How to Become a Licensed Psychologist in Georgia: State Requirements for 2026
A career as a licensed psychologist in Georgia comes with excellent prospects. Jobs in this field will grow by 20.4% by 2030. Licensed psychologists in the state earn between $86,000 and $112,000 annually based on their specialty and practice setting. Georgia ranks 48th nationwide in mental healthcare access.
Getting your Georgia psychologist license takes detailed preparation and dedication. Most professionals spend 11-12 years to finish their education and training. You’ll need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, a one-year internship, and supervised postdoctoral work. The Georgia board of psychology requires you to pass three exams successfully. These include the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), the state Jurisprudence Examination, and an oral examination.
Licensed psychologists can administer tests and provide psychotherapy independently. This piece outlines the key steps to get your Georgia psychology license. You’ll join 810 clinical and counseling psychologists who currently practice in the Peach State.
Educational pathways
Getting a psychology license in Georgia starts with undergraduate studies and ends with a doctoral degree. You need to plan carefully and stay dedicated to meet all state requirements.
A bachelor’s degree in psychology or related field creates the foundation for your career. The first degree takes four years and gives you vital knowledge in psychological theory and research methods. After your undergraduate education, you need a doctoral degree in psychology to qualify for a Georgia license.
The Georgia board of psychology asks most applicants to complete a doctoral program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) when the degree was awarded. These three doctoral degrees meet this requirement:
- D. (Doctor of Philosophy) – Trains psychologists to conduct research and provide client services
- D. (Doctor of Psychology) – We focused on preparing psychologists for client service while developing research consumption skills
- D. (Doctor of Education) – Focuses on research and client services
Your doctoral program must include three full-time academic years of graduate study and an internship before you get your degree. You need to complete two of these three academic training years at the doctoral degree-granting institution. One year must be spent in continuous full-time residence at that same institution. The “residence” requirement means you must be physically present at the educational institution to help with professional acculturation and let you participate in educational experiences, faculty-student interaction, and work with other students.
Georgia has specific exceptions for certain specializations. Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology applicants can qualify through different paths, including:
- Graduation from an I/O Psychology program listed in the Designated Doctoral Programs in Psychology published by ASPPB and the National Register
- Documentation showing they meet all but one of these 25 competencies from the Guidelines For Education and Training At the Doctoral Level In Industrial/Organizational Psychology
The board reviews international applicants case-by-case according to Board Rule 510-2-.04.
Georgia offers several doctoral programs at institutions like Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University. Georgia State’s PhD program includes five areas that oversee eight concentrations, such as Clinical, Clinical-Community, Clinical-Neuropsychology, Community, and Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Georgia Southern’s PsyD program in Clinical Psychology follows the scientist-practitioner model with APA accreditation.
The complete educational experience usually takes 11-12 years, including undergraduate studies, doctoral coursework, and required training. You can shorten this timeline by studying full-time throughout the year or finding programs that let you enter doctoral studies directly without a separate master’s degree.
Many doctoral programs build master’s-level work into their curriculum. During doctoral studies, you’ll complete about 800 hours of direct client contact while in graduate school. This gives you significant clinical experience before starting your formal internship.
Timing plays a vital role in your educational path. The board’s policies state that you can’t take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) Part 1 until you finish all doctoral requirements, including internship. If you take the exam at the master’s level, you’ll need to retake it at the doctorate level because those results won’t count.
Supervised Experience Requirements
Clinical experience under supervision is crucial to get your Georgia psychologist license. You’ll need to complete this experience in two stages: a formal internship followed by postdoctoral supervised work.
Your internship requires 2,000 hours of supervised training that aligns with your academic program specialty. You must spend at least 500 hours directly working with clients/patients. The internship should last between 11 and 24 months.
You can complete this requirement through either:
- An APA or CPA accredited or Association of Psychology and Internship Centers (APPIC) member internship
- A non-APA/non-CPA/non-APPIC internship that meets Georgia board of psychology’s specific criteria
After getting your doctoral degree, you’ll need postdoctoral supervised work experience (SWE). This means completing 1,500 hours of individually supervised work over 11 to 24 months. Your SWE must include at least 500 hours of client/patient work, which covers face-to-face meetings, document reviews, test scoring, and report writing.
Your postdoctoral supervision requires one hour of individual meetings for every 30 hours of SWE. These meetings should happen during the service week or the week after. You can have these sessions in person or through live video calls.
Good documentation is key. You and your supervisor need to co-sign a weekly log of all your SWE hours. This log should list your professional activities, work hours, client involvement, and supervision time.
The Code of Ethics sets clear boundaries for supervision relationships. Your supervisor can’t work for an agency you lead or any business where you have a stake.
These requirements help you build solid clinical experience with proper guidance. Georgia stands out from other states with its clear supervision guidelines. ASPPB data shows that 63% of jurisdictions across the country need postdoctoral experience for licensing.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology candidates should note they don’t need the 500 hours of direct client contact during internship.
Make sure qualified supervisors who meet state standards verify and document all your supervised experiences when you apply for your Georgia psychology license.
Licensing Examinations
Getting a psychology license in Georgia requires passing several exams that prove your professional competency.
The first step is passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) Part 1–Knowledge. This exam tests your general psychology knowledge, intervention methods, and assessment techniques. You must understand theories about cognition, affect, and development. The exam also tests your knowledge of research topics and elements that affect psychological functioning. You need a score of 500 to pass.
Georgia leads the way by requiring the EPPP Part 2–Skills examination. This part tests how well you can use Part 1 knowledge when making decisions in ground practice situations. The passing score stands at 500, just as with Part 1.
