Psychology License from Alabama to West Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists ↗
A psychology license transfers from Alabama to West Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists, verify your Alabama license, and meet West Virginia's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — the reciprocity applicant submits their EPPP score with the application rather than re-testing; every reciprocity applicant must additionally pass the Board's oral examination, which covers professional ethics, legal issues, competency and pertinent West Virginia law (17CSR3 §§12.2.f and 14.4).
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Alabama and West Virginia both participate in PSYPACT, and it is worth being blunt about what that does and does not buy you, because the compact's name misleads a lot of psychologists. It does not transfer your license. Moving from Alabama to West Virginia means applying to the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists for licensure by endorsement exactly as you would if neither state had ever joined — license verification, doctoral transcript, supervised-experience review, West Virginia's jurisprudence requirement. What the shared participation genuinely gives you is different and still valuable: while you remain licensed and resident in Alabama, you can serve West Virginia clients by telepsychology under an APIT authorization, and work in person in West Virginia for up to 30 days a year under a TAP. That can cover a transition period — it cannot cover the move.
What changes, Alabama → West Virginia
| Alabama (current) | West Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PSYPACT status | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $400 ($400 nonrefundable application processing fee payable to the Board; separately + $38.25 payable to ALEA for the state/federal criminal history check and + $50 PSE fee due when sitting for the exam) | $120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) |
| Processing time | 13–17 weeks (Board states the process for previously licensed applicants 'generally takes three (3) to four (4) months from the time the application is received'; files are reviewed only at regular Board meetings, generally the second Friday of odd-numbered months, and must be complete by the first day of an odd-numbered month) | The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. |
| Licensing authority | Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology | West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — West Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm West Virginia's current requirements on the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a license or certificate granted by another state under standards the Board finds equal to or greater than West Virginia's.
- Submit a notarized application, official graduate transcripts, national (EPPP) exam scores, documentation of supervision, and a letter of good standing from every jurisdiction that has licensed you.
- Pass the Board's oral examination, filing the oral examination form, demonstrable competency form and at least three work samples at least 15 days before the exam date.
- Obtain a 90-day temporary permit if you intend to practice in West Virginia before the regular license is issued.
- Pay the fees ($120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.)) and allow The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does West Virginia accept a Alabama psychology license?
A psychology license transfers from Alabama to West Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists, verify your Alabama license, and meet West Virginia's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — the reciprocity applicant submits their EPPP score with the application rather than re-testing; every reciprocity applicant must additionally pass the Board's oral examination, which covers professional ethics, legal issues, competency and pertinent West Virginia law (17CSR3 §§12.2.f and 14.4).
Do I retake the EPPP moving from Alabama to West Virginia?
No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — the reciprocity applicant submits their EPPP score with the application rather than re-testing; every reciprocity applicant must additionally pass the Board's oral examination, which covers professional ethics, legal issues, competency and pertinent West Virginia law (17CSR3 §§12.2.f and 14.4).
What does the move cost?
$120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.).
How long will it take?
The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. — The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait..
Alabama and West Virginia are both PSYPACT states — doesn't my license transfer automatically?
No. PSYPACT never transfers a license, including between two participating states. It authorizes telepsychology into West Virginia (APIT) and in-person practice there for up to 30 days a year (TAP) while your license stays in Alabama. Relocating to West Virginia requires licensure by endorsement from the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists like any other applicant.
Can I start seeing West Virginia clients before my West Virginia license is issued?
While your Alabama license remains active and is your home-state license, a PSYPACT authorization can cover West Virginia clients by telepsychology, and a TAP covers up to 30 days a year of in-person work there. Those are the compact's limits, and they end when Alabama stops being your licensed home state — they are a bridge during a transition, not a substitute for the West Virginia license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- WV Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Reciprocity Applicants / Oral Examination / Temporary License ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Legislative Rule 17CSR3 §12.2 and §14.4 — reciprocity provision, CPQ/National Register portability waiver, oral examination ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Legislative Rule 17CSR1 — Board of Psychologists fee schedule (application $120, oral exam $405, temporary permit $90) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Board of Examiners of Psychologists — License Information (application pathways) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology — Information for Psychologist Applicants (previous licensure, reciprocity statement, PSE, fees, 3-4 month timeline, Rule 750-X-2-.08) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology — Fees ($400 psychologist application) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PSYPACT — PSYPACT Map/States (Alabama participating) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]