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LicenseReciprocity

Psychology License from California to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions) ↗

A psychology license transfers from California to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions), verify your California license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — 18VAC125-20-42 imposes no re-examination on an endorsement applicant; only the substantial-equivalence route at 18VAC125-20-42(6)(e) requires verification of a passing score on all EPPP parts that were required at the time of original licensure. Virginia's psychology regulations contain no separate state jurisprudence exam; the applicant instead attests to having read and agreed to comply with Virginia's Standards of Practice and laws.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

This direction has a payoff worth planning around. California is outside PSYPACT, so you have had no compact authorizations to work with — but Virginia participates. Endorse into Virginia through the Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions), make it your licensed home state, and that license becomes an anchor: from there an ASPPB E.Passport and APIT authorization let you serve clients across every other participating state without another full license. The endorsement itself is still an ordinary application — EPPP score accepted, credentials reviewed, Virginia's jurisprudence requirement applied — but what it unlocks afterwards is considerably more than a single state.

What changes, California → Virginia

Side-by-side: California vs Virginia (Psychology (licensed psychologist)), verified 2026-08-07
California (current)Virginia (destination)
PSYPACT statusLicensure by endorsementPSYPACT member — multistate license honored
Application fee$236 ($236 psychologist initial application fee (2024 fee schedule, the current schedule published by the Board). Separately + $127 for the CPLEE application and + $231 for initial licensure; out-of-state fingerprint hard card processing is $233)$200 (18VAC125-20-30 sets 'Application processing and initial licensure' at $200 for clinical and applied psychologists (school psychologists $85). All fees are nonrefundable and payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.)
Processing time4–6 weeks (Board states processing takes approximately 1.5 months (4-6 weeks) for applications, subsequent documents/correspondence and requested deficiency documents. Because the application, the CPLEE request and the request for initial licensure are each processed separately at that pace, total time from filing to a California license is considerably longer)Not verified. No processing-time commitment appears in 18VAC125-20, and www.dhp.virginia.gov did not resolve or connect from this network on 2026-08-07, so no board-stated range is asserted.
Licensing authorityCalifornia Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs)Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Virginia's current requirements on the Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Attest to having read and agreed to comply with the current Standards of Practice and the laws governing the practice of psychology in Virginia.
  5. Verify every health and mental health professional license, certificate or registration ever held in Virginia or any U.S. or Canadian jurisdiction, with no credential surrendered while under investigation and no unresolved action.
  6. Submit a current report from the National Practitioner Data Bank.
  7. Document one of: a current National Register of Health Service Psychologists credential, current ABPP diplomate status in a comparable category, an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification, five years of active comparable licensure including 24 months of active practice within the last 60 months, or substantial equivalence proven from the original out-of-state application file.
  8. Pay the fees ($200 (18VAC125-20-30 sets 'Application processing and initial licensure' at $200 for clinical and applied psychologists (school psychologists $85). All fees are nonrefundable and payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.)) and allow Not verified. No processing-time commitment appears in 18VAC125-20, and www.dhp.virginia.gov did not resolve or connect from this network on 2026-08-07, so no board-stated range is asserted..

Official links

Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions) ↗Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Virginia → CaliforniaPsychology in CaliforniaPsychology in VirginiaAll psychology statesThe PSYPACT explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Virginia accept a California psychology license?

A psychology license transfers from California to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Psychology (Department of Health Professions), verify your California license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — 18VAC125-20-42 imposes no re-examination on an endorsement applicant; only the substantial-equivalence route at 18VAC125-20-42(6)(e) requires verification of a passing score on all EPPP parts that were required at the time of original licensure. Virginia's psychology regulations contain no separate state jurisprudence exam; the applicant instead attests to having read and agreed to comply with Virginia's Standards of Practice and laws.

Do I retake the EPPP moving from California to Virginia?

No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — 18VAC125-20-42 imposes no re-examination on an endorsement applicant; only the substantial-equivalence route at 18VAC125-20-42(6)(e) requires verification of a passing score on all EPPP parts that were required at the time of original licensure. Virginia's psychology regulations contain no separate state jurisprudence exam; the applicant instead attests to having read and agreed to comply with Virginia's Standards of Practice and laws.

What does the move cost?

$200 (18VAC125-20-30 sets 'Application processing and initial licensure' at $200 for clinical and applied psychologists (school psychologists $85). All fees are nonrefundable and payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.) (18VAC125-20-30 sets 'Application processing and initial licensure' at $200 for clinical and applied psychologists (school psychologists $85). All fees are nonrefundable and payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.).

How long will it take?

Not verified. No processing-time commitment appears in 18VAC125-20, and www.dhp.virginia.gov did not resolve or connect from this network on 2026-08-07, so no board-stated range is asserted. — Not verified. No processing-time commitment appears in 18VAC125-20, and www.dhp.virginia.gov did not resolve or connect from this network on 2026-08-07, so no board-stated range is asserted..

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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]