How to Get Your Connecticut Psychology License in 2026
Getting a Connecticut psychology license creates opportunities in a state that needs more mental health providers. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that many Connecticut residents can’t access mental health services or providers. This provider shortage comes at a time when clinical and counseling psychologists expect 9.2% growth, while school psychologists project 5.7% growth.
The Connecticut Board of Psychology has set specific requirements for licensure. You need a doctoral degree from an approved psychology program. On top of that, you must complete one year of supervised work experience after your doctorate. You can also substitute this with two years of licensed work experience. The board requires you to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). The final step involves submitting your application with a $565.00 fee.
This guide will help you understand each step of the licensure process. We’ll cover everything from educational paths to continuing education requirements. You’ll find all the information you need to get licensed, whether you’re starting your career or moving to Connecticut’s beautiful communities.
Educational pathways
Your path to a Connecticut psychology license starts with the right educational credentials. The Connecticut Board of Psychology sets strict educational standards. These standards make sure licensed psychologists have a complete academic background.
A doctoral degree is the foundation of getting licensed in Connecticut. You need to complete a doctoral degree from a psychology program approved by the state licensing board. Programs with full American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation during your time there meet Connecticut’s educational requirements. You can choose either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology based on your career goals.
The board reviews non-APA-accredited doctoral programs to check if they meet state rules. Programs completed after July 1, 1989 must meet these criteria:
- Regional accreditation from the institution
- Clear identity as a psychology program
- Recognition as a distinct entity within the institution
- Psychologists must lead core and specialty areas
- Psychology faculty must teach an organized, connected sequence
- Full-time psychology faculty must be identifiable
- A clear group of enrolled doctoral students must exist
Your doctoral education needs three academic years of full-time graduate study. You must spend at least one academic year at the degree-granting institution. The curriculum should teach scientific methods, research design, methodology, statistics, and psychometrics.
Connecticut requires coursework in four key science areas:
- Biological bases of behavior
- Cognitive-affective bases of behavior
- Social bases of behavior
- Individual differences
Human development, personality theory, and abnormal psychology count toward “individual differences.” Group processes and organizational theory fit under “social bases of behavior”.
You have options if your doctoral degree misses specific coursework requirements. You can fix these gaps by taking classes in an APA-accredited program after graduation. Students with doctorates in non-applied or non-clinical psychology areas must finish an APA-accredited respecialization program in applied psychology.
Hands-on experience matters just as much. Your program must include faculty-supervised formal practicum, internship, or field training. This practical experience should match psychology practice and last at least one academic year.
The University of Connecticut and University of Hartford offer APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology. These programs blend scientific research with clinical practice. Students get complete training in assessment, intervention, and research methods.
Connecticut’s educational requirements ensure licensed psychologists have strong preparation in both theory and practice. This creates solid foundations for professional work in the state.
Supervised Experience Requirements
Getting supervised clinical experience is a vital milestone to get your Connecticut psychology license. The Connecticut Board of Psychology has specific requirements that will give a solid foundation of practical training under proper guidance.
You need at least one year of supervised work experience at either the pre-doctoral or post-doctoral level. Your internship hours from your doctoral degree requirements won’t count toward this licensure requirement. The experience must follow one of these approved schedules:
- Working no less than 35 hours per week for at least 46 weeks within 12 consecutive months, or
- Accumulating no less than 1,800 hours within 24 consecutive months
The board limits creditable experience to 40 hours per week. During this time, you’ll work under the title “psychology resident”.
A doctoral-level psychologist licensed in the state where you complete your experience must supervise your work. You need at least 3 hours of supervision for every 40 hours of work. At least 1 hour must be individual, direct, face-to-face supervision. Your supervisor can only oversee three individuals at a time who are completing their work experience.
Your supervised work must line up with your graduate coursework and intended practice area. This step ensures your practical training matches your academic preparation.
The process becomes easier if you get pre-approval for your supervised work experience plan. While not required, pre-approval confirms your experience will count toward licensure requirements. Your prospective supervisor fills out most of the pre-approval form.
The licensing requirement doesn’t apply at the time you’re completing your supervised experience in Connecticut. But this exemption ends within two years after completion if you haven’t passed the EPPP examination.
Connecticut offers flexibility by allowing substitution of two years of licensed work experience instead of the supervised experience requirement. This helps experienced practitioners moving to Connecticut.
The Department of Public Health offers a temporary, non-renewable permit valid for one year if you’ve completed your doctoral degree but haven’t finished the supervised postdoctoral work experience or taken the EPPP examination. This $100 permit is only available through online applications.
Your supervisor must certify your experience once you’ve completed it successfully. They need to document that all requirements were met properly.
Licensing Examinations
Your path to getting a Connecticut psychology license continues with two mandatory licensing exams after you complete your education and supervised experience requirements. These exams check your general psychology knowledge and your understanding of state-specific laws.
The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is the standard national test that measures your psychological knowledge and skills. You’ll need written authorization from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) before you can register. The DPH will send this after reviewing and approving your application materials. You’ll get instructions to register online once authorized.
Here’s what you need to know about the registration process:
- You’ll receive email instructions to schedule your exam at a Prometric Testing Center within a 60-day window after online registration
- The registration fee is approximately $600
- You might face penalties if you don’t take the exam within your 60-day window
You need a scaled score of 500 on the EPPP to qualify for a license in Connecticut. The EPPP Score Transfer Service must send your official score directly to the DPH.
