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Psychologists · United States

Work as a psychologist in the USA: EPPP and licensing (2026)

Every US state licenses psychologists who practice independently, and each board decides whether a foreign doctorate is equivalent. If yours is, the route runs through supervised experience and the EPPP.

Overview

In the USA, psychologists are licensed by state boards, not by a national body. BLS says all states and the District of Columbia require psychologists who practice independently to be licensed where they work, and most states require licensure to use the title psychologist.

Licensure normally rests on three things: a doctoral degree in psychology, a period of supervised experience, and a passing score on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) develops for the boards.

If you trained outside the USA, the direct answer is that a route exists, but only state by state. Each board decides whether your foreign doctorate is equivalent to its own standard. New York, for example, will consider a foreign program the substantial equivalent if the institution has acceptable accreditation and the program included at least three years of full-time study, with at least 30 semester hours at the institution that granted the doctorate. If a board accepts your degree, it approves you to sit the EPPP, you complete the supervised experience it requires, and it issues the license.

This page is for clinical, counseling and health psychologists with a doctorate from outside the USA, including those already licensed in the UK, Ireland, Europe, India or the Gulf. It is also a warning for master's-level psychologists: in most states a master's degree does not lead to the title psychologist in independent practice, and you may need to look at related licensed roles or further study instead.

What makes the USA different is the variation. Some jurisdictions require EPPP Part 2 (Skills) as well as Part 1 (Knowledge); New York requires only Part 1. Supervised hours, jurisprudence exams and extra coursework (New York requires child abuse identification training) differ too. Pick your state first and read its board's rules before you spend money on evaluations or exams.

Psychologists are not a VisaScreen profession, so TruMerit (formerly CGFNS International) is not part of this route. Work authorization usually comes through an employer-sponsored visa. BLS reports a median annual wage of $99,110 for psychologists in May 2025, and $100,580 for clinical and counseling psychologists.

Eligibility

  • You hold a doctoral degree in psychology. New York requires a doctorate from a licensure-qualifying or APA-accredited program, or a foreign program that is substantially equivalent.
  • Your doctoral institution is accredited or recognized by an organization the state board accepts.
  • For New York, your program included at least three years of full-time study, with at least 30 semester hours of coursework at the institution that granted the doctorate, and prepared graduates to practice psychology independently.
  • You can complete the supervised experience your state requires; New York asks for two years of full-time supervised experience at 1,750 clock hours a year, or the part-time equivalent.
  • Your state board approves you to sit the EPPP. You cannot register with ASPPB until the board authorizes you.
  • You can pass EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge) and, if your state has adopted it, EPPP Part 2 (Skills).
  • You can meet any state-specific requirements, such as New York's child abuse identification coursework, a jurisprudence exam or a background check.
  • You can obtain official transcripts and course descriptions from your university, with certified English translations where needed.

Check your route with the route finder

Step by step

  1. Choose your state and read its board rules

    Licensing is state by state, so pick the state where you want to work first. Check whether the board considers foreign doctorates, what equivalency standard it uses, how many supervised hours it requires and whether it requires EPPP Part 2. A common mistake is to sit the EPPP before confirming a board will accept the degree.

  2. Gather your education records

    Request official transcripts, a degree certificate and detailed course descriptions from your university, with certified English translations. Boards look at program length, residency, coursework and practicum training. New York asks for a Certification of Professional Education (Form 2) completed by your school, so warn the registrar early.

  3. Apply to the board for licensure

    Submit the application and fee to the board. In New York the license fee is $294; in California the 2026 initial application fee is $236. The board reviews whether your doctorate is equivalent. Some boards ask for an independent credential evaluation, so follow the board's instructions on which evaluation it accepts.

  4. Get a permit to gain supervised experience

    If you still need supervised hours, most states have a permit or registration for that stage. New York's limited permit costs $70 and is valid for up to 12 months, with extensions to a maximum of three years in total. Your supervisor must meet the board's rules, so confirm their eligibility before you start.

  5. Register for EPPP Part 1

    Once the board approves you, ASPPB emails an invitation to register. Pay $600 for Part 1 plus the $91.88 sitting fee, and sit within 12 months unless your board sets an earlier deadline. US candidates must test at a US Pearson VUE center, and slots are limited, so book early.

  6. Prepare for and pass EPPP Part 1

    Part 1 has 225 items (175 scored) and 4 hours 15 minutes of testing time, covering eight domains, with assessment and diagnosis and ethical, legal and professional issues each at 16 percent. ASPPB offers practice exams. Foreign-trained candidates often find the US ethics, law and research methods content the hardest part.

  7. Complete your supervised experience

    Log your hours on the board's forms and keep supervisor signatures current. New York requires two years full time at 1,750 clock hours each year. Gaps in documentation are a frequent cause of delay at the final review.

  8. Take EPPP Part 2 if your state requires it

    Part 2 (Skills) can only be taken after Part 1, needs its own board approval and costs $450 plus the sitting fee. It has 170 items (130 scored) and 4 hours 10 minutes of testing, and some items include audio or video. ASPPB recommends taking it after you have completed your supervised experience.

  9. Complete state-specific requirements and get licensed

    Finish anything else your state requires, such as New York's child abuse identification coursework, California's CPLEE ($127 application) or a jurisprudence exam. Then the board issues your license, for example California's $231 initial license fee. Keep records of everything, because later license mobility depends on them.

Exams

  • EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge)

    Developed by ASPPB and delivered on computer at Pearson VUE centers in the USA and Canada. 225 items, of which 175 are scored, with 4 hours 15 minutes for the items. Eight domains: biological bases of behavior (10%), cognitive-affective bases (13%), social and cultural bases (11%), growth and lifespan development (12%), assessment and diagnosis (16%), treatment, intervention, prevention and supervision (15%), research methods and statistics (7%) and ethical, legal and professional issues (16%). ASPPB recommends a scaled score of 500 for independent practice.

  • EPPP Part 2 (Skills)

    Required only by jurisdictions that have adopted it; New York has not. 170 items, of which 130 are scored, with 4 hours 10 minutes for the items, across six domains: scientific orientation, assessment and intervention, relational competence, professionalism, ethical practice, and collaboration, consultation and supervision. Some items use audio or video.

  • State law and ethics exams

    Some states set their own exam on state law and professional practice, such as California's CPLEE. Check your board's exam page for format and fees.

English

  • ASPPB does not set an English test score for the EPPP. The exam is offered in English, and in French only for licensure in Canadian provinces.
  • The New York requirements page we checked does not set a separate English test for foreign-educated psychologists.
  • Some boards may ask for evidence of English, or for certified translations of every document not in English. Check your board's application instructions.
  • Psychologists are not a VisaScreen profession, so the federal English test rules for health care workers under 8 CFR 212.15 do not apply.
  • In practice, licensure depends on strong English: the EPPP, supervised clinical work and US psychological assessment all happen in English.

Fees

ItemFee
EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge)Paid to ASPPB. Nonrefundable.$600 per sittingPaid to ASPPB. Nonrefundable.
EPPP Part 2 (Skills)Only if your state requires it. Nonrefundable.$450 per sittingOnly if your state requires it. Nonrefundable.
Pearson VUE test center sitting feeCharged for each part. Rescheduling inside the fee-free window adds a further charge; a no-show forfeits all fees.$91.88 per sittingCharged for each part. Rescheduling inside the fee-free window adds a further charge; a no-show forfeits all fees.
New York license feePaid with the license application.$294Paid with the license application.
New York limited permitNonrefundable. For gaining supervised experience.$70Nonrefundable. For gaining supervised experience.
California initial application (psychologist)2026 fee schedule. California also lists a $127 CPLEE application fee and a $231 initial license fee.$2362026 fee schedule. California also lists a $127 CPLEE application fee and a $231 initial license fee.
Credential evaluationSet by the agency, if your board requires oneFollow your board's instructions on which evaluation it accepts.
H-1B additional paymentUSCIS says certain H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025 must include this payment, with exemptions such as extensions for people already in the USA. The employer files and pays.$100,000 on certain petitionsUSCIS says certain H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025 must include this payment, with exemptions such as extensions for people already in the USA. The employer files and pays.

Estimate your total cost

Timeline

  • Allow several weeks to a few months for your university to return transcripts, course descriptions and any school certification form.
  • The board's equivalency review is the least predictable stage; boards do not publish a fixed time for foreign degrees, so ask yours.
  • ASPPB says you must sit the EPPP within 12 months of paying, unless your board sets an earlier deadline. Pearson VUE slots are limited, so book early.
  • Supervised experience can take up to two years full time. New York's limited permit runs up to 12 months, with extensions to three years in total.
  • If you fail the EPPP, your board decides whether and when you may retake it, and how many times.
  • Plan for two years or more from first application to full license if you still need supervised experience, less if you already have it and your state accepts it.

Pay

There is no national pay scale for psychologists in the USA; pay is set by the employer. The figures below are BLS medians from the Occupational Outlook Handbook, based on May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Pay varies by state, setting and specialty.

Yearly amounts

  • All psychologists (median)

    $99,110

    BLS, May 2025.

  • Clinical and counseling psychologists (median)

    $100,580

    BLS, May 2025.

  • School psychologists (median)

    $95,990

    BLS, May 2025.

  • Industrial-organizational psychologists (median)

    $193,950

    BLS, May 2025. A small field, not a usual route for clinicians.

Employers

  • Hospitals and health systems, including psychiatric and rehabilitation services.
  • Outpatient mental health and substance use centers.
  • State and local government health and correctional services.
  • Universities, college counseling centers and academic medical centers, which are not subject to the H-1B cap.
  • Schools and school districts, which may require a separate school psychology credential.
  • Group and private practices, usually after you hold a full license.

Visa

  • Psychologists are not on the VisaScreen list in 8 CFR 212.15, so you do not need a TruMerit (formerly CGFNS International) certificate.
  • The H-1B specialty occupation visa fits roles that need a degree in a specific specialty. USCIS allows up to 3 years at first, extendable to 6 years in total, and requires the employer to obtain a certified Labor Condition Application.
  • USCIS says that if an occupation needs a state license, you generally must hold it before the H-1B petition is approved. Discuss permit and supervised practice roles with your employer's immigration attorney.
  • USCIS says certain H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025 must include an additional $100,000 payment. Universities and nonprofit research organizations are not subject to the annual H-1B cap, which makes academic and teaching-hospital posts more realistic.
  • Permanent residence usually needs an employer-sponsored employment-based petition. This page does not give immigration legal advice; speak to a licensed US immigration attorney about your case.

Moving from the Gulf

  1. 1

    A DHA, DOH, MOHAP, SCFHS, QCHP or other GCC psychologist license does not transfer. The US board looks at your doctoral education, not your Gulf license.

  2. 2

    Many psychologists licensed in the Gulf hold a master's degree. Most US states require a doctorate for the title psychologist, so check this first.

  3. 3

    Supervised hours from the Gulf may or may not count; each board decides. Keep signed logs from a licensed supervisor and ask your target board before you rely on them.

  4. 4

    Boards usually want verification of every license you have held. Request letters of good standing from each Gulf authority while your license is active.

  5. 5

    Gulf clinical experience helps with EPPP assessment and treatment content, but US ethics, law and diversity content is different, so prepare for it separately.

How we help psychologists register in the United States

  • Application plan with every step, fee and deadline

  • Document checklist tailored to you, and a review of each document before upload

  • Timeline built around the regulator's closure windows and document validity periods

  • Help completing the application forms accurately and consistently

  • Support with profession-specific evidence, such as the HCPC standards of proficiency mapping

  • Guidance on certificates of good standing, references and certified translations

  • Preparation for identity checks and declarations on health and character

  • Tracking your application and help responding to regulator requests

  • Next steps after the decision: exams, adaptation, PIN or licence and your first job

Regulators make all registration decisions and set all fees. Our fee is separate from the regulator's fees, exam fees and translation costs.

What our registration and licensing support includesPackages and fees

Questions

Yes, in some states, if the board accepts your doctorate as equivalent. New York, for example, reviews foreign programs for substantial equivalence to its own requirements. There is no national recognition, so the answer depends on the state where you apply.

Not for the title psychologist in independent practice in most states. New York requires a doctoral degree in psychology. BLS notes that some master's-level roles exist, but states differ on what they allow.

The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, developed by ASPPB and delivered by Pearson VUE. Part 1 (Knowledge) is required for all candidates. Part 2 (Skills) is required only in jurisdictions that have adopted it, and you can take it only after passing Part 1.

ASPPB lists $600 for Part 1 and $450 for Part 2, plus a $91.88 test center sitting fee for each sitting. All exam and sitting fees are nonrefundable.

ASPPB recommends a scaled score of 500 for independent practice and 450 for supervised practice, but each board sets its own standard. New York, for example, requires a converted score of at least 75 as determined by its State Board for Psychology.

The EPPP is delivered at Pearson Professional Centers in the United States and Canada. ASPPB says US candidates must test at a US testing center, including US territories, so plan a trip if you are abroad.

No. New York says it requires only EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge) and has not adopted Part 2 (Skills). Check your own state, because the rule varies.

It depends on the state. New York requires two years of full-time supervised experience, defined as 1,750 clock hours a year, or the part-time equivalent. Other states set their own hours and split between pre- and postdoctoral experience.

No. Psychologists are not among the health care occupations listed in 8 CFR 212.15, so VisaScreen does not apply. You still need a work visa, usually sponsored by an employer.

Usually only under a permit or registration. New York issues a limited permit for $70, valid for up to 12 months with extensions to a maximum of three years, so you can gain experience under supervision.

Sources

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