U.S. Virgin Islands Psychology Licensure Requirements

500

Board rule 169C.-5 (Written Examinations) states the Board uses the EPPP and that the passing score is 500. The rule states a flat number, not 'the ASPPB recommended score'. The USVI has not published anything indicating a move to EPPP Part 1 only.

Doctoral (psychologist) applicants need no less than two years of experience in a clinical psychology setting including a minimum of 3,000 hours in the practice of psychology; 1,500 of those hours must be direct client work supervised by an approved supervisor. The rule and statute say only that 'A total of 1500 hours or one year of supervised professional practice may be pre-doctoral' - it sets a cap on how much may be pre-doctoral rather than a required pre-doc/post-doc split, so no separate preDoc or postDoc figure is stated and both are left null. An APA-accredited (or equivalent) internship is separately required. All pre- and post-doctoral internship hours must be completed within a four-year period. Separately, the master's-level Psychological Associate licence requires no less than three years / a minimum of 4,500 hours, of which 3,500 must be direct client work (statute: at least three years or 4,500 hours of supervised post-master's practice).

Required

A local examination on Virgin Islands law, ethics and practice, in addition to the EPPP. Rule 169C.-6 describes a multiple-choice exam on local laws plus a written section, after which the applicant is interviewed by the Board about their answers.

Both 27 V.I.C. 169c(c) and Board rule 169C(c) require a Board-sanctioned national examination AND a local examination. Rule 169C.-5 says a fee 'as determined by the Board and specified on the application for licensure' must be paid before sitting for the examination, but no dollar amount is published, so the fee is null. The Board sets the passing level for both the national and local exams (169C(d)).

1. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology from a regionally accredited institution, including at least 60 graduate semester hours and an APA-accredited (or equivalent) internship.
2. Complete at least two years and a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience in a clinical psychology setting, 1,500 of them in direct client work under an approved supervisor; up to 1,500 hours may be pre-doctoral.
3. Notify the USVI Board of your intent to apply, pay the $175 application fee, and file the application through the ASPPB PLUS system with transcripts, internship verification, supervisor attestations, a Statement of Professional Intent, photo ID and national and local background checks.
4. Pass the EPPP with a scaled score of 500 and have ASPPB/PES send your score directly to the Board.
5. Pass the Board's local examination on Virgin Islands law, ethics and practice, including the written section and the Board interview.
6. Pay the licence fee on Board approval, then renew every two years with 24 hours of continuing education (including 3 hours in law/ethics/risk management and 3 hours in cultural diversity).

Not a PSYPACT member

There is no general endorsement or reciprocity route to full USVI licensure in current law. The 'grandparenting' provision (27 V.I.C. 169f / rule 169F) that allowed licensure without examination for psychologists already licensed in an equivalent jurisdiction was a one-time window tied to the Board's original seating and to two years' Virgin Islands residency before 30 December 1994, so it is not available to new applicants. Psychologists licensed elsewhere may practise in the territory for up to 30 days in a calendar year by registering their intent with the Board, submitting proof of their home-state licence and malpractice insurance, and paying a $200 temporary-licence fee. Neither the Board's website nor the Amended Rules and Regulations nor Title 27 Chapter 2 mentions PSYPACT, and the USVI is not listed by the Board as a participating jurisdiction.

U.S. Virgin Islands Board of Psychology Examiners

(340) 774-7477

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