High Desert in Arizona
Requesting an Extension of Time to Sit for EPPP

This applies ONLY to those who already have Board approval to sit for the EPPP under Arizona's jurisdiction, they have not taken the exam yet, and the  approval has not yet expired. This includes applicants for EPPP only, EPPP & Licensure, and Temporary License holders. (Supervised Temporary License holders should substitute "retake request" for "reapplication" when reading this page.)

Introduction

If you were approved by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners (Board) to sit for the EPPP, you have one year from the date of the Board's approval to sit for the exam.  If the one-year deadline is approaching, and you are not ready or able to take the exam by the deadline, you may request a 6-month extension under A.A.C. R4-26-204(A)(5).  In your approval letter, the Rule is quoted under "Exam Deadline".  Your letter may also include a paragraph, "Extensions".  This was recently added to the letter, so yours may not have it. These two paragraphs are quoted below: 
 

Exam Deadline:  The Board’s rule regarding examinations imposes a one-year deadline for applicants approved by the Board to take the EPPP. Thus, you have one year from the date of Board approval listed above in which to take your exam or request a one-time extension under A.A.C. R4-26-204(A)(3), which states:

Extension of examination deadline. An applicant or the holder of a temporary license issued under A.R.S. § 32- 2073(B) may obtain an extension of the examination deadline specified in subsection (A)(3)(b) or (A)(4). To obtain an extension of the examination deadline, the applicant or temporary licensee shall submit a written request to the Board’s Executive Director on or before the examination deadline. The Board shall grant the applicant or temporary licensee one extension of up to six months to take the examination. The applicant or temporary licensee may request additional extensions for good cause, which includes but is not limited to illness or injury of the licensee or a close family member, death of a close family member, birth or adoption of a child, military service, relocation, natural disaster, financial hardship, or residence in a foreign country for at least 12 months of the license period. The Board shall ensure that an extension is for no more than six months. [Emphasis added.]

Extensions:  Per the above rule, if adverse circumstances result in being unable to take the exam within the one-year deadline, an extension is possible.  “Upon written request to the Board’s Executive Director received by the Board on or before the applicant’s examination deadline, the Board shall grant the applicant one extension of up to six months to take the examination.” An email requesting an extension serves as a written request.  

 

Additional Extensions

If the extended deadline is approaching and you are not ready to take the exam, you may request another 6-month extension "for good cause". Please see the above Rule for what is considered "good cause". Note that the Rule states, "...includes but is not limited to...."  You may have a reason that is not listed in the Rule but that the Executive Director or the Board would still consider good cause.  Just provide an explanation with your request in the email. 

 PLEASE NOTE:  The Board's approval is specifically for the application reviewed.  Once the applicant sits for the exam, if a passing score is not achieved, the cycle for that application's approval ends, regardless of extension(s).  An applicant who does not meet the pass point requirement may reapply to the Arizona Board for approval to take the exam again. See the Board's reapplications and retakes page for more detailed information. 

 

Step By Step - How To Request An Extension

  • Send an email to the psychologist licensing specialist ([email protected]). 
  • Put "Extension Request" in the subject line, along with anything else you want to include. 
  • In the body of the email, in your own words, indicate that you are requesting a 6-month extension to sit for the EPPP.  If this is your 2nd request (or more), you must include your good-cause reason for needing the extension per the Rule quoted above. Include any information you would like beyond this. There is no form for this. (I know, right?) 
  • The Board has granted the Executive Director the authority to approve requests for extensions. Therefore, at this time, extension requests no longer go to the Board for approval unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a complaint having been received, report of criminal activity, etc. (Extremely rare, but it happens from time to time!)
  • The licensing specialist will forward your email to the Board's Executive Director along with your application history such as approval date(s), previous exam dates(s), previous extensions and their end date(s).  
  • The Executive Director will send you an email with her decision. If the extension is approved, she will provide you with the next deadline date (also referred to as the validity end date in Certemy). This is calculated from your last deadline.  For example, if your deadline is 12/10/2022, this will be extended 6 months to 06/10/2023.  The licensing specialist is copied on these extension approval emails so that the approval email can be placed in your file and the validity end date in Certemy can be updated to reflect the new validity end date. Hard copies are not mailed. 
  • It is important to save all correspondence from the Board not only to maintain your own records, but for reference materials. These emails and letters are crafted to answer questions you may have now, and questions you are likely to have in the future, empowering you with the information you need when you need it rather than waiting on Board staff to answer your questions.