Psychology License from Minnesota to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) ↗
A psychology license transfers from Minnesota to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health), verify your Minnesota license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — an applicant who passed the EPPP in another jurisdiction contacts ASPPB to have the certified score sent directly to the Department of Health. Washington's jurisprudence exam is not required to obtain the license; it must be completed during the first continuing-education cycle after licensure.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Minnesota and Washington 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 Minnesota to Washington means applying to the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) for licensure by endorsement exactly as you would if neither state had ever joined — license verification, doctoral transcript, supervised-experience review, Washington's jurisprudence requirement. What the shared participation genuinely gives you is different and still valuable: while you remain licensed and resident in Minnesota, you can serve Washington clients by telepsychology under an APIT authorization, and work in person in Washington for up to 30 days a year under a TAP. That can cover a transition period — it cannot cover the move.
What changes, Minnesota → Washington
| Minnesota (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PSYPACT status | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $500 (Board fee schedule: 'LP by Reciprocity or Mobility $500.00', non-refundable — the same as the standard LP application fee, and at the statutory ceiling in Minn. Stat. 148.981. Additional: $150.00 board admission fee for the Professional Responsibility Examination (third-party application and administration fees are extra), $17.00 FBI and $15.00 Minnesota BCA background study fees. Biennial renewal $500.00.) | $231 (Psychologist application $231, which includes the $16 HEALWA access fee; active renewal is $311. FBI fingerprint background-check costs are billed separately. A psychologist temporary practice permit carries no fee.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no processing-time estimate; applicants track status through the e-licensing portal. Applicants who need to practice while the application is pending can apply for a temporary permit (Minn. Stat. 148.916, subd. 1a) at least 30 days before the expected start date. | Not verified. The Department of Health publishes no processing-time range for psychologist applications; it states only that delayed applicant responses lengthen the wait. |
| Licensing authority | Minnesota Board of Psychology | Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Qualify under one of four endorsement pathways: two years of unbroken licensure in a substantially equivalent state with no discipline in the preceding two years; two years of licensure in an essentially equivalent jurisdiction plus a doctoral degree with primary emphasis in psychology; current National Register or ABPP certification verified directly by that organization; or an unrestricted U.S. or Canadian license for the last five consecutive years.
- Have ASPPB send the certified EPPP score directly to the Department of Health.
- Submit official transcripts and verification of the out-of-state license.
- Complete FBI fingerprint-based background check.
- Complete the Washington jurisprudence exam during the first continuing-education cycle after licensure.
- Pay the fees ($231 (Psychologist application $231, which includes the $16 HEALWA access fee; active renewal is $311. FBI fingerprint background-check costs are billed separately. A psychologist temporary practice permit carries no fee.)) and allow Not verified. The Department of Health publishes no processing-time range for psychologist applications; it states only that delayed applicant responses lengthen the wait..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington accept a Minnesota psychology license?
A psychology license transfers from Minnesota to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health), verify your Minnesota license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — an applicant who passed the EPPP in another jurisdiction contacts ASPPB to have the certified score sent directly to the Department of Health. Washington's jurisprudence exam is not required to obtain the license; it must be completed during the first continuing-education cycle after licensure.
Do I retake the EPPP moving from Minnesota to Washington?
No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — an applicant who passed the EPPP in another jurisdiction contacts ASPPB to have the certified score sent directly to the Department of Health. Washington's jurisprudence exam is not required to obtain the license; it must be completed during the first continuing-education cycle after licensure.
What does the move cost?
$231 (Psychologist application $231, which includes the $16 HEALWA access fee; active renewal is $311. FBI fingerprint background-check costs are billed separately. A psychologist temporary practice permit carries no fee.) (Psychologist application $231, which includes the $16 HEALWA access fee; active renewal is $311. FBI fingerprint background-check costs are billed separately. A psychologist temporary practice permit carries no fee.).
How long will it take?
Not verified. The Department of Health publishes no processing-time range for psychologist applications; it states only that delayed applicant responses lengthen the wait. — Not verified. The Department of Health publishes no processing-time range for psychologist applications; it states only that delayed applicant responses lengthen the wait..
Minnesota and Washington 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 Washington (APIT) and in-person practice there for up to 30 days a year (TAP) while your license stays in Minnesota. Relocating to Washington requires licensure by endorsement from the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Washington State Department of Health) like any other applicant.
Can I start seeing Washington clients before my Washington license is issued?
While your Minnesota license remains active and is your home-state license, a PSYPACT authorization can cover Washington 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 Minnesota stops being your licensed home state — they are a bridge during a transition, not a substitute for the Washington license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Washington State Department of Health — Psychologist: Equivalent States/Countries (substantially equivalent state list, last reviewed 2023-07-21; SHB 1724 endorsement criteria) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Washington State Department of Health — Psychologist: Licensing Information (application types and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Washington State Department of Health — Psychologist: Licensing Requirements (EPPP score transfer via ASPPB, jurisprudence exam timing, 3,300 supervised hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Washington State Department of Health — Psychologist: Frequently Asked Questions (the four endorsement pathways and required submissions) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Washington State Department of Health — Psychologist (Examining Board of Psychology; 2025 permanent rules under chapter 246-924 WAC) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Minnesota Board of Psychology — Applying for Psychologist Licensure (LP, Reciprocity, Mobility, Guest, Temporary Permit; full fee schedule) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Minn. Stat. §148.915 — Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Minn. Stat. §148.981 — Fees (statutory ceilings for board-set licensure fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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