The California Board of Psychology (the Board) regulates the profession of psychology in the state. In order to become a psychologist in California, you will need to complete the educational and supervised experience requirements and pass two exams. Our step-by-step guide to obtaining a California psychology license will help clarify the process.

Table of Contents

How to Become a Psychologist in California

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree and (optionally) a master’s degree in psychology.

Earning your bachelor’s degree in psychology or another field is the first step toward getting your license to practice psychology. Students typically take four years of full-time study to earn a bachelor’s degree. The number of credits required for a baccalaureate degree varies by institution but is usually around 120 credits. Your bachelor’s degree may be in psychology or another field; however, note that if your undergraduate major is not in psychology, you will probably have to take prerequisites before entering a graduate program in psychology.

Some students choose to pursue a stand-alone master’s degree in psychology after the bachelor’s degree, even though it is not required. If you are taking classes full-time, you can usually complete a master’s degree in about two years. Some schools offer programs in which you can obtain a master’s degree as part of a doctoral program. Be sure to research your doctoral degree options to decide whether applying for a stand-alone master’s program is right for you. Most stand-alone master’s in psychology programs take between 30 and 40 credit hours to complete.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

Students who want to earn a doctorate in psychology have the choice of two different types of degrees. The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) has more of a clinical focus, while the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology typically has more of a research focus. To read more about the differences between the two degrees, check out our comparison. Most doctoral programs usually take four to seven years to complete.

The Board requires all licensed psychologists to have a degree in psychology from an institution that is regionally accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education. If your degree is from a university outside of North America, you must submit to the Board an evaluation of your degree and its requirements by a foreign credential evaluation service, along with any other documents the Board requests. Your doctoral program may include up to 1,500 hours of the required 3,000 hours of supervised experience for licensure, with the remaining hours to be completed post-doctorally.

Read more about doctoral school options on our California schools page.

3. Complete 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience.

The Board requires applicants to have 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience (SPE), which in California is considered equivalent to two years of professional work. Hours may be completed through an internship, as a registered psychological associate, or other approved licensure-exempt setting. Up to 1,500 hours may be accrued after earning 48 graduate credit hours and before the doctoral program is complete. At least 1,500 hours must be earned post-doctorally. To register as a psychological associate (formerly called a psychological assistant), you must submit an application, a $424 fee, official transcripts, fingerprints, and a Supervision Agreement form. The psychological associate registration must be renewed each year and is limited to a cumulative total of six years, during which the registrant must be supervised by a licensed psychologist.

4. Submit an application to the Board.

You may submit your application online or by mail. The application fee is $236. You will also submit your Supervision Agreement form and Verification of Experience form to verify at least 1,500 hours of supervised experience, along with official transcripts. You are also required to be fingerprinted through the state’s Live Scan service.

5. Pass the California psychology licensing exams.

Once you have received approval from the Board, you must take two tests to receive your license to practice psychology in California. The first one is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). You will be given unofficial scores after you complete the test and will receive official results by mail. If you don’t pass the test, you can retake it the next year. There is an EPPP practice exam available to help you prepare.

Once you pass the EPPP, you are ready to take the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination (CPLEE). You must submit the CPLEE Request Form to request to take this test, along with a check for the $127 testing fee. Along with your request, you will need to once again submit the Supervision Agreement form and Verification of Experience form documenting the remainder of your 3,000 hours of SPE. The CPLEE covers the ethics, laws, and regulations pertaining to psychologists in California. You will have two and a half hours to complete 100 multiple-choice questions. If you fail this test, you have to wait until another test date is available before you can take it again.

At least 1,500 hours of supervised experience must be accrued before applying to take the EPPP, and all 3,000 hours of supervision must be accrued before applying to take the CPLEE.

6. Complete pre-licensure coursework.

The Board requires specific pre-licensure coursework in six subject areas. These courses may be completed during the qualifying degree program or at any other point in the application process before licensure is issued. The required topics and minimum clock/contact hours are:

  • Alcohol/Chemical Dependency Detection and Treatment (15 hours; must be completed at an academic institution)
  • Child Abuse Assessment (7 hours)
  • Human Sexuality (10 hours)
  • Spousal or Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection, and Intervention (15 hours)
  • Aging and Long-Term Care (6 hours)
  • Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention (6 hours)

7. Request your license from the Board.

Once you have passed both tests and completed the course requirements you can request your initial license. You will be sent a Request for Initial Licensure Form after you take the CPLEE and will send the form along with the $231 fee to the Board.

