How to Get Your Virginia Psychology License

Virginia faces a striking reality – 41% of its residents live in areas with limited access to mental health professionals. A career as a licensed psychologist in Virginia offers promising opportunities in this growing field. The job market looks bright with a projected 13.3% growth rate through 2033, which surpasses most other careers. The state has seen its licensed psychologist numbers climb to 4,576 in 2023, marking a substantial 27% rise since 2018.

Licensed psychologists in Virginia can expect solid financial rewards. Clinical and counseling psychologists earn a median yearly income of $93,900, while psychologists overall (except educators) made an average of $102,793 as of May 2021. The path to becoming a licensed psychologist requires specific educational qualifications, hands-on supervised practice, and successful completion of mandatory exams. The state’s psychology board reviews applications by looking at your education, test scores, supervised work experience, and moral character. Let us guide you through each step of getting your license in a clear, straightforward way.

Educational Pathways

Your trip to becoming a licensed psychologist in Virginia starts with the right education. Virginia’s psychology field stands apart from other mental health professions because you just need a doctoral-level education that combines extensive academic work and practical training.

A bachelor’s degree is your first step, which takes four years of full-time study. The Virginia psychology license board accepts undergraduate degrees in related fields, though a psychology major gives you ideal preparation. Your foundation builds through coursework in research methods, statistics, and core psychological principles.

After finishing your undergraduate studies, you can choose between two paths. You might go straight into a doctoral program or get a master’s degree first. A master’s degree isn’t required for full psychology licensure in Virginia, but it can improve your qualifications and help you find your specialization interests. A master’s degree also qualifies you for certain limited licenses, like School Psychologist-Limited.

The doctoral degree is the base of Virginia’s psychology license requirements. You can get either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). Your doctoral program must meet strict accreditation standards from one of these organizations:

• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)
• Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)
• Programs the board considers equivalent

Your career options depend on the doctoral path you choose. Virginia offers three distinct psychology license types:

Clinical Psychologist: You just need a doctorate in clinical psychology that focuses on assessment, diagnosis, and psychological interventions.

School Psychologist: A doctorate in school psychology with focus on developmental issues and educational settings is required.

Applied Psychologist: The board requires a doctorate in psychology that meets their standards for applied practice.

Your doctoral program must include specific elements to satisfy the Virginia psychology license board. You must complete a minimum of nine semester hours (or 15 quarter hours) of supervised practicum experience with assessment, diagnosis, and psychological interventions. You also need to finish an internship in a program that’s accredited by the APA, CPA, or belongs to the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).

Getting from your bachelor’s degree through doctoral completion usually takes 10-12 years. This time helps you develop scientific understanding and clinical skills you need for independent practice. Programs follow either the scientist-practitioner model or the practitioner-scholar approach, based on whether you choose a PhD or PsyD.

Getting licensed as a psychologist in Virginia needs serious commitment. This full preparation will give you the knowledge and skills you need to provide effective psychological services in a variety of settings throughout the state.

Supervised Experience Requirements

You’ll need substantial supervised experience to get your Virginia psychology license after completing your education. This phase will give you practical skills under qualified supervision before you can practice on your own.

The Virginia psychology license board requires all clinical or school psychologist licensure candidates to complete a residency with a minimum of 1,500 hours of supervised experience while delivering clinical or school psychology services. You must complete this supervised experience between 12 months and three years. The board may grant you an extension if special circumstances prevent completion within three years.

You must register with the board before starting your supervised residency in Virginia by submitting:

• A supervisory contract
• The registration of supervision fee
• An official transcript that shows you completed your educational requirements

Note that the board won’t accept any supervised experience in Virginia without prior written approval. This means you need this approval before you can start counting hours.

The Virginia psychology license requirements state you need at least two hours of individual supervision for every 40 hours of supervised experience. You can replace one of these hours with group supervision (up to five residents), where two hours of group supervision counts as one hour of individual supervision. Whatever you choose, you must get at least one hour of individual supervision per 40 hours.

Your supervisor needs proper qualifications. Clinical psychology licensure supervisors must have a current, unrestricted license where supervision happens and be licensed in your target category. School psychologist licensure candidates can work with either a licensed school psychologist or a clinical psychologist.

Your supervisor has specific responsibilities:

• Take professional responsibility for your work
• Keep supervision records
• Review and co-sign your case notes regularly
• Write an evaluation of your performance after the residency

Clinical psychology candidates can count their doctoral program’s supervised practicum hours toward residency hours. In spite of that, you can’t count required internship hours toward the 1,500 residency hours.

The board has set clear limits during your residency. You can’t:

• Call yourself a clinical or school psychologist
• Look for clients on your own
• Bill clients directly
• Present yourself as a licensed psychologist

At the end of your residency, your supervisor will submit a written evaluation of your work to the board. This evaluation shows you’re ready to move forward with licensure.

If you got supervision in another U.S. jurisdiction or Canada, you need to show board approval from that jurisdiction if they required it. This confirms that your supervised experience meets Virginia’s standards, no matter where you completed it.

Licensing Examinations

Getting your Virginia psychology license requires passing standardized examinations as a key milestone. The Virginia Board of Psychology requires applicants to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology Part 1-Knowledge (EPPP Part 1-Knowledge). The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) administers this exam.

The Virginia psychology license board will assess your eligibility after you complete your education, practicum/supervision experience, and submit your application. You’ll receive authorization to register for the EPPP after approval. Your board approval will stay valid for two years.

