Washington Psychology Licensure Requirements

500

WAC 246-924-070 requires a scaled score of at least 500 on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is the ASPPB-recommended passing score. The rule refers to a single national EPPP; Washington's rules make no reference to an EPPP Part 1 / Part 2 split. Retakes: a second attempt may be made at any following administration; a third or later attempt requires a one-month wait plus a board-approved written action plan (WAC 246-924-095).

WAC 246-924-043 (effective 8/14/2025) requires a total of 3,300 supervised experience hours: (a) a practicum of at least 300 hours over at least nine months, earned during the doctoral program; plus (b) an experience requirement of at least two years totalling 3,000 hours, which must include an internship of at least 1,500 hours completed as part of the doctoral degree program. The preDoc figure of 1,800 is the arithmetic sum of those two separately-quoted minimums (300 practicum + 1,500 internship), both of which the rules place inside the doctoral program. The remaining 1,500 hours are flexible: they 'may be obtained through one or a combination of additional practicum hours, additional internship hours, or a postdoctoral experience.' Postdoctoral hours are therefore a required minimum of zero — WAC 246-924-059 states postdoctoral experience 'must be completed only if an applicant does not already have 3,000 hours of supervised experience' — but up to 1,500 postdoctoral hours may be used. Reduction: applicants credentialed as a substance use disorder professional for three years in the previous 10 years have the flexible block reduced from 1,500 to 1,020, for a total of 2,820 hours (WAC 246-924-043(2); see also RCW 18.83.220).

Required

The Washington State Jurisprudence (JP) Examination is an open-resource written exam on Washington psychology law — chapter 18.83 RCW and chapter 246-924 WAC, plus chapter 18.130 RCW (Uniform Disciplinary Act), RCW 26.44.030, chapter 70.02 RCW, chapter 74.34 RCW, and chapters 246-12, 246-15 and 246-16 WAC. It is taken online: the candidate emails Department of Health psychology staff to request a link to the exam, and prints the certificate of completion as proof. IMPORTANT TIMING CHANGE: effective August 14, 2025 the JP exam is no longer a condition of initial licensure. DOH states it 'is not required to obtain licensure but it will be required once licensed as part of the first continuing education (CE) cycle.' Under WAC 246-924-230(1)(d) a newly licensed psychologist must take and pass the JP exam within their first three-year CE cycle, where it counts as one of the 60 required CE hours; after the first cycle it is optional and may be retaken for one CE hour per cycle. It IS required up front for one group: applicants for a probationary (reciprocity) license must submit proof of passing the jurisprudence exam with their application (WAC 246-924-493(3)(b)).

No fee for the jurisprudence examination appears anywhere in the WAC 246-924-990 fee schedule or on the DOH psychologist fee page, so the fee is left null rather than assumed to be zero. Note that WAC 246-924-493(3)(b) cross-references 'the jurisprudence exam according to WAC 246-924-070,' but WAC 246-924-070 as amended 8/14/2025 now describes only the EPPP — an apparent stale cross-reference in the rules. Separately, RCW 18.83.170(2)(b) allows the department to 'require the applicant to pass a jurisprudential examination' as a condition of a reciprocity probationary license. Historical note: Washington's former state oral examination (WAC 246-924-090, 'Psychologists—Oral examination') was repealed effective 5/22/2008.

1. Earn a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution in an integrated program of graduate study in psychology meeting WAC 246-924-046, including the one-year academic residency in WAC 246-924-048.
2. Complete a practicum of at least 300 hours over at least nine months during the doctoral program (WAC 246-924-052).
3. Complete an APA-, CPA-, or APPIC-affiliated internship of at least 1,500 hours as part of the doctoral program (WAC 246-924-056).
4. Accumulate 3,300 total supervised hours, making up the remaining 1,500 hours through additional practicum, additional internship, or postdoctoral supervised experience (WAC 246-924-043, 246-924-059).
5. Apply to the Department of Health by examination or by endorsement with transcripts, supervision verification, and the application fee, and clear the fingerprint background check (WAC 246-924-013).
6. Pass the EPPP with a scaled score of at least 500 and receive the psychologist license (WAC 246-924-070).
7. After licensure, take and pass the Washington State Jurisprudence Examination within your first three-year CE cycle, and renew the license annually on your birthday with 60 CE hours every three years (WAC 246-924-230, 246-924-990).

PSYPACT member

Washington offers four endorsement pathways plus a separate probationary reciprocity program. Pathway 1: licensed in a state DOH deems substantially equivalent, licensed at least two years immediately preceding application with no lapse over 90 days, and no discipline in the prior two years (WAC 246-924-100(1)). Pathway 2A: licensed at least two years in a state or country deemed essentially equivalent, holding a doctoral degree with primary emphasis on psychology; Pathway 2B covers applicants from non-essentially-equivalent jurisdictions who document the specific areas the board found deficient. Pathway 3: current membership/certification as a National Register Health Service Psychologist, an ABPP diplomate, an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification holder, or an American Board of Professional Neuropsychology diplomate. Pathway 4: holding an unrestricted U.S. or Canadian psychology license for the last five consecutive years may have requirements waived under RCW 18.83.170(1). Endorsement applicants still transfer an EPPP score to the department. Separately, under RCW 18.83.170(2) and WAC 246-924-493, applicants holding (or having held within 12 months) a license from a state on DOH's published substantially-equivalent scope list, with no discipline or disqualifying criminal history, may receive a one-year probationary license (renewable once) while making up deficiencies; that application requires proof of passing the jurisprudence exam. PSYPACT: Washington is a participating state — DOH confirms 'the 2022 legislature passed SHB 1286 which allowed Washington to join PSYPACT' (chapter 18.83A RCW), with a $30 application and $30 renewal fee.

Washington State Examining Board of Psychology

(360) 236-4700

Official board page →