8. Receive your California psychology license.

Once your application is approved, the Board will email your psychology license number to you, typically within two to four weeks.

California Licensure by Reciprocity

California does not offer a true reciprocal license, but the Board offers application pathways for psychologists already licensed in another state. Applicants licensed out-of-state for less than two years submit the Application for Licensure with the $236 fee, official transcripts and EPPP scores, official certification of licensure from the original licensing board, and Verification of Experience documenting 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience, with at least 1,500 hours post-doctorally. The applicant then submits the CPLEE Request Form with the $127 testing fee.

Applicants licensed out-of-state for more than two years follow the same steps, except instead of submitting the Verification of Experience, they may submit credentialing documentation from the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (NRHSPP), the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), or the Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) issued by ASPPB.

All out-of-state applicants must complete California’s pre-licensure coursework and submit fingerprints. After passing the CPLEE, applicants receive and complete the Request for Initial Licensure form and send this with the $231 license fee to the Board.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

California psychology licenses are renewed every two years. The active renewal fee is $825 per biennial cycle. Renewal forms may be completed online or by mail.

The Board now uses a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework in place of traditional continuing education. Licensees must complete 36 hours of CPD during each two-year renewal period, drawn from at least two of four learning categories: Professional Activities; Academic; Sponsored Continuing Education; and ABPP Board Certification. The total must include a minimum of four hours in laws and ethics and a minimum of four hours in cultural diversity and/or social justice as it applies to the practice of psychology. CPD records don’t need to be submitted with the renewal application, but licensees must keep documentation in case of an audit. Sponsored Continuing Education activities must be offered by entities approved by the American Psychological Association (APA), the California Psychological Association (CPA), the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi), the California Medical Association (CMA), or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).

Licensed Educational Psychologist

The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) issues the Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP) credential for those with at least three years of full-time experience as school psychologists. To qualify, you must have a master’s degree in psychology, school psychology, counseling and guidance, or the equivalent from an accredited school as well as 60 semester units (or 90 quarter units) of postgraduate work in pupil personnel services. You must be fingerprinted through Live Scan, pass a criminal background check, and pass the LEP written exam before requesting the initial LEP license.

School Psychologist

School psychologists in California must have a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential with a specialization in school psychology issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution and complete a Commission-approved school psychology graduate program that includes a practicum with school-aged children. The qualifying program must formally recommend the candidate for the PPS credentialRecommended candidates will then complete the Live Scan fingerprint process. Approved candidates will be notified by the CTC when the application fee is due.

California Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from May 2021 reports that the average wage of industrial-organizational, clinical, counseling, school, and all other psychologists was $113,655 a year.1 In fact, California was one of the five top-paying states for average annual salary for all four BLS categories of practicing psychologists as of May 2021.2-5 It was also the highest-paying state for postsecondary psychology teachers.6 According to Projections Central, prospective psychologists in California should continue to see positive growth in job openings over the 10-year period between 2020 and 2030.7 Clinical, counseling, and school psychologist job openings are expected to grow by 8.6%; industrial-organizational psychologist jobs by 5.6%; “all other” psychologists are predicted to have no growth; and postsecondary psychology teacher job openings are projected to grow by 7.7% over the same period.7

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists10,250$122,790
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists270$123,090
Psychologists, All Other1,500$112,210
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary3,630$114,950
School Psychologists8,480$96,530

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a licensed psychologist in California?

To become a licensed psychologist in California, you need to have a doctorate degree, which can take up to seven years to obtain. You will also have to acquire 3,000 hours of supervised experience, 1,500 of which can be pre-doctoral. Becoming a licensed psychologist in the state can take a long time, but if you are willing to devote around a decade to meet the requirements, the payoff could be worth it, especially if you plan to practice in a high-paying state like California.

What are the tests I need to take to get a psychology license in California and are there additional requirements besides the tests?

The California Board of Psychology requires you to take two exams to become licensed. These tests are the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is required in every state, and the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination (CPLEE), which is specific to California. Before getting your license, you will have to show proof of coursework in human sexuality; alcohol/chemical dependency detection and treatment; child abuse assessment; spousal or partner abuse assessment; aging and long-term care training; and suicide risk assessment and intervention.

How much do psychologists in California make?

The average annual wage for industrial-organizational, clinical, counseling, school, and all other psychologists in California was $113,655 as of May 2021.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers in the state earned an average of $114,950 a year.1

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, California: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0600000
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes193033.htm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, School Psychologists: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes193034.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes193032.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Psychologists, All Other: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes193039.htm
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251066.htm
7. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm