TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY

Final Regulation

Title of Regulation: 18VAC125-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Psychology (amending 18VAC125-20-30, 18VAC125-20-41, 18VAC125-20-42, 18VAC125-20-80, 18VAC125-20-120; adding 18VAC125-20-57, 18VAC125-20-58, 18VAC125-20-59).

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: November 1, 2025.

Agency Contact: Jaime Hoyle, Executive Director, Board of Psychology, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4406, fax (804) 327-4435, or email jaime.hoyle@dhp.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Pursuant to Chapters 754 and 761 of the 2024 Acts of Assembly, the amendments establish a pathway to licensure for psychological practitioners, which allows an individual with a master's degree in psychology to practice clinical psychology either under supervision or autonomously if certain requirements are met.

18VAC125-20-30. Fees required by the board.

A. The board has established fees for the following:

B. Fees shall be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia and forwarded to the board. All fees are nonrefundable.

C. Between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, the cost for application processing and initial licensure of psychological practitioners shall be $100.

18VAC125-20-41. Requirements for licensure by examination.

A. Every applicant for licensure by examination shall:

1. Meet the education requirements prescribed in 18VAC125-20-54, 18VAC125-20-55, or 18VAC125-20-56, or 18VAC125-20-57 and the experience requirement prescribed in 18VAC125-20-65 as applicable for the particular license sought; and

2. Submit the following:

a. A completed application on forms provided by the board;

b. A completed residency agreement or documentation of having fulfilled the experience requirements of 18VAC125-20-65, if applicable;

c. The application processing fee prescribed by the board;

d. Official transcripts documenting the graduate work completed and the degree awarded; transcripts previously submitted for registration of supervision do not have to be resubmitted unless additional coursework was subsequently obtained. Applicants who are graduates of institutions that are not regionally accredited shall submit documentation from an accrediting agency acceptable to the board that the applicant's education meets the requirements set forth in 18VAC125-20-54, 18VAC125-20-55, or 18VAC125-20-56, or 18VAC125-20-57;

e. A current report from the National Practitioner Data Bank; and

f. Verification of any other health or mental health professional license, certificate, or registration ever held in Virginia or another jurisdiction. The applicant shall not have surrendered a license, certificate, or registration while under investigation and shall have no unresolved action against a license, certificate, or registration.

B. In addition to fulfillment of the education and experience requirements, each applicant for licensure by examination as a clinical, school, or applied psychologist must achieve a passing score on all parts of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology required at the time the applicant took the examination.

C. Every applicant for licensure as a psychological practitioner shall achieve a passing score as determined by the board for master's degree level psychological practice on the academic portion of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology. Every licensed psychological practitioner applying for autonomous practice shall achieve a passing score as determined by the board for master's degree level psychological practice on the clinical portion of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology.

18VAC125-20-42. Prerequisites for licensure by endorsement.

Every applicant for licensure by endorsement for applied psychology, clinical psychology, or school psychology shall submit:

1. A completed application;

2. The application processing fee prescribed by the board;

3. An attestation of having read and agreed to comply with the current Standards of Practice and laws governing the practice of psychology in Virginia;

4. Verification of all other health and mental health professional licenses, certificates, or registrations ever held in Virginia or any jurisdiction of the United States or Canada. In order to qualify for endorsement, the applicant shall not have surrendered a license, certificate, or registration while under investigation and shall have no unresolved action against a license, certificate, or registration;

4. 5. A current report from the National Practitioner Data Bank; and

5. 6. Further documentation of one of the following:

a. A current credential issued by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists;

b. Current diplomate status in good standing with the American Board of Professional Psychology in a category comparable to the one in which licensure is sought;

c. A Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ) issued by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards;

d. Five years of active licensure in a category comparable to the one in which licensure is sought with at least 24 months of active practice within the last 60 months immediately preceding licensure application; or

e. If less than five years of active licensure or less than 24 months of active practice within the last 60 months, documentation of current psychologist licensure in good standing obtained by standards substantially equivalent to the education, experience, and examination requirements set forth in this chapter for the category in which licensure is sought as verified by a certified copy of the original application submitted directly from the out-of-state licensing agency or a copy of the regulations in effect at the time of initial licensure and the following: (i) Verification verification of a passing score on all parts of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology that were required at the time of original licensure and (ii) official transcripts documenting the graduate work completed and the degree awarded in the category in which licensure is sought.

