Transfer Your Psychology License to West Virginia: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists ↗
West Virginia licenses out-of-state psychologists by endorsement rather than by any automatic exchange. The West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists reviews your credentials and accepts your existing EPPP passing score; budget $120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) and The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. for processing. West Virginia 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 West Virginia, and a move here still runs through endorsement.
Moving to West Virginia 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 West Virginia, because the two mechanisms answer different questions. If you are staying licensed and resident elsewhere and want to see West Virginia clients by telehealth, West Virginia's PSYPACT participation is the relevant route and you never touch the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists — you work through ASPPB and the commission instead. If you are moving to West Virginia, or want an unrestricted West Virginia license for any other reason, the compact contributes nothing at all and the endorsement steps below are your path.
Endorsement, not full reciprocity: 17CSR3 §12.2.c states plainly that 'reciprocity agreements with other states are not automatic' and that every reciprocity applicant must document that they meet all West Virginia requirements. The distinguishing feature of West Virginia is the mandatory Board oral examination (§12.2.f) — the applicant appears before the Board, declares the competency domains they intend to practice in, and presents at least three work samples; the license granted is limited to the competencies demonstrated. Portability shortcut: §12.2.e lets the Board waive some or all education/training documentation for a doctoral applicant who holds the ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) or a National Register of Health Service Psychologists certificate, but the oral examination and all other requirements still apply. No fingerprint-based criminal background check is imposed by Series 3. West Virginia is a PSYPACT participating state (assembler-provided), which permits telepsychology (APIT) and temporary 30-day in-person practice (TAP) into the state — it does not grant or transfer a West Virginia license.
West Virginia requirements at a glance
| Exam | EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — the reciprocity applicant submits their EPPP score with the application rather than re-testing; every reciprocity applicant must additionally pass the Board's oral examination, which covers professional ethics, legal issues, competency and pertinent West Virginia law (17CSR3 §§12.2.f and 14.4) |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) |
| Processing time | The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. |
Step by step
- Confirm West Virginia's current requirements on the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a license or certificate granted by another state under standards the Board finds equal to or greater than West Virginia's.
- Submit a notarized application, official graduate transcripts, national (EPPP) exam scores, documentation of supervision, and a letter of good standing from every jurisdiction that has licensed you.
- Pass the Board's oral examination, filing the oral examination form, demonstrable competency form and at least three work samples at least 15 days before the exam date.
- Obtain a 90-day temporary permit if you intend to practice in West Virginia before the regular license is issued.
- Pay the fees ($120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.)) and allow The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait..
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into West Virginia:
All 42 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my psychology license transfer to West Virginia?
West Virginia licenses out-of-state psychologists by endorsement rather than by any automatic exchange. The West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists reviews your credentials and accepts your existing EPPP passing score; budget $120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) and The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. for processing. West Virginia 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 West Virginia, and a move here still runs through endorsement.
Do I have to retake the EPPP to get licensed in West Virginia?
No. EPPP passing score transfers (not retaken) — the reciprocity applicant submits their EPPP score with the application rather than re-testing; every reciprocity applicant must additionally pass the Board's oral examination, which covers professional ethics, legal issues, competency and pertinent West Virginia law (17CSR3 §§12.2.f and 14.4).
How much does it cost to get a West Virginia psychology license by endorsement?
$120–$525 (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.) (17CSR1 §2.1 application fee $120; the oral examination required of every reciprocity applicant is a further $405 (§2.6.1), so a typical reciprocity applicant pays about $525. Not included: $25 application-packet mailing/handling, $90 temporary permit, $180 continued oral examination. All Board fees are nonrefundable.).
How long does West Virginia take to process an endorsement application?
The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait. — The Board publishes no stated review timeline. Timing is driven by the oral examination, which is scheduled at a Board meeting and requires all oral-exam materials at least 15 days in advance; a 90-day temporary permit is available to bridge the wait..
Is West Virginia a PSYPACT state?
Yes — West Virginia was participating as of 2026-08-07. That lets a psychologist licensed in another participating state provide telepsychology to West Virginia clients under an APIT authorization, and work in person in West Virginia for up to 30 days a year under a TAP. It does not license you in West Virginia: relocating still requires endorsement through the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
Can I practice in West Virginia using PSYPACT instead of getting licensed?
Only within the compact's limits, and only if you are not moving. Telepsychology into West Virginia 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 West Virginia — you need a West Virginia license by endorsement.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- WV Board of Examiners of Psychologists — Reciprocity Applicants / Oral Examination / Temporary License ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Legislative Rule 17CSR3 §12.2 and §14.4 — reciprocity provision, CPQ/National Register portability waiver, oral examination ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Legislative Rule 17CSR1 — Board of Psychologists fee schedule (application $120, oral exam $405, temporary permit $90) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- WV Board of Examiners of Psychologists — License Information (application pathways) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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