Psychology License from South Carolina to Alabama: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology ↗
A psychology license transfers from South Carolina to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, verify your South Carolina license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) if it meets Alabama's current cut score — an applicant must retake the EPPP only if the score is below Alabama's cut-off or if the applicant was licensed through an EPPP waiver and is not an ABPP diplomate; every admitted candidate must also pass the Alabama Professional Standards Examination (PSE) on Alabama license law and the APA ethics code, except applicants exempt under Rule 750-X-2-.08(2).
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Both South Carolina and Alabama are PSYPACT participants, which helps you right up until you actually relocate. As long as South Carolina remains your licensed home state, the compact lets you treat Alabama clients by telehealth (APIT) and work in Alabama in person for up to 30 days per calendar year (TAP). None of that makes you licensed in Alabama. A permanent move puts you in front of the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology for endorsement — your EPPP score carries over rather than being retaken, but the degree, supervised experience, jurisprudence exam, and background check are all reviewed on Alabama's terms.
What changes, South Carolina → Alabama
| South Carolina (current) | Alabama (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PSYPACT status | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | Not verified. S.C. Code Regs. 10-34 sets only a ceiling — Preliminary and Formal Applications 'Not to exceed $500'; biennial renewal 'Not to exceed $395'; temporary permit 'Not to exceed $250'. Regulation 100-7 states the actual amounts are published on the Board's LLR website, which refused connections from the research environment on 2026-08-07, so the current dollar figure was not verified and has not been guessed. EPPP fees are paid to the examination provider | $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) |
| Processing time | No board-stated range. S.C. Code Regs. 100-1(C)(1) requires an application to be complete 30 days prior to a Board meeting to be assured of review at that meeting, and the oral examination can only be scheduled after Preliminary Application approval and receipt of all Formal Application materials — so timing is driven by the Board's meeting calendar | 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) |
| Licensing authority | South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology (Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) | Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alabama sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alabama's current requirements on the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active independent-level psychologist license in another jurisdiction and have a Verification of Licensure Form sent directly to the Board by every jurisdiction where a license is or was held.
- Meet Alabama's own doctoral education and internship standards (Rules 750-X-2-.04 and 750-X-2-.07) — previous licensure does not waive them.
- Pass the Alabama Professional Standards Examination (PSE), unless licensed at the independent level in at least two states with a passing national exam score (Rule 750-X-2-.08(2)).
- Submit two fingerprint cards and a criminal history release for an ALEA and FBI background check.
- Provide four positive references, at least three from doctoral-level licensed or certified psychologists.
- Pay the fees ($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)) and allow 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).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama accept a South Carolina psychology license?
A psychology license transfers from South Carolina to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, verify your South Carolina license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) if it meets Alabama's current cut score — an applicant must retake the EPPP only if the score is below Alabama's cut-off or if the applicant was licensed through an EPPP waiver and is not an ABPP diplomate; every admitted candidate must also pass the Alabama Professional Standards Examination (PSE) on Alabama license law and the APA ethics code, except applicants exempt under Rule 750-X-2-.08(2).
Do I retake the EPPP moving from South Carolina to Alabama?
No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) if it meets Alabama's current cut score — an applicant must retake the EPPP only if the score is below Alabama's cut-off or if the applicant was licensed through an EPPP waiver and is not an ABPP diplomate; every admitted candidate must also pass the Alabama Professional Standards Examination (PSE) on Alabama license law and the APA ethics code, except applicants exempt under Rule 750-X-2-.08(2).
What does the move cost?
$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) ($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).
How long will it take?
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) — 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.
South Carolina and Alabama 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 Alabama (APIT) and in-person practice there for up to 30 days a year (TAP) while your license stays in South Carolina. Relocating to Alabama requires licensure by endorsement from the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology like any other applicant.
Can I start seeing Alabama clients before my Alabama license is issued?
While your South Carolina license remains active and is your home-state license, a PSYPACT authorization can cover Alabama 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 South Carolina stops being your licensed home state — they are a bridge during a transition, not a substitute for the Alabama license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 100 — Board of Examiners in Psychology (100-1 reciprocity limits and application process, 100-2 EPPP and oral examination, 100-7 fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- S.C. Code of Regulations 10-34 — Board of Examiners in Psychology fee ceilings ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- S.C. Code of Laws Title 40 Chapter 55 — Psychologists (40-55-110 reciprocity; 40-55-100 examinations; 40-55-40 fee authority) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- ASPPB — Contact a Licensing Board directory (South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology name and official site) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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