The Connecticut Jurisprudence Examination tests your knowledge of state laws and regulations about psychology practice. This state test has 25 multiple-choice questions. You must answer at least 18 questions correctly (72%) to pass.
The state exam comes with no fee. The DPH gives this test six times each year—usually in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Registration deadlines fall about six weeks before each test date. The DPH must approve your application before you can take this exam.
You can find study materials through official sources. The DPH website has downloadable study guides for the jurisprudence exam. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards provides EPPP preparation resources, including a candidate handbook and study materials.
New applicants should know that passing both exams is mandatory, even if you’re trying to reinstate your license. Your file will need review by the Connecticut Board of Examiners of Psychologists if your Connecticut license has expired for more than two years. This board meets four times a year. They might ask you to meet extra requirements, such as retaking the EPPP or completing more professional education.
Application & Licensure Process
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) oversees psychology licensing statewide to safeguard public health and safety. Your psychology license application needs meticulous attention to both documentation and process details.
The DPH’s online portal accepts formal applications once you complete your educational requirements and supervised experience. Start by creating an account with your email address, username, and password. You’ll need to pay $565.00 when you submit your completed application.
Several crucial documents must reach the DPH directly:
- Official transcript verifying your doctoral degree, sent directly from your educational institution
- Verification of supervised work experience submitted directly by your supervisor
- Official EPPP examination score verification forwarded from the EPPP Score Transfer Service
- Verification of all psychology licenses ever held (current or expired) from all relevant jurisdictions
Students graduating from non-APA accredited programs need their institution to submit a Verification of Doctoral Education Program Form. Licensed work experience can substitute supervised experience, but your employer must send verification directly to the DPH.
Experienced practitioners can take alternative paths to licensure. The DPH might grant licenses to professionals who held licenses in other US states for at least four years. Qualified applicants can also obtain licensure through a Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ).
Connecticut’s participation in the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) allows approved psychologists to practice telehealth across state boundaries. The Connecticut State Senate passed legislation that lets licensed out-of-state behavioral health providers practice telehealth until June 30, 2025, provided they register with the DPH.
Post-doctoral practitioners can get a temporary, non-renewable one-year permit for $100.00 while completing supervised work experience or taking the EPPP examination. This permit requires oversight from a licensed psychologist.
Licensed psychologists must renew their licenses annually. The renewal fee stands at $570.00, and you can complete this process by mail or through the Connecticut E-license Website.
Lapsed licenses need a reinstatement application with a $565.00 fee. The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Psychologists reviews reinstatement applications quarterly if you haven’t practiced psychology actively for more than six months.
Continuing Education
Your Connecticut psychology license needs regular professional development through continuing education (CE). The Connecticut Board of Psychology sets specific CE requirements that help psychologists stay up-to-date with the latest practices and research.
Licensed psychologists need 10 hours of qualifying continuing education during each registration period. This 12-month license renewal period requires hours that directly connect to psychology practice.
Connecticut’s guidelines about delivery methods are straightforward:
- You can complete up to 5 CE hours through asynchronous distance learning or home study during each registration period
- The other 5 hours must come from live/synchronous online training or in-person education
Connecticut places special emphasis on veterans’ care. Mental health professionals must complete at least 2 hours of training about mental health conditions common to veterans and their families every six years. This crucial training covers:
- Identifying whether patients are veterans or family members of veterans
- Screening for conditions like PTSD, suicide risk, depression, and grief
- Suicide prevention training
Your CE activities must come from approved organizations to count toward license requirements. These include:
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- Regionally accredited institutions with graduate programs
- Nationally recognized continuing education seminar providers
- Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- Professionally or scientifically recognized behavioral science organizations
The state requires annual license renewal by the end of your birth month. CE4Less and other APA-approved providers give you courses that meet Connecticut’s requirements, including veterans’ mental health training.
Questions about continuing education requirements? Reach out to the Connecticut Department of Public Health Board of Examiners of Psychologists at (860) 509-7603.
Special State Variations
Connecticut stands out from other states with its flexible psychology licensing framework. The state provides several unique pathways and exceptions that accommodate different educational backgrounds and professional situations.
The Connecticut Board of Psychology reviews and accepts doctoral degrees from programs not accredited by the American Psychological Association. You can make up any missing coursework requirements through an APA-accredited program even after completing your psychology doctorate.
Connecticut lets professionals with doctorates in non-applied or non-clinical psychology areas qualify through respecialization programs in APA-accredited applied psychology programs. The state also recognizes extensive professional experience by allowing two years of licensed work to replace standard supervised experience requirements.
Here are the state’s special provisions and exemptions:
- You don’t need a license while completing required work experience in Connecticut. This exemption ends two years after completion if you haven’t passed the EPPP examination
- You can get a temporary, non-renewable one-year permit while you complete supervised postdoctoral work or prepare for the EPPP examination
- The state’s participation in the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) lets approved psychologists practice telehealth across state lines
Starting May 2024, Connecticut allows licensed out-of-state behavioral health providers to practice telehealth until June 30, 2025. This temporary authorization shows the state’s flexible approach to mental health service delivery.
These options show Connecticut’s steadfast dedication to high professional standards while recognizing different educational and professional paths. Understanding these special provisions helps you find the quickest way to get your Connecticut psychology license.