Guide to Getting Your Oregon Psychology License

Oregon only meets 30.6% of its mental health care needs. This shortage makes an Oregon psychology license more valuable than ever before. The job market looks promising with psychologist positions set to grow by 18.47% by 2030. Clinical and counseling psychologists should see even better prospects with a 23.4% job growth between 2022 and 2032.

Licensed psychologists enjoy great professional rewards. Oregon psychologists earned an average of $129,470 per year as of May 2023. These earnings stand well above national averages. The Oregon psychology board’s requirements include completing a five-year doctoral program. This piece explains every Oregon psychologist license requirement. You’ll learn about educational paths, continuing education, and the steps needed to reach your professional goals.

Educational Pathways

Getting an Oregon psychology license requires a solid understanding of the Oregon Board of Psychology’s educational requirements. The path to becoming a licensed psychologist has several steps and specific program requirements.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field sets the groundwork. Students typically spend four years studying full-time and complete around 120 credit hours. This undergraduate education builds knowledge of psychological principles, research methods, and critical thinking skills needed for advanced studies.

Many future psychologists choose to get a master’s degree before moving forward. Master’s programs generally take two to three years with 30-40 credit hours. These programs help students specialize early and strengthen their doctoral program applications.

A doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited program is the foundation of Oregon’s psychologist license requirements. The Oregon Board of Psychology demands:

• A doctoral degree from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)
• Programs must require at least three full years of study
• Coursework must include personality assessment, diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and review

Students can choose between two doctoral paths:

1. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Emphasizes research and prepares graduates for careers in academia, research institutions, or specialized clinical settings
2. Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) – Centers on clinical practice and prepares students to work as practicing psychologists in hospitals, schools, or private practice

Both paths require structured practical experience. Doctoral programs must include:

• A practicum lasting at least two semesters with a minimum of 300 hours
• A supervised internship of at least 1,500 hours over a 24-month period
• At least 25% of internship hours must focus on direct client contact
• Two hours of face-to-face supervision for every 40 hours of work

International degree holders need extra steps. Psychologists trained outside the U.S. or Canada must have their credentials reviewed by a Board-recognized credentialing body. They must submit an Internship Site Director Reference Form, University Director of Training Form, and Educational Record in Psychology Form.

Oregon has several accredited programs. The University of Oregon’s program has maintained APA accreditation since 1958. Pacific University offers both PhD in Clinical Psychology and Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) programs, accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Clinical Psychology PhD program stands out as Oregon’s only program within an academic medical center. Students get specialized training in health psychology, neuroscience of mental health disorders, and intervention development.

Graduates must complete post-doctoral supervised experience requirements before they can apply for full licensure, which we’ll explore in the next section.

Supervised Experience Requirements

Getting your Oregon psychology license requires a crucial post-doctoral supervised experience. The Oregon Psychology Board wants to make sure all licensed psychologists get enough hands-on experience under proper guidance.

After you get your doctoral degree, you’ll need to complete one year of post-doctoral supervised work experience. “One year” means 1,500 hours of psychological services spread over at least twelve months. You need to work at least 50 weeks during these twelve months.

Here are the psychological services that count toward your required hours:

• Direct psychological services to individuals or groups
• Diagnosis and assessment activities
• Documentation completion related to services provided
• Client meetings and consultation
• Psychological testing
• Client-related research
• Report writing
• Formal training, workshops, and conferences

Some activities don’t qualify as psychological services for your license. These include business development, credentialing activities, marketing, creating forms, or administrative billing.

Your supervision needs to follow specific patterns. You’ll need one hour of individual supervision when working 1-20 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours requires two hours of supervision minimum, and one of these can be group supervision. On top of that, licensed psychologists with two years of post-license experience must provide at least 75% of your supervision.

Your supervisor needs to be an Oregon licensed psychologist with at least two years of experience in Oregon or somewhere with similar licensing standards. They don’t have to work on-site with you.

The Board must approve your Resident Supervision Contract if you’re completing your experience in Oregon after August 1, 2018. Any work at an Oregon “exempt site” outside a residency contract after this date won’t count.

You must use the title “psychologist resident” throughout your residency. This title should appear on everything professional – letterhead, business cards, directory listings, and insurance billing.

Your residency status helps you transition toward full licensure and isn’t meant to help you avoid getting licensed. The Board approves Resident Supervision Contracts for up to two years, with possible extensions if needed.

The Oregon Psychology Board sees this supervised experience as vital. It helps new psychologists develop practical skills for independent and ethical practice, which protects the public and supports aspiring professionals in their growth.

Licensing Examinations

Getting your Oregon psychology license requires passing two key exams: the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the Oregon Jurisprudence Examination (OJE).

The EPPP serves as a standardized national test that runs continuously on computers throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. This exam tests your knowledge in eight essential areas:

• Biological bases of behavior
• Cognitive-affective bases of behavior
• Social and cultural bases of behavior
• Growth and lifespan development
• Assessment and diagnosis
• Treatment, intervention, prevention and supervision
• Research methods and statistics
• Ethical, legal and professional issues

You’ll face 225 questions on the test – 175 scored and 50 unscored pretest items. The test gives you 4 hours and 15 minutes to complete. Passing requires a scaled score of 500, which matches a raw score of 140 for tests taken after April 1993.

The Oregon Board of Psychology must approve your application before you can take the EPPP. Plan ahead and submit your EPPP Request Form 2-3 months before your intended test date. The Board will send your details to the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), and you’ll get registration instructions by email. You must take the exam within 90 days after getting your authorization-to-test letter.

