Psychological Practitioner-By Examination

First Time License - Application by Examination

This application is for individuals who have received a master’s degree in clinical, counseling, or school psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association (“APA”) or from a program equivalent to those accredited by the APA as determined by the Board., as outlined in 18VAC125-20-57 and Guidance Document 125-3 AND have:

Requirements for Application:

Education: The Regulations require that at a minimum you successfully graduate with a clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or a school psychology master’s degree from an American Psychological Association (APA), or substantially equivalent accredited program. Please double check that your master’s degree program meets the degree requirements and that you took the required coursework outlined in Guidance Document 125-3 before submitting your application as all fees submitted to the Board are nonrefundable.  As part of your graduate degree program, you must have completed specific coursework in the discipline of psychology to include:

1. General knowledge
2. Research methodology and psychometrics
3. Profession-wide competencies
4. Supervised Experience

Follow these steps to apply for Licensure by Examination

• Laws regarding the Practice of Psychology in the state of Virginia
• Regulations regarding the practice of psychology in the state of Virginia.
• Psychological Practitioner Licensure Process Handbook. This handbook provides detailed information about the required documents and process to obtain a license. 

• Review the Application Instructions for Psychological Practitioner licensure by examination for the documents needed to submit with your online application.
• Gather and request the necessary documents.

Do not start the online application until you have requested or obtained the applicable documents from Step 2. Submitting incomplete applications will delay the review and approval process. 

Begin the Online Application:

• Register for an Account or Login if you have an existing account.
• Select ‘Initial Application’ from the menu.
• Select ‘Psychology’ as the Profession.
• Select ‘Psychological Practitioner’ as the License Type.
• Select ‘Examination’ as the Obtained by Method.
• Click ‘Start Application’.

Complete the Required Fields

Within the online application portal, upload the applicable documentation.  PDF file format is preferred.  

The following are possible documents you may be required to upload within the application portal: 

• Areas of Graduate Study form
• Course Syllabus
• National Practitioners Data Bank (NPDB) Self-Query Report
• Proof of Out-of-State License from the issuing jurisdiction
• Proof of Name Change
• Supporting Documentation for any criminal convictions, past actions, or possible impairments.

Within the online application portal, pay the application fee. 

• The fee for Psychological Practitioner Licensure by Examination is $100.00.
• All fees are nonrefundable.

• You will receive automated emails from psy@dhp.virginia.gov with your application status.
• You can also visit the Online Checklist to view the status of your application.
• If your name or address changes prior to receiving your license, notify the Board as soon as possible in writing by submitting the Name and Address Change Form.
• Contact the Board with any questions: psy@dhp.virginia.gov or TEL: (804) 367–4697.