18VAC125-20-57. Education requirements for psychological practitioners.

Each applicant for licensure as a psychological practitioner shall provide evidence of receipt of a master's degree in psychology or counseling psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association, from a program equivalent to those accredited by the American Psychological Association as determined by the board, or from a program accredited by another national accrediting body approved by the board.

18VAC125-20-58. Supervision and autonomous practice of psychological practitioners.

A. Unless an autonomous practice designation has been granted by the board, every psychological practitioner shall practice under the supervision of a clinical psychologist with at least two years of clinical experience post-licensure as a doctoral level clinical psychologist. No psychological practitioner shall represent that the practitioner can practice autonomously unless an autonomous practice designation has been granted by the board.

B. Unless an autonomous practice designation has been granted by the board, each psychological practitioner shall communicate to patients and the public in writing that the psychological practitioner cannot practice autonomously and provide the name and contact information of the supervising clinical psychologist.

C. A psychological practitioner with a current, unrestricted license may qualify for an autonomous designation upon:

1. Achievement of a passing score as determined by the board of the clinical portion of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology; and

2. Completion of one year of full-time, post-licensure practice under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. One year of full-time, post-licensure practice, for purposes of this section, is at least 2,000 hours. Such hours must be completed within three years immediately preceding application to the board for autonomous practice authorization.

D. Qualification for authorization for autonomous practice shall be determined upon:

1. Submission of a fee as specified in 18VAC125-20-30;

2. Evidence of a passing score for master's degree level psychological practice on the clinical portion of the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology; and

3. Evidence of one year of full-time, post-licensure supervised practice. The evidence of supervised practice shall consist of an attestation that meets the following criteria:

a. The attestation shall be signed by the licensed clinical psychologist that served as a supervisor for the required supervised practice in subsection A of this section;

b. The attestation shall specify that the psychological practitioner is competent to practice in all areas of practice contained on a form provided by the board; and

c. The attestation shall state that, in the opinion of the licensed clinical psychologist, the psychological practitioner demonstrated sufficient competency to practice autonomously.

18VAC125-20-59. Supervisors of psychological practitioners.

A. Supervisors shall be licensed as a clinical psychologist in Virginia.

B. Supervision of post-licensure practice by a clinical psychologist shall include:

1. The periodic review of patient charts or electronic patient records by the supervising clinical psychologist;

2. Appropriate and regular input by the clinical psychologist on cases, patient emergencies, and referrals;

3. Appropriate professional development; and

4. Management of areas of deficiency if needed or indicated during supervision.

C. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that the psychological practitioner only practices within the scope of the psychological practitioner's education and training.

D. Prior to practice, a psychological practitioner that has not received an autonomous practice designation must enter into a supervisory agreement with a qualified supervisor.

E. Both the psychological practitioner and the supervisor shall maintain a copy of all supervisory agreements for three years from the date that supervision ends.

18VAC125-20-80. General examination requirements.

A. A candidate shall achieve a passing score on the final required step for the licensure type applied for of the national examination within two years immediately preceding licensure. A candidate may request an extension of the two-year limitation for extenuating circumstances. If the candidate has not taken the examination by the end of the two-year period, the applicant shall reapply according to the requirements of the regulations in effect at that time.

B. A candidate for autonomous practice as a licensed psychological practitioner shall achieve a passing score on the clinical portion of the national examination within two years immediately preceding the application for autonomous practice. A candidate may request an extension of the two-year limitation for extenuating circumstances.

C. The board shall establish passing scores on all steps of the examination.

18VAC125-20-120. Annual renewal of licensure.

A. Licensees shall renew licenses on or before June 30 of each year and shall:

1. Pay the renewal fee prescribed by the board; and

2. Verify compliance with continuing education requirements prescribed in 18VAC125-20-121 on the renewal form. A practitioner shall be exempt from the continuing competency requirements for the first renewal following the date of initial licensure by examination in Virginia.

B. A licensee who wishes to place his license in inactive status may do so upon payment of the fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30. No person shall practice psychology in Virginia without a current active license. An inactive licensee may activate a license by fulfilling the reactivation requirements set forth in 18VAC125-20-130.

C. Failure of a licensee to receive a renewal notice and application forms from the board shall not excuse the licensee from the renewal requirement.

D. A licensed psychological practitioner actively practicing without a designation for autonomous practice shall attest that the licensee is actively supervised.