Good news if you’ve already passed the EPPP in another state – you won’t need to retake it. Just ask ASPPB to transfer your score or have your previous state board send it directly. The requirement doesn’t apply if you qualify for licensure by endorsement with 15+ years of active psychologist licensure.

The Oregon Jurisprudence Examination comes next. This open-book, multiple-choice test checks your grasp of Oregon’s psychological practice laws and regulations. You can take this exam on your own computer instead of visiting a test center. The Board sets the passing score based on weighted scores for each test form.

Failed an exam? You can try again after 30 days. The jurisprudence exam allows three attempts, but you’ll need Board approval of your study plan for the third try. Three failures on this exam means your license application gets denied.

You have flexibility to take both exams before, during, or after finishing your post-doctoral supervised work. Just make sure you complete everything, including passing both exams, within two years of your application approval.

The Board offers special accommodations for test-takers with disabilities or those who speak English as a second language. Submit these requests with your exam application or as soon as you know you need them.

Application & Licensure Process

The Oregon psychology license application process requires several key steps that you must complete in sequence. The Oregon Psychology Board provides multiple pathways to get your license based on your specific situation.

You can send your documents to the Board up to six months before graduation. The Board will hold your materials, such as background checks and references, for six months until you submit your formal application. Note that you become an official “applicant” only after submitting a completed, signed application form with the required fee.

The Board provides two main ways to apply:

• Standard Application: For first-time licensees or those with inactive licenses elsewhere
• Licensure by Endorsement: For psychologists who currently hold an active license in another state, with two sub-categories:
  • Endorsement (<15 years): For those licensed less than 15 years
  • Endorsement (≥15 years): For those licensed 15+ years

Each application needs a non-refundable fee of $370.00, which has a $45.00 background check fee. Some documentation lists the fee as $371.25, with a $46.25 background check fee. You must pay online using a card—the Board doesn’t accept cash, checks, or external e-payments.

Every applicant must complete a fingerprint-based criminal records check. You should complete this process no more than 90 days before submitting your application. Background checks usually take 2-3 weeks, though ink fingerprinting might need up to 4 weeks.

The Board takes up to two weeks to review applications after receiving all required materials. Applications from non-APA/CPA accredited programs need longer review times—up to five weeks—as the Board’s Education Committee must review them thoroughly.

After approval, you get one year to complete your application file and two years to finish all remaining licensure requirements. The Board reviews extension requests when there’s good cause.

You can practice before full licensure only if you’re an approved applicant in a Board-approved residency contract, work in an exempt setting, or receive a limited permit with a license from another state.

Psychologists trained abroad must get their degrees evaluated by a Board-recognized credentialing body. Out-of-state psychologists can apply for a limited permit at $120.00 to practice temporarily.

The Board grants your license within about one week after meeting all requirements. You’ll receive both an electronic copy by email and a physical copy by mail. Active psychologists pay $600.00 for biennial license renewal, with a $210.00 late fee for delayed renewals.

Continuing Education

Your Oregon psychology license requires regular CE (continuing education) credits to stay valid. The Oregon Board of Psychology’s requirements help licensed psychologists stay up-to-date with current professional standards and practices.

Licensed psychologists in Oregon need 40 CE credits between license renewals, which happens every two years. Your renewal cycle determines when you report these credits. New licensees who are less than one year old don’t need to worry about CE requirements until after their first renewal.

The 40 required hours must include these specialized training credits each reporting period:

• 4 credits of professional ethics and/or Oregon laws/regulations related to psychological practice
• 4 credits of cultural competency education
• 1 credit of pain management education
• 2 credits of suicide risk assessment, treatment, and management (effective July 1, 2022)

The Board allows a maximum of 20 combined hours from home study and study groups per reporting period. This limit was temporarily lifted for renewals between March 31, 2020 and July 31, 2022.

Your CE hours must meet these criteria to count:

• Content should focus on psychological issues, skills, or relevant laws/ethics
• Qualified instructors must lead the programs
• Programs must keep attendance records

The Oregon Psychological Association provides CE programs specifically designed for psychologists and mental health professionals. These programs have American Psychological Association approval, which ensures they meet CE credit standards.

The Board randomly checks CE compliance each year. Selected psychologists get 60 days to show proof of their completed hours. Keep your completion evidence for at least two years after your reporting period.

Missing CE requirements can lead to disciplinary action. Fines range from $200 to $1,000 based on how serious and long the non-compliance lasted.

Special State Variations

Oregon’s psychology licensing process has unique features that separate it from other states. You could face Board sanctions by practicing psychological services in Oregon without proper authorization. The state allows you to legally provide services before full licensure under three categories: an approved applicant with a Board-approved residency contract, someone working in an exempt setting, or a professional with a limited permit if licensed elsewhere.

Psychologists can complete their post-doctoral work outside Oregon with a licensed psychologist who has at least two years of experience. This arrangement must meet requirements outlined in OAR 858-010-0036. These cases don’t require an Oregon Contract for Supervision.

The state doesn’t allow direct license transfers. In spite of that, the Board lets psychologists with a doctoral degree and active license in another jurisdiction get Licensure by Endorsement after passing the Oregon Jurisprudence Exam. Psychologists licensed for over 15 years can apply directly to the Board. Those licensed under 15 years need to submit three references from qualified mental health professionals.

Psychologists trained in other countries must get their degrees assessed by a Board-recognized credentialing body.

The Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS 675.010-150) and Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) govern your legal rights and responsibilities as an Oregon psychologist, among other guidelines like the APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct.