How many supervised hours do psychologists need in Washington?

3,300 supervised hours: practicum ≥300 h (≥9 months) + ≥2 years/3,000 h incl. 1,500 h internship + 1,500 h practicum/internship/postdoc

Do I need a postdoc to be licensed as a psychologist in Washington?

No. Up to 1,500 hours, only if the 3,000-hour experience requirement is not met by degree conferral

Is Washington a PSYPACT state?

member: chapter 18.83A RCW (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact), enacted 2022 c 5

Which exams are required for a psychologist license in Washington?

EPPP (scaled score ≥500); jurisprudence exam must be passed within the first CE cycle after licensure (not a pre-licensure exam); no oral exam in rules

Can I be supervised by video in Washington?

Yes. Required supervision can be done entirely by live video, with no in-person minimum. Telesupervision is synchronous audio and video with the supervisor in a different facility, with no preset limit on hours (WAC 246-924-051(1)). The supervisor must judge the trainee competent for it. Any program using telesupervision needs a written policy covering 15 listed topics, including how the off-site supervisor keeps full responsibility and how crisis coverage works. For postdoctoral hours, WAC 246-924-059(12) applies the -051 standards.

Washington requirements

Psychologist licensure requirements in Washington

What it takes to become a Licensed Psychologist in Washington: 3,300 supervised hours, no postdoc required, plus supervision, time limits, exams and whether you can be supervised by video. Every figure is sourced to the state board and dated.

Sourced to Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Department of Health)Checked September 25, 2026Not individually reviewed by a clinicianAbout this site

Licensed Psychologist · Washington · regulated by Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Department of Health) · high confidence

Degree	Doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution, integrated program in psychology (WAC 246-924-046); APA/CPA/PCSAS-accredited programs deemed to meet it
Internship	At least 1,500 hours, completed within 12-24 months (9-24 for school psychologists); APA/CPA-accredited, APPIC member, or alternative internship meeting WAC 246-924-057
Supervised experience	3,300 supervised hours: practicum ≥300 h (≥9 months) + ≥2 years/3,000 h incl. 1,500 h internship + 1,500 h practicum/internship/postdoc
Pre-doctoral hours	Yes: practicum (300 required, up to 1,800 counted) and internship count; the 1,500 non-internship hours may be extra practicum or internship
Postdoc required?	No
Postdoc hours	Up to 1,500 hours, only if the 3,000-hour experience requirement is not met by degree conferral
Credential during the postdoc	Licensed psychological associate, level 3 (postdoctoral), RCW 18.83.105 / WAC 246-924-161 (eff. Oct 1, 2025); titles such as 'psychological resident'
Exams	EPPP (scaled score ≥500); jurisprudence exam must be passed within the first CE cycle after licensure (not a pre-licensure exam); no oral exam in rules
EPPP-2	not adopted (WAC 246-924-070 names only the EPPP)
PSYPACT	member: chapter 18.83A RCW (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact), enacted 2022 c 5

Supervision during the postdoc

Supervision: ≥5% of postdoctoral hours individual supervision; ≥50% of supervision by a licensed psychologist; some direct observation required; written supervision agreement
Who may supervise: Unrestricted license; postdoc: ≥50% by licensed psychologist, up to 50% by psychiatrist (3 yrs post-residency), LMHC/LMFT/LASW/LICSW (5 yrs post-license), or exempt doctoral psychologist (3 yrs)
Minimum time: Experience requirement: at least two years (RCW 18.83.070(3); WAC 246-924-043(1)(b)(ii)); practicum ≥9 months; internship 12-24 months

Related credentials

School psychology: School psychologists credentialed by the Professional Educator Standards Board are exempt when practicing in their employment (RCW 18.83.200(2)); not a board license

Can you be supervised remotely in Washington?

Yes. Required supervision can be done entirely by live video, with no in-person minimum.

Video supervision: Telesupervision is synchronous audio and video with the supervisor in a different facility, with no preset limit on hours (WAC 246-924-051(1)). The supervisor must judge the trainee competent for it. Any program using telesupervision needs a written policy covering 15 listed topics, including how the off-site supervisor keeps full responsibility and how crisis coverage works. For postdoctoral hours, WAC 246-924-059(12) applies the -051 standards.
Phone only: not allowed as telesupervision: the definition requires synchronous audio and video
In-person minimum: None set by the state
Supervisor licensed in Washington? required: an active, unrestricted Washington license (for licensed psychological associates)
Supervisor credential: None beyond the license. At least 50% of postdoctoral supervision must be by a licensed psychologist. Up to 50% may be by a psychiatrist (3 years post-residency), an LMHC, LMFT, LASW or LICSW (5 years post-license), or an exempt doctoral psychologist in an exempt setting.
Supervisee cap: None set by the state
Board approval first: Supervision agreement filed with DOH. An applicant for the licensed psychological associate license (level 3, postdoctoral) submits a supervision agreement on board forms and a supervisor attestation. An updated agreement is due within 30 days of any supervisor change. The 120-day practice-while-pending rule applies once a complete application is received.
If you live outside Washington: None set by the state

The client’s location decides which state’s rules apply. This is not legal advice; confirm with the board before building a program. Compare every state on the remote-supervision map.

Recent and pending changes

Chapter 246-924 WAC rewritten by WSR 25-15-068 (filed 7/14/25; most sections eff. 8/14/25, associate sections eff. 10/1/25). Licensed psychological associate license created by 2024 c 371.

Where the rules are unclear

Washington’s own documents disagree or are silent on these points. Ask the board if they affect you:

For an individual postdoc (not a formal training program), who must write the telesupervision policy WAC 246-924-051(3) requires of a 'program'?

In the board’s own words

“a total of 3,300 supervised experience hours, that must include: (i) A practicum of at least 300 hours, over at least nine months” — WAC 246-924-043(1)(b)✓ matched in the source

“The internship must include at least 1,500 hours of supervised experience and be completed within 12 to 24 months” — WAC 246-924-056(1)✓ matched in the source

“Postdoctoral supervised experience must be completed only if an applicant does not already have 3,000 hours of supervised experience.” — WAC 246-924-059✓ matched in the source

“At least five percent of postdoctoral supervised experience hours must be individual supervision.” — WAC 246-924-059(5)✓ matched in the source

“To be considered for licensure an applicant must receive a scaled score of at least 500.” — WAC 246-924-070(2)✓ matched in the source

“The applicant has had no fewer than two years of supervised experience.” — RCW 18.83.070(3)✓ matched in the source

“There is no predetermined limit on the number of hours that may be provided through telesupervision.” — WAC 246-924-051(1)✓ matched in the source

“Telesupervision is supervision of psychological services through synchronous audio and video format where the supervisor is not in the same physical facility as the trainee.” — WAC 246-924-051(1)✓ matched in the source

“A program using any amount of telesupervision must have a written policy addressing their use of telesupervision” — WAC 246-924-051(3)✓ matched in the source

“must be supervised by a qualified supervisor with an active unrestricted Washington license” — WAC 246-924-161(2)✓ matched in the source

“At least 50 percent of the postdoctoral supervision must be provided by a licensed psychologist.” — WAC 246-924-059(8)(a)✓ matched in the source

2 more quotes are in the state explorer.

Other licenses in Washington

Sources

Checked against Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (Department of Health)’s rules, statutes and publications on September 25, 2026. The board decides; if your situation is unusual, confirm with them.

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General information, not legal advice. Requirements are summarized from each state’s licensing board, statutes and regulations on the date shown; the board decides, and rules change. Becoming Licensed is not affiliated with any licensing board.