The Georgia Psychology Jurisprudence Exam comes next, after passing both EPPP examinations. This computer-based test will give a clear picture of your knowledge about practicing within Georgia’s laws and regulations. You’ll face timed, closed-book, multiple-choice questions about current law, rules, and general provisions. The passing requirement is 38 correct answers out of 50 questions.
PSI handles the jurisprudence exam administration. You can sign up at www.psiexams.com. The fee is $85.00, paid to PSI directly. Most people pass this exam on their first try.
The final step is an Oral Examination with the Georgia board of psychology. This 30-minute assessment looks at your diagnostic skills, intervention abilities, limitation awareness, professional ethics, and Georgia law knowledge. You’ll also discuss your Quality of Work Sample during this exam.
Here are the key points to remember:
- The EPPP Part 1 must be passed before taking other exams
- You can’t take the EPPP until you finish all doctoral requirements including internship
- Taking the EPPP at master’s level means retaking it at doctoral level – those results won’t count
- A temporary license needs both EPPP Part 2 and jurisprudence exam passes
Your Georgia psychology license application should be approved within 20 days after passing all exams and submitting required documents.
Application & Licensure Process
Your trip to getting a Georgia psychology license begins after you complete your educational requirements and supervised experience. The Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists now accepts applications only through the GOALS portal. They will return all paper applications to the sender.
You’ll need to submit an Application Initiation Form with a $100 fee to start the process. The form needs your personal background information, education details, and training as a psychologist. It also has an Affidavit Regarding Citizenship that requires notarization.
The Board works with the Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to process license applications. ASPPB will send you instructions to complete the Psychology Licensure Universal System (PLUS) online application once you submit your original application. You’ll need to pay an additional $200 fee directly to ASPPB.
The Georgia board of psychology has several application pathways:
- Licensure by Examination – For first-time applicants who have not taken the required national licensure examination
- Licensure by Exam Waiver – For those who have never been licensed but have passed the required national examination
- Licensure by Endorsement – For psychologists holding a valid license in another state
ASPPB verifies your application and confirms it with the Board, which then allows you to take the required examinations. The Board processes applications within 20 business days after receiving them, not counting weekends and holidays. Board staff reviews completed applications during this time. Applications received at least 15 days before a Board meeting may get reviewed at that meeting.
The Board will approve your application within 20 days after you pass all examinations and submit all required supporting documents.
Candidates still completing postdoctoral supervised work experience can apply for a Provisional Permit if they’re pursuing licensure by examination. A Temporary Permit is available only to applicants seeking licensure by endorsement or Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ).
Psychology licenses in Georgia expire every two years on December 31st of even-numbered years. Keeping your contact information updated with the Board is vital since they primarily communicate through email.
The application process needs careful attention to documentation, deadlines, and regular communication with both the Georgia board of psychology and ASPPB to get your license successfully.
Continuing Education
Your Georgia psychology license needs ongoing professional development through continuing education (CE). Licensed psychologists must complete 40 CE credits biennially to renew their license. The renewal period starts from January 1 of odd-numbered years and ends December 31 of even-numbered years.
The 40 credits must include six CE credits in professional ethics through an in-person workshop or a synchronous webinar. Psychologists cannot fulfill this ethics requirement through asynchronous learning formats. The CE activities fall into three distinct areas:
- Area I – Academic (maximum 20 credits) has:
- Taking and passing graduate-level psychology courses
- First-time teaching of psychology courses at accredited institutions
- Publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals as first or second author
- Area II – Ongoing Group Consultation (minimum 10, maximum 20 credits) covers research groups, journal clubs, and case consultations that have structured formats with at least three psychologists and up to eight licensed participants
- Area III – Approved Sponsored Continuing Education (maximum 40 credits) refers to participation in activities provided by approved sponsors like APA, State Psychological Associations, or CME providers
Different rules apply to newly licensed psychologists. Those licensed in the first year of the biennium need only 20 CE credits (3 in ethics). The board exempts psychologists licensed during the second year from CE requirements for their first renewal.
The Board provides accommodations to psychologists with disabilities who submit a written request at least two months before the renewal deadline. Psychologists who pass the board examination of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) within the biennium meet all CE requirements for that period.
Psychologists can earn ethics credits through service activities. Board peer reviewers for alleged violations can earn 3 ethics CE credits after the Board acknowledges their review. Service on the Ethics committee for the Georgia Psychological Association or as a Board member for the entire biennium earns the full 6 required ethics credits.
Each psychologist must report their completed CE credits under oath during renewal. This process helps maintain professional competence among Georgia’s licensed psychologists.
Special State Variations
Georgia stands out from other states with its unique regulatory approach to psychologist licensure. The Georgia board of psychology provides licensure by endorsement instead of license reciprocity for psychologists who hold active, unencumbered licenses from other jurisdictions. The board reviews each application individually to verify that your previous state’s requirements align with Georgia’s standards.
Georgia does not allow psychologists to prescribe medication, unlike some states where licensed psychologists have prescription privileges. Psychologists must coordinate care within a biopsychosocial-cultural framework and refer patients who need medication to qualified prescribing providers.
Georgia’s law protects the patient-psychologist relationship strongly. The state law (§ 24-5-501) makes communication between licensed psychologists and their patients privileged, which means no one can disclose shared information without the patient’s permission.
Georgia provides special benefits to military personnel. The state gives exam point credits and faster application processing to veterans, active military service members, transitioning service members, and military spouses. Veterans can claim Preference Points by submitting their DD-214 form that shows at least 90 days of service during a conflict or war period.
The Georgia psychology license application system has gone completely digital. The Board returns any paper applications to senders. Applications now go through the GOALS portal, which handles all Georgia psychologist license requirements efficiently.