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EPPP - Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

EPPP Resources

  • To become licensed to practice psychology in Arizona, graduates from an applied psychology doctoral program must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, referred to as the EPPP  (pronounced Eē-Triple-Pē).
  • This national exam is owned and administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). 
  • ASPPB requires state or provincial psychology licensing boards to approve candidates to sit for the EPPP.  Once approved, the licensing board provides authorization to ASPPB for the individual to take the exam. 

NOTE:  Doctoral students may now apply to sit for the EPPP if their doctoral degree coursework is completed. See next section for more information. 

 
Who can apply to sit for the EPPP in Arizona?
  • Doctoral students who have completed the coursework for an applied (health service delivery) psychology doctoral program. To apply to sit for the EPPP only, doctoral students must have Completion of coursework verified for a doctoral program that meets requirements in A.R.S. § 32-2071. See the Board's Substantive Policy Statement for details relative to what constitutes verification of coursework completion.   
  • Psychologists who have a doctorate in an applied psychology (i.e.: Psy.D., Ph.D., Ed.D.) and have a minimum of 1500 pre-doctoral internship supervised professional experience (SPE) hours. The doctoral degree program and the internship must meet all Arizona statutory and rule requirements regardless of where the graduate institution or internship site is located. See the links below for the applicable statutes and rules. 
 
How do I apply for approval to sit for the EPPP in Arizona? 

Go to the Psychologist Applications page using the menu, above. On this page is a Table of Contents with links to detailed information regarding the types of applications that can be made. There are two types of applications that can be made that include approval to sit for the EPPP:

  • Exam and/or Licensure
    • This application has several "sub-types" including EPPP Only and EPPP and Licensure. 
    • See the instructions page for these application types for a summary of the requirements and a list of required materials to determine which is right for you. The main difference between EPPP Only and EPPP and Licensure applications is the amount of SPE hours that need to be verified.  Again, see the instructions page for the details. 
    • For doctoral students who have completed their coursework but have not graduated, see the instructions for EPPP Only for Doctoral Students. The materials required for doctoral students differ from the materials required for individuals who have already graduated with their Psy.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc. 
  • Supervised Temporary License 
    • This application is ONLY for post-graduates already enrolled in a postdoctoral supervised professional experience that meets requirements under A.R.S. § 32-2071(G). A copy of the signed and dated written training plan is required with this application. 
    • The supervised temporary license is optional for postdocs and includes approval to sit for the EPPP unless otherwise indicated by the applicant. 
    • See the instructions page for this application type for materials needed for this application.
    • NOTE: This license is temporary, authorized under A.R.S. § 32-2073 and DOES NOT LEAD OR TRANSFER TO INDEPENDENT LICENSURE authorized under A.R.S. §§ 32-2071, 2071.01 & 2072.  
What if I need testing accommodations for an ADA disability?

The Board must approve the testing accommodations BEFORE you register for the EPPP.  Please go to the Board's Testing Accommodations page for instructions about the process. Accommodations may be requested with your application or may be requested after you have already been approved to take the EPPP. Be assured, the Board is mindful and supportive. All documents relative to a medical condition or medical records are kept confidential. 
 

How long does it take to process my application? 
  • All applications to sit for the EPPP and/or licensure go through the same review process.  Go to the Psychologist Applications page and in the Table of Contents, click on #14, "Overview of the Application Process" and #15, "Tips About the Application Process" for details.
  • Submission of an application is not a guarantee of approval. All applications must meet statutory and rule requirements in order to be approved to sit for the EPPP and/or licensure. 
     
After approval, then what? 

Once the Board of Psychologist Examiners has approved an applicant to sit for the EPPP: 

  • Board staff supplies your name and email address to ASPPB via its online registration system, Certemy.  You will receive the first email from Certemy/AZBPE. This email is automatically sent out via Certemy and includes a welcome message from the AZ Board. 
  • ASPPB refers to approved applicants as EPPP Candidates.  See links below to ASPPB's resources for the EPPP, including the EPPP Candidate Handbook.
  • Board staff then assigns a "workflow" to your account in Certemy for "EPPP Part 1: Knowledge".  This is a two-step process. After each step, you will receive another email from Certemy/AZBPE for a total of three emails.  The third email provides a link for you to go to the login page in Certemy to start registering for the exam. 
  • Board staff then emails the Board's official approval letter with a great many details relative to sitting for the EPPP and especially after sitting for the EPPP. Once you receive the email with the Board's approval letter, if you did not receive the emails described above from Certemy, reply back to Board staff and let them know so they can troubleshoot the problem. 
  • From this point, the AZ Board no longer participates in the registration process for the EPPP, unless the candidate was approved for testing accommodations.  See the Board's Testing Accommodations page for details about how the accommodations are authorized in Certemy. 
  • After approval, the EPPP candidate has one year from the date of approval to take the exam, unless the candidate requests an extension of time before the year is up. See the Board's extension request page for more information. 
  • Once a candidate takes the exam, the application cycle ends.  If the candidate fails the exam and wishes to take it again under Arizona's jurisdiction, they must submit a reapplication to the Arizona Board for approval to take the exam again.
  • Candidates should not use Certemy's retake request system!  It is not monitored by the AZ Board because it is not part of Arizona's reapplication process.  Details may be found on the Board's Reapplications and Retakes page. 
  • Further details about the process after you have passed the exam are included in your approval letter on page 2. The process differs depending on the type of application you made. 

 

Links to resources for applicants and EPPP candidates
 

Related Arizona Revised Statutes:


Related Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C. or Rules):


Related Arizona Board Substantive Policy Statements


Arizona Psychology Board Pages: 


ASPPB: