The Florida Board of Psychology (the Board) establishes standards for licensed psychologists in the state. You will need to demonstrate competence through education, experience, and examinations before becoming eligible to work as a licensed psychologist in the state. Becoming licensed as a psychologist in Florida is a complex process, so we’ve put together this step-by-step guide to help you along the way.
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The first step in your journey to becoming a licensed psychologist in Florida is to attain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. Your bachelor’s degree in psychology does not have to be in the field of psychology; however, you should carefully consider your long-term goals when deciding on a major for your bachelor’s degree program if it is outside the field of psychology. If you get your bachelor’s degree in a field outside of psychology, you will likely have to take additional courses before being accepted into a graduate-level psychology program. A bachelor’s degree program usually takes between two and four years to complete and requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, including up to 36 psychology-specific hours for a psychology major.
Though not required, many candidates will pursue a master’s program. Your master’s degree does not have to be in the field of psychology but should be closely related and relevant to your career plan. A stand-alone master’s degree program in psychology will typically take two years of study (30 to 40 credit hours), but others are offered as part of a doctoral program.
There are two primary doctorate-level psychology degrees, each with unique training and requirements for graduating: a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology. The state of Florida accepts both types for licensure as a psychologist. For more information about the differences between the two doctorate degrees, see our home page. If you enroll after graduating with a bachelor’s degree, you can usually expect to spend between four and seven years completing a doctoral degree. The state of Florida requires that your doctorate be accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The Board requires 4,000 hours of supervised experience before you can become licensed, 2,000 of which can be completed as a doctoral internship.
Please refer to our Psychology Schools in Florida page for a comprehensive list of programs.
The next step to getting your license is to prepare and submit an application by mail or online to the Board to register for the required examinations and begin the process of verification. The Board requires you include an official, sealed transcript of your doctoral degree (sent directly from your university), and a $305.00 application fee.
If you have not yet completed your postdoctoral experience, you may apply for licensure by examination under the bifurcation method, by which you may sit for the required exams before completing your supervised experience.
Florida law requires students seeking licensure in psychology to obtain 4,000 hours of experience prior to licensure, the equivalent of two years of full-time work. The Board will accept 2,000 hours for doctorate-level psychology internships, but the remaining 2,000 hours must be postdoctoral supervised practical experience. Florida law specifies that the supervised experience must include at least 900 hours of one-on-one work with clients. You will need to have two hours of clinical supervision each week, including an hour of individual supervision. You will need to continue receiving supervision until you are licensed, even if you have completed the required number of hours.
If your supervised experience requirement was not fulfilled at the time you submitted your application, you must submit a Supervising Psychologist Verification form upon completion of your supervision hours.
Once your application has been approved by the Board, you will be sent information about the exam portion of the licensure process. You will need to pass two exams before being licensed to demonstrate that you understand theories and concepts of psychology, in addition to knowledge of laws and ethical obligations under Florida law.
The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). The EPPP exam is intended to test your knowledge of psychology and will require that you demonstrate an understanding of the psychology topics you studied while working on your doctoral degree. You must have a score of 500 or better (or 70%) to pass. There is an EPPP practice exam available to help you prepare.
The Florida Laws and Rules Examination consists of 40 multiple-choice questions testing your knowledge of the laws of the state. You are allotted an hour to complete the exam and you must receive a score of 70% correct or better to pass. You will get a preliminary result immediately which will be certified later. The exam costs $48 and is administered by Pearson VUE. After taking the two required exams, the Board will receive your scores and notify you of your licensure status. If you wish to work while waiting for your license, you can apply for provisional licensure and work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist until you are notified of your licensure.
Once you have satisfied all requirements listed above, the Board will review your application within 30 days and you will be granted your Florida psychologist license.
Licensure by reciprocity is not available in Florida; however, if you already have your license to practice psychology in another state, you can still apply for licensure in Florida through the Florida Board of Psychology. You will need to submit an application for Licensure by Endorsement by mail or online. You are eligible for licensure by endorsement if you are a diplomat in good standing with the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) or have at least 10 years of experience practicing as a licensed psychologist. Fees to become licensed through endorsement total $305, which includes a $200 non-refundable application fee, an initial licensure fee of $100 and a $5 processing fee.
In order to renew your psychology license, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education units (CEUs), submit your renewal application, and pay the renewal fee of $205 online or through the mail before May 31. Licenses are valid for two years. Florida requires two hours of medical errors training and three hours of ethics and Florida psychology law. Florida does not accept hours earned outside of the 24-month licensure cycle. Every six years, the state requires two hours of domestic violence training as part of the total 40 hours. The Board has information about accepted methods for obtaining your CEUs available on its website.
Limited license psychologists are also required to complete 40 hours of CE every two years, but the renewal fee for this license is $30. School psychologists must complete 30 hours of CE biennially, including two hours on preventing medical error, and two hours every six years on domestic violence.
If you have been licensed to practice psychology in another jurisdiction for a time period of at least 10 years and you have retired (or intend to retire within six months) from psychology, you can apply for a limited psychology license that allows you to work in a public or non-profit institution only, providing psychological services to the underserved and “critical need populations” of Florida. The application fee is $30 and you will need to provide proof of licensure.
To be licensed by the Florida Department of Health, school psychologists must hold at least a master’s degree from a program including at least 60 semester hours of psychology courses, and from a regionally-accredited institution. You must also complete 4,500 hours of professional experience, 3,000 of which must be supervised. Doctoral internships may be counted towards this requirement.
If becoming licensed by examination (rather than by endorsement), you must take and pass the Praxis exam for School Psychologists, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The application fee is $355 and you may apply online or by mail.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2021, the average salary for “all other” psychologists in Florida was $103,240 annually. 1 By comparison, clinical and counseling psychologists earned an average of $87,730, and school psychologists in Florida average $72,910 per year. 1 The average salary for postsecondary psychology teachers in Florida was $77,120. 1 The field of psychology continues to grow in Florida; Projections Central estimates job growth of 12.6% for “all other” psychologists; 21.4% for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists; and 17.3% for postsecondary psychology teachers in the state from 2020 to 2030. 2
| Occupation | Number Employed 1 | Average Annual Salary 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 2,580 | $87,730 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | N.Av. | N.Av. |
| Psychologists, All Other | 800 | $103,240 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 580 | $77,120 |
| School Psychologists | 2,660 | $72,910 |
The length of time it can take to become a licensed psychologist in Florida depends on how long it takes to complete your education and training, which can vary based on whether you go full- or part-time, take breaks in between degrees, etc. A bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study to complete, and a combined master’s and doctoral degree can take four to seven years. In addition to education, you will also need to complete one year (2,000 hours) of supervised professional experience after you graduate from your doctoral program, and prepare for and take the required exams before completing the licensure process. You should expect to spend around a decade from commencing your bachelor’s degree before you become a full-fledged psychologist in Florida.
The Board requires you to have a PsyD or a PhD in Psychology before applying for licensure in the state.
According to the BLS, the average salary for Florida psychologists, excluding educators, was $87,960 as of May 2021. 3 “All other” psychologists earned the most in Florida on average, while school psychologists earned the least. 3