The EPPP Part 1-Knowledge exam features 225 multiple-choice questions that test your psychology knowledge foundation. This complete assessment covers eight content 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

The EPPP Part 1-Knowledge examination costs $600. Virginia psychology license requirements state you must score at least 500 on the scaled scoring system that ranges from 200 to 800. This passing standard matches ASPPB’s recommended score for independent practice.

You can retake the exam if you don’t pass on your first try. The process requires you to submit a retake request for board review. Keep in mind that you can only attempt the exam four times within any 12-month period.

Virginia also requires passing a state Jurisprudence Examination. This test checks your understanding of Virginia’s psychology practice laws and regulations. The state-specific test will give you a clear grasp of the legal framework you’ll work within as a licensed psychologist.

The board usually receives examination results about a week after your test date. The licensing process continues once they get your passing scores. You’ll need to contact ASPPB directly for score verification since the Virginia Board of Psychology cannot distribute your exam scores.

Candidates who need accommodations due to disabilities or impairments should check the “Special Accommodations” box during EPPP registration. This request must be made before scheduling your exam.

Application & Licensure Process

Getting your Virginia psychology license needs careful attention to paperwork and fees. The Virginia Board of Psychology gives you two ways to get licensed: taking an exam if you’re a first-time applicant or getting an endorsement if you’re already licensed somewhere else.

New applicants can start their application during residency. You’ll need to register your supervised residency with the board and pay a $50 fee. The next step is submitting your examination application with a $200 fee for clinical, applied, or school psychologist licensure. School psychologist-limited licenses cost less at $85.

Required documentation for examination applicants includes:

• Official transcripts with degree conferral date
• Internship verification forms
• Verification of supervised experience
• Areas of Graduate Study form
• EPPP scores
• National Practitioners Data Bank self-query report

Licensed psychologists from other states can use the simplified endorsement pathway. You must have an active, unrestricted equivalent license in another jurisdiction. The process needs a $200 application fee plus verification of your current license and National Practitioners Data Bank self-query.

Your application stays active for one year from when you pay. Applications that aren’t complete after this time need new submissions and fees. The board takes about 30 days to approve complete applications.

You can stay updated by emailing the board. The online portal also lets you check your application status.

Virginia plans to join the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) with applications expected in late summer or early fall. This change will let psychologists work across state lines without multiple full licenses.

Licensed psychologists pay $140 yearly for most license types. Late payments come with a $50 penalty. The board also has inactive status available for $70 per year if you need to pause your practice.

This license application process marks the end of your educational and supervised training. Success depends on meeting all documentation requirements and deadlines carefully.

Continuing Education

Your Virginia psychology license needs ongoing professional development. Licensed psychologists must complete 14 hours of board-approved continuing education (CE) each year to renew their license. The requirements include at least 1.5 hours focused on ethics, laws, and regulations that govern psychology as a profession.

The Virginia Board of Psychology has strict guidelines about earning these hours. You must complete at least six hours through face-to-face or live interactive educational experiences. You can complete up to eight hours through distance learning formats like online courses. This mix will give a good balance between interactive learning and easy access to educational resources.

The board lets psychologists carry forward up to seven extra CE hours to the next annual renewal cycle. This flexibility helps professionals who complete more than their required hours.

The board recognizes several other ways to meet CE requirements beyond standard coursework:

• You can earn up to four hours per renewal cycle by preparing and presenting CE programs directly related to psychology practice
• Publishing articles or books in recognized publications counts for up to four hours
• You get up to four hours for serving as editor or associate editor of a professional journal for at least six months
• Membership on a state psychology licensing board earns you up to two hours

Academic coursework at regionally accredited institutions also counts toward CE requirements. You get ten hours credit for each three-credit-hour course related to psychology practice.

Volunteer service offers another great way to earn CE hours. You can earn up to two CE hours this way. Every three hours of unpaid psychological services to low-income individuals through local health departments or free clinics equals one CE credit hour.

The board may grant extensions or exemptions in special cases. You can request extensions of up to one year before your renewal date. You might get full or partial exemptions for circumstances beyond your control.

CE providers must have board approval. Virginia psychologists can usually count on American Psychological Association-approved providers to meet this requirement. Your courses must relate directly to your specific licensure category and scope of practice.

Special State Variations

Virginia has created unique licensing pathways that go beyond standard clinical psychology licensure. A 9-member body known as the Virginia Board of Psychology regulates five distinct license types with its administrative, enforcement, and licensing staff.

The state’s licensing system includes clinical, school, and applied psychology licenses, plus specialized pathways for professionals with master’s-level education. Professionals can obtain a School Psychologist-Limited license with a master’s degree and a Pupil Personnel Services license that has psychology endorsement. The Sex Offender Treatment Provider certification needs either a master’s or doctorate in social work, psychology, counseling, or nursing. This certification also requires 50 hours of specialized training and 2,000 supervised hours in sex offender treatment.

Virginia has taken steps to create a new “Psychological Practitioner” license for master’s-level psychologists. This change will make the profession more accessible.

The state does not have formal reciprocity agreements with other states. However, psychologists licensed elsewhere can obtain licensure by endorsement if they have an “active, unrestricted equivalent license”. They must verify their current licensure status and submit a National Practitioners Data Bank self-query.

Some professionals can practice without a license under specific exemptions. These exemptions generally apply to people who work in educational institutions or government agencies.