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

Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs) ↗

A psychology license transfers from South Dakota to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs), verify your South Dakota license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — an out-of-state applicant who already passed the EPPP requests an ASPPB score transfer to California instead of re-testing, and the Board's out-of-state pathway for applicants licensed two or more years does not include an EPPP step. Every applicant must still pass the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE); it is never waived.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Leaving South Dakota for California takes you outside the compact's reach: California does not participate in PSYPACT, so no APIT or TAP authorization covers California clients, and there is no telehealth or temporary-practice bridge to work across while your application is pending. You apply to the California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs) for licensure by endorsement — your existing EPPP score is accepted rather than retaken, and California applies its own credential review, jurisprudence requirement, and background check. Any authorizations you hold for other participating states remain valid only while your South Dakota license does.

What changes, South Dakota → California

Side-by-side: South Dakota vs California (Psychology (licensed psychologist)), verified 2026-08-07
	South Dakota (current)	California (destination)
PSYPACT status	PSYPACT member — multistate license honored	Licensure by endorsement
Application fee	$300 ($300.00 Application for Licensure fee. A separate initial licensure fee is prorated by the month the license is granted — $200.00 (July-September), $150.00 (October-December), $100.00 (January-March), $50.00 (April-June) — and annual renewal is $300.00. Oral examination fees are included in the application fee; a retake of a failed oral exam is $200.00. EPPP fees are paid directly to the national examination company)	$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)
Processing time	The Board publishes no processing-time estimate. Timing depends on Board review-officer approval of the completed file and, for applicants who do not qualify for the endorsement oral-exam waiver, on scheduling the oral examination	4–6 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)
Licensing authority	South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Department of Social Services)	California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs)

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

Step by step

Confirm California's current requirements on the California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs) website (linked below) — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs) (application linked below).
Arrange license verification from your current state.
Have held a psychologist license based on a doctoral degree in another state, Canadian province or U.S. territory for at least two years to use the Board's Category C out-of-state pathway.
Document 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience with at least 1,500 postdoctoral, or substitute a National Register Health Service Psychologist credential, ABPP certification, or an ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ).
Pass the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE).
Complete the six prelicensure coursework requirements before licensure — human sexuality, alcohol/chemical dependency, child abuse assessment, spousal/partner abuse, aging and long-term care, and suicide risk assessment.
Submit fingerprints to the California DOJ and the FBI; out-of-state applicants use hard cards, which take at least four weeks to process.
Pay the fees ($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)) and allow 4–6 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).

Official links

California Board of Psychology (Department of Consumer Affairs) ↗California application ↗

Frequently asked questions

Does California accept a South Dakota psychology license?

Do I retake the EPPP moving from South Dakota to California?

No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — an out-of-state applicant who already passed the EPPP requests an ASPPB score transfer to California instead of re-testing, and the Board's out-of-state pathway for applicants licensed two or more years does not include an EPPP step. Every applicant must still pass the California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE); it is never waived.

What does the move cost?

$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) ($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).

How long will it take?

4–6 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) — 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.

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

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