Psychology License from District of Columbia to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) ↗
A psychology license transfers from District of Columbia to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health), verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers — COMAR 10.36.01.06 lets the Board waive the national examination for an applicant currently licensed in another state who already achieved a scaled score of 500 (or at least 73% on a pre-2002 administration), whose state did not require the EPPP, or who holds a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification; the Maryland State jurisprudence examination (75% to pass, prepared and scored by the Board) may not be waived under the reciprocity provisions.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
District of Columbia and Maryland 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 District of Columbia to Maryland means applying to the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) for licensure by endorsement exactly as you would if neither state had ever joined — license verification, doctoral transcript, supervised-experience review, Maryland's jurisprudence requirement. What the shared participation genuinely gives you is different and still valuable: while you remain licensed and resident in District of Columbia, you can serve Maryland clients by telepsychology under an APIT authorization, and work in person in Maryland for up to 30 days a year under a TAP. That can cover a transition period — it cannot cover the move.
What changes, District of Columbia → Maryland
| District of Columbia (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PSYPACT status | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application) | $300 (COMAR 10.36.06.02 licensure application fee $300. Separately: State (Maryland jurisprudence) examination $250; national examination $650 if the EPPP is not waived; verification of licensure $20. Biennial renewal $400.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review | Neither the Board's licensing page nor COMAR states a processing-time estimate; applicants are directed to contact the Board. |
| Licensing authority | District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) | Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Document a doctoral degree in psychology and at least 2 years of professional supervised experience in psychology.
- Pass the Maryland State jurisprudence examination with a score of at least 75 percent.
- Request waiver of the EPPP by documenting a qualifying prior score or a current ASPPB CPQ.
- Complete a criminal history records check and be at least 18 years old and of good moral character.
- If you neither reside nor practice in Maryland, submit a statement showing that your licensure would be in the interest of the citizens or government of Maryland for Board approval.
- Pay the fees ($300 (COMAR 10.36.06.02 licensure application fee $300. Separately: State (Maryland jurisprudence) examination $250; national examination $650 if the EPPP is not waived; verification of licensure $20. Biennial renewal $400.)) and allow Neither the Board's licensing page nor COMAR states a processing-time estimate; applicants are directed to contact the Board..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept a District of Columbia psychology license?
A psychology license transfers from District of Columbia to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health), verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers — COMAR 10.36.01.06 lets the Board waive the national examination for an applicant currently licensed in another state who already achieved a scaled score of 500 (or at least 73% on a pre-2002 administration), whose state did not require the EPPP, or who holds a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification; the Maryland State jurisprudence examination (75% to pass, prepared and scored by the Board) may not be waived under the reciprocity provisions.
Do I retake the EPPP moving from District of Columbia to Maryland?
No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers — COMAR 10.36.01.06 lets the Board waive the national examination for an applicant currently licensed in another state who already achieved a scaled score of 500 (or at least 73% on a pre-2002 administration), whose state did not require the EPPP, or who holds a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification; the Maryland State jurisprudence examination (75% to pass, prepared and scored by the Board) may not be waived under the reciprocity provisions.
What does the move cost?
$300 (COMAR 10.36.06.02 licensure application fee $300. Separately: State (Maryland jurisprudence) examination $250; national examination $650 if the EPPP is not waived; verification of licensure $20. Biennial renewal $400.) (COMAR 10.36.06.02 licensure application fee $300. Separately: State (Maryland jurisprudence) examination $250; national examination $650 if the EPPP is not waived; verification of licensure $20. Biennial renewal $400.).
How long will it take?
Neither the Board's licensing page nor COMAR states a processing-time estimate; applicants are directed to contact the Board. — Neither the Board's licensing page nor COMAR states a processing-time estimate; applicants are directed to contact the Board..
District of Columbia and Maryland 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 Maryland (APIT) and in-person practice there for up to 30 days a year (TAP) while your license stays in District of Columbia. Relocating to Maryland requires licensure by endorsement from the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Maryland Department of Health) like any other applicant.
Can I start seeing Maryland clients before my Maryland license is issued?
While your District of Columbia license remains active and is your home-state license, a PSYPACT authorization can cover Maryland 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 District of Columbia stops being your licensed home state — they are a bridge during a transition, not a substitute for the Maryland license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Psychologist License (application portal for new and transferring psychologists) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- COMAR 10.36.01.06 — Examinations Required for Licensure or Registration (EPPP waiver, CPQ, Maryland Examination not waivable) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- COMAR 10.36.01.05 — Applications for Licensure from Nonresidents ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- COMAR 10.36.06.02 — Board of Examiners of Psychologists fee schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Md. Health Occupations Article §18-302 — Qualifications of applicants for psychologist licensure ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- DC Health — Psychology Licensing (checklists, jurisprudence study material, EPPP, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- DC Board of Psychology — New License Application ENDORSEMENT checklist (fee $322, $50 CBC, 4,000 hours, jurisprudence attestation, CPQ/National Register substitutions) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts — PSYPACT member states (District of Columbia joined 2021) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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