ($60), which requires a year of organized health service training plus a year in a health service setting (or National Register credentialing).
7. Renew biennially by June 30 of even-numbered years ($170), completing 40 hours of board-approved continuing education per biennium plus the mandatory child abuse and dependent adult abuse reporter training.

Not a PSYPACT member

Iowa licenses experienced out-of-state psychologists by endorsement under 481 IAC 880.6. The shortest route is verification of a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ), or verification of a doctoral degree in psychology plus an independent psychology licence in another jurisdiction for at least three years with no disciplinary history; applicants meeting either are deemed to satisfy the examination and substantial-equivalence requirements. Other applicants must send an official EPPP score directly from ASPPB (or from the state of initial licensure) — the ASPPB-recommended passing score is accepted — together with evidence of substantially equivalent licensure requirements, shown either by official transcripts plus supervisor verification, or by National Register health service psychologist credentialing at the doctoral level, or by ABPP board certification originally granted on or after January 1, 1983. All endorsement applicants must submit licence verification from every jurisdiction of licensure and disclose pending or public complaints. Applicants who cannot meet endorsement may apply for licensure by verification under 481 IAC 501.1. Note: the board's own 'How Do I Apply' web page still describes a five-year option and cites the rescinded rule 645—240.6; the governing current rule is 481—880.6, which uses three years. PSYPACT: the board's psychology page states that 'Iowa and the PSYPACT are completing steps for Iowa to become an active member state' and that proposed compact implementation rules are out for public comment — as of this research Iowa is not yet an active PSYPACT practice jurisdiction and no PSYPACT chapter appears in the Iowa Administrative Code. Board structure: under 2024 Iowa Acts SF 2385 the former Iowa Board of Psychology was consolidated into the Board of Behavioral Health Professionals within the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing; Iowa Code 154B.1 now defines 'Board' as 'the board of behavioral health professionals.' The old psychology rules at 645—Chapters 240-245 were transferred to 481—Chapters 885-890 and then rescinded effective 8/13/25; psychologist licensing now lives in 481—Chapter 880, continuing education in 481—Chapter 881, and fees in 481—Chapter 507. Several DIAL web pages still cite the retired 645 rule numbers.

Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (psychology licensing, DIAL)

(515) 281-0254

Official board page →