Are you interested in becoming a licensed psychologist? Go through the steps you must take to obtain your license. Also, find out how you can use a California psychology license lookup tool to check a professional’s credentials.
You must earn a doctorate in psychology from a board-approved school to meet California’s education requirements. Your coursework must include:
The state also requires that you gain 3,000 hours of work experience under the supervision of a psychologist. You can complete half of the hours while earning your doctorate, but the remaining 1,500 must be completed after graduating. Your work experience should be in your field of specialty.
After completing your work experience, you can register for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). You can apply to take the exam on the Board of Psychology website. After passing that, you’ll need to go back to the board’s website and apply to take the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination (CPLEE).
You will receive an application for your license after you pass the CPLEE. Fill it out, and then submit your fingerprints.
The board will review your license and email you the results. If your application is approved, the email will include your license number. If it is missing any information, the email will provide instructions to complete the request.
If you get approved, people will find your information using the California psychologist license lookup tool at the top of this website. They can use the tool to verify your credentials and know that they are going to a licensed psychologist. You can also use the California psychology license lookup tool if you’re trying to find a licensed psychologist.
EPPP scores range from 200-800. You need to earn a score of at least 500 to pass the test. If you don’t pass the test, you can retake it immediately.
You are limited to taking the EPPP four times a year in California. If you don’t pass it after taking it four times, you will have to wait to retake it.
You cannot call yourself a psychologist unless you hold a license. If you misrepresent yourself, you could face legal action.
It takes some work to become a psychologist, but it’s well worth it. Once you get your license, you can help others while doing something that you love. In the meantime, bookmark this page, so you can easily access the California psychology license lookup tool at the top. Use the tool to verify a psychologist’s credentials before making an appointment. Then, you won’t have to worry about going to someone who claims to be a psychologist when he or she isn’t actually licensed.