Psychology License from South Dakota to Michigan: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) ↗
A psychology license transfers from South Dakota to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs), verify your South Dakota license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — endorsement applicants have their EPPP score verified electronically through the ASPPB PSY|PRO score-transfer service rather than re-sitting the exam; Michigan's psychologist licensing guide sets out no separate state jurisprudence examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Both South Dakota and Michigan are PSYPACT participants, which helps you right up until you actually relocate. As long as South Dakota remains your licensed home state, the compact lets you treat Michigan clients by telehealth (APIT) and work in Michigan in person for up to 30 days per calendar year (TAP). None of that makes you licensed in Michigan. A permanent move puts you in front of the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) 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 Michigan's terms.
What changes, South Dakota → Michigan
| South Dakota (current) | Michigan (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PSYPACT status | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored | PSYPACT member — multistate license honored |
| 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) | $204 (Application fee plus 2-year license fee for a psychologist license is $204.00, payable only by credit or debit card. Applications and fees remain valid for two years. Biennial renewal is $209.60. Certified license verification from Michigan costs $15.00 per address.) |
| 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 (The Bureau states that applications are reviewed in the order received and that processing time typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks from the date the application is received; outstanding items are requested by email and pause issuance.) |
| Licensing authority | South Dakota Board of Examiners of Psychologists (Department of Social Services) | Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Michigan sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Michigan's current requirements on the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Have license verification sent directly to the Bureau of Professional Licensing by every state or Canadian province where you hold or have ever held a psychologist license, showing good standing and any pending or completed discipline.
- Have your EPPP score verified electronically through ASPPB PSY|PRO score transfer.
- Have final official transcripts sent directly from the school attended, plus verification that you completed the educational requirements for psychologist licensure in the other state or province.
- Submit the Psychology Supervision Evaluation form documenting post-degree supervised professional experience.
- Complete a criminal background check, one-time human trafficking identification training, and 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years preceding issuance.
- Pay the fees ($204 (Application fee plus 2-year license fee for a psychologist license is $204.00, payable only by credit or debit card. Applications and fees remain valid for two years. Biennial renewal is $209.60. Certified license verification from Michigan costs $15.00 per address.)) and allow 4–6 weeks (The Bureau states that applications are reviewed in the order received and that processing time typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks from the date the application is received; outstanding items are requested by email and pause issuance.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Michigan accept a South Dakota psychology license?
A psychology license transfers from South Dakota to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs), verify your South Dakota license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — endorsement applicants have their EPPP score verified electronically through the ASPPB PSY|PRO score-transfer service rather than re-sitting the exam; Michigan's psychologist licensing guide sets out no separate state jurisprudence examination.
Do I retake the EPPP moving from South Dakota to Michigan?
No — the EPPP is passed once and your score is verified rather than retaken. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — endorsement applicants have their EPPP score verified electronically through the ASPPB PSY|PRO score-transfer service rather than re-sitting the exam; Michigan's psychologist licensing guide sets out no separate state jurisprudence examination.
What does the move cost?
$204 (Application fee plus 2-year license fee for a psychologist license is $204.00, payable only by credit or debit card. Applications and fees remain valid for two years. Biennial renewal is $209.60. Certified license verification from Michigan costs $15.00 per address.) (Application fee plus 2-year license fee for a psychologist license is $204.00, payable only by credit or debit card. Applications and fees remain valid for two years. Biennial renewal is $209.60. Certified license verification from Michigan costs $15.00 per address.).
How long will it take?
4–6 weeks (The Bureau states that applications are reviewed in the order received and that processing time typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks from the date the application is received; outstanding items are requested by email and pause issuance.) — The Bureau states that applications are reviewed in the order received and that processing time typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks from the date the application is received; outstanding items are requested by email and pause issuance..
South Dakota and Michigan 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 Michigan (APIT) and in-person practice there for up to 30 days a year (TAP) while your license stays in South Dakota. Relocating to Michigan requires licensure by endorsement from the Michigan Board of Psychology (Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) like any other applicant.
Can I start seeing Michigan clients before my Michigan license is issued?
While your South Dakota license remains active and is your home-state license, a PSYPACT authorization can cover Michigan 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 Dakota stops being your licensed home state — they are a bridge during a transition, not a substitute for the Michigan license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Michigan Psychologist Licensing Guide and FAQs (rev. 1/26/2026) — Additional Requirements for Licensure by Endorsement, fees, and processing time ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Michigan LARA — Board of Psychology licensing information and forms ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SD Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Frequently Asked Questions (endorsement statute SDCL 36-1D-1, CPQ/National Register recognition, SDCL 36-27A-17 ABPP exam exemption, oral-exam waiver effective 2023-09-09, no EPPPII) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SD Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Fee Schedule ($300 application, prorated $50-$200 licensure fee, $200 oral re-exam, $300 renewal) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SD Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Become Licensed (doctoral degree, EPPP, 1,800-hour internship, post-doctoral year) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SDCL 36-1D-1 — Eligibility for licensure by endorsement (South Dakota Legislature statute service; supersedes profession-specific endorsement provisions) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- SD Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Applications and Forms (no separate endorsement form; single Application for Licensure) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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