Transfer Your Psychology License to District of Columbia: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) ↗
To practice in District of Columbia you need a District of Columbia license, obtained by endorsement through the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration): license verification, doctoral transcript, supervised-experience review, and your EPPP score accepted as already passed ($322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application), processing The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review). District of Columbia participates in PSYPACT, but that only covers telepsychology and up to 30 days a year of temporary in-person work — it does not license you in District of Columbia, and a move here still runs through endorsement.
Moving to District of Columbia from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
PSYPACT member — multistate license honored
Be precise about what you are actually trying to do in District of Columbia, because the two mechanisms answer different questions. If you are staying licensed and resident elsewhere and want to see District of Columbia clients by telehealth, District of Columbia's PSYPACT participation is the relevant route and you never touch the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) — you work through ASPPB and the commission instead. If you are moving to District of Columbia, or want an unrestricted District of Columbia license for any other reason, the compact contributes nothing at all and the endorsement steps below are your path.
Endorsement, not full reciprocity: the Board still verifies the doctoral degree, the EPPP score and 4,000 supervised hours unless an accepted substitute (two years of licensed unsupervised practice under 17 DCMR 6902.7, a CPQ, or a National Register credential) is supplied. The Board's own checklist warns it is not exhaustive and directs applicants to the DC Municipal Regulations for Psychology. DC is a participating PSYPACT jurisdiction, which grants only telepsychology (APIT) and temporary 30-day in-person (TAP) authority and never transfers a license.
District of Columbia requirements at a glance
| Exam | EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) for an already-licensed applicant; an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) may be submitted in lieu of the official transcript, the EPPP score and the supervision forms. A District of Columbia jurisprudence requirement applies, but the Board states there is no DC exam at this time — the applicant reads the Board's jurisprudence study material and signs an Attestation Statement Form |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review |
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Submit official verification of licensure from every state or jurisdiction in which you have ever held a professional license, sent directly by the issuing board.
- Document 4,000 total pre-doctoral and post-doctoral supervised hours on the Board's verification forms, or substitute at least two years of licensed unsupervised practice with a resume and Nature of Practice Statement, or a CPQ or National Register credential.
- Sign the DC Jurisprudence Examination Attestation Statement Form after reading the Board's study material.
- Complete the criminal background check ordered with the online application.
- Submit three Character Reference Forms from people who are not relatives, instructors or employers and have known you at least one year.
- Pay the fees ($322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application)) and allow The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into District of Columbia:
All 42 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my psychology license transfer to District of Columbia?
To practice in District of Columbia you need a District of Columbia license, obtained by endorsement through the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration): license verification, doctoral transcript, supervised-experience review, and your EPPP score accepted as already passed ($322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application), processing The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review). District of Columbia participates in PSYPACT, but that only covers telepsychology and up to 30 days a year of temporary in-person work — it does not license you in District of Columbia, and a move here still runs through endorsement.
Do I have to retake the EPPP to get licensed in District of Columbia?
No. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) for an already-licensed applicant; an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) may be submitted in lieu of the official transcript, the EPPP score and the supervision forms. A District of Columbia jurisprudence requirement applies, but the Board states there is no DC exam at this time — the applicant reads the Board's jurisprudence study material and signs an Attestation Statement Form.
How much does it cost to get a District of Columbia psychology license by endorsement?
$322 ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application) ($322 combined application and license fee paid online; the criminal background check is an additional $50 paid online with the application).
How long does District of Columbia take to process an endorsement application?
The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review — The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; the checklist notes that incomplete supervision or verification documents delay review.
Is District of Columbia a PSYPACT state?
Yes — District of Columbia was participating as of 2026-08-07. That lets a psychologist licensed in another participating state provide telepsychology to District of Columbia clients under an APIT authorization, and work in person in District of Columbia for up to 30 days a year under a TAP. It does not license you in District of Columbia: relocating still requires endorsement through the District of Columbia Board of Psychology (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration).
Can I practice in District of Columbia using PSYPACT instead of getting licensed?
Only within the compact's limits, and only if you are not moving. Telepsychology into District of Columbia is covered by APIT; in-person work is capped at 30 days per calendar year under a TAP. Beyond that — and for any relocation to District of Columbia — you need a District of Columbia license by endorsement.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]