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Psychologists - What You Need to Know About the Application Process

STATE OF EMERGENCY - TIME FRAMES

Due to the state of emergency, the time frame from receipt of application to approval may be 5-6 months on average. However, it is entirely dependent on how quickly verifications are received. For example, if you wish to be licensed in July, please send your application to the Board in January.  Due to the state of emergency, please allow up to six (6) weeks for staff to complete the initial intake of your application and email you a a notice either that the application is incomplete and what is still needed, or a notice that the application is administratively complete. If you do not receive this notice within six (6) weeks, please reach out to Board staff by email or phone call. 
 

APPLICATIONS

We do not have an online application system at this time. All applicants must submit a form-fillable PDF application.  

Which Application to Submit 

If you do not hold a license in another state, you will need to pass both Part 1-Knowledge and Part 2-Skills of the EPPP in order to qualify for licensure in Arizona. This is true even if you have passed Part 1 previously or if you have taken the EPPP and not received a passing score in another state.  To apply to sit for the EPPP and/or licensure, please use the application, Psychologist Application for Exam and/or Licensure. Download this application from the PSY Applications page. 

For psychologist applicants who hold a license in another state: 

  1. Do you have an active license as a psychologist in another state that was issued one or more years ago? If "YES", go to the next question. If "NO", you do not qualify to apply by universal recognition. 
     
  2. Have you "established residence" in Arizona? If your answer is "NO", you do not qualify to apply by universal recognition.  

If you answered "YES" to both questions, above, you may qualify to apply for licensure by Universal Recognition under A.R.S. Section 32-4302. See the PSY Applications page for more information about this pathway to licensure and to download the application, Psychologist Application for Licensure by Universal Recognition. 

  1. Have you held an active license as a psychologist in another state(s) continuously for 5 or more years, and still hold an active license? If YES, go to the next question. If your answer is "NO", you do not qualify to apply by credential. 
     
  2. The Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners recognizes three credentials - American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) and National Register of Health Service Psychologists (National Register or NRHSP). Do you hold one of these credentials? If your answer is "NO", you do not qualify to apply by credential. 

If you do not qualify to apply by Universal Recognition or Credential, you may apply to sit for the EPPP and/or licensure using the application, Psychologist Application for Exam and/or Licensure. 

Use Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader for best experience when filling out an application. All other programs and apps change the functions of the document. If you send an application with an altered format than the original, you will be required to complete the application again either using Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Reader, or by printing it out and filling it in by hand. PLEASE proofread your application and make sure you have answered every question, filled in all blanks even if it's n/a for not applicable before submitting it. 

 

Yes Answers to Professional Conduct Questions

If an applicant answers "yes" to one or more professional conduct questions, specific documents and a detailed written explanation regarding the event(s) must be included with the application, or sent separately if the documents are not yet available to the applicant and must be ordered. The document, "Appropriate Documentation for 'Yes' Answers", found in the application packet and on the BA Applications page, lists each professional conduct question in the application and what documents are needed for each question.  PLEASE use this tool and strictly adhere to the list of documents for the question to which you answered "Yes". 

For example, if you were charged or arrested for a criminal or misdemeanor offense, such as a DUI, any and all law enforcement (police) records AND any and all court records are REQUIRED, regardless of outcome, current status, or how long ago the event occurred. There may be one or two pages of a police record included in the court record, however, the Board still needs the ENTIRE police record. Please be aware that Board staff is familiar with these types of records and is aware of what documents should be in the record. If expected documents are not included in the record the applicant sends, such as an officer's report or narrative, sobriety tests, etc., Board staff will then ask for certified copies of these records, which will further delay substantive review of your application. An application is not administratively complete until ALL the records are received. 

 

Submitting Your Application and Application Fee

There are two options for submitting your application and paying the application fee.

Credit or Debit Card: If preferring to pay the application fee by credit or debit card, your application must be entered into the database first. Please upload your application to the BA Submissions Portal. The portal can accept only one document at a time. It's designed this way for internal tracking purposes. Instructions regarding how to pay the application fee online will be sent by email within 60 days as part of the incomplete notice. 
 

Check or Money Order:  You may mail your application with a check or money order. It is strongly recommended that when mailing an application with application fee payment, you use a delivery service for tracking purposes, such as UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. The Board is not responsible for lost mail. 

 

VERIFICATIONS

May be sent before the application: Applicants may request verifications or other documentation sent to the Board in advance of their application. Verifications, official transcripts, and any other documents received in the Board's office are retained for 12 months and are matched to the application once the application is received. Applications, supporting documents, and supervised experience verifications may be submitted via upload to the online Psychologist Documents Submissions portal. This is a secure upload. License verifications and official transcripts may be sent by the verifier to [email protected].