All fifty states and the District of Columbia have laws regulating the practice of psychology and/or the use of the title "psychologist" (as do the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Canadian Provinces).

As of 2000, all states, except two, require a doctoral degree to enter into the independent practice of psychology. Some states allow master’s level "psych associates" or "psych assistants" to practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. All states require that the Examination for Professional Practice in psychology (EPPP) be taken and require 1-3 years of supervised experience. The EPPP is developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). State boards may supplement the EPPP exam with written questions of their own or an oral exam (or both). Pass/Fail scores for the EPPP are set by the individual state boards. You can write ASPPB directly at:

Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards

7177 Halcyon Summit Drive

Montgomery, Alabama 36117

Because requirements differ from state to state, inquires about specifics of state licensure should be directed to the individual licensing board(s) for the state(s) in question. The numbers for these boards can be obtained either from the ASPPB website www.asppb.org, or from the APA Practice Directorate at 202-336-5886.