speech language pathologist license requirements

State Licensure for Speech Language Pathology: What to Know

Like other medical professionals, speech-language pathologists in order to practice their specialty. The licensing process helps to establish and maintain high standards for licensure candidacy and practice. It also assures the public that practitioners have been through a thorough vetting process that involves qualifying candidates through education, supervised experience and examination.

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• Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.
• NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
• Pepperdine University - Embark on a transformative professional and personal journey in the online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program from Pepperdine University. Our program brings together rigorous academics, research-driven faculty teaching, and robust clinical experiences, all wrapped within our Christian mission to serve our communities and improve the lives of others.
• Calvin University - Calvin University's Online Speech and Hearing Foundations Certificate - Helps You Gain a Strong Foundation for Your Speech-Language Pathology Career.
• George Mason University - George Mason University's Graduate Programs in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Applied Behavior Analysis. - Prepares you for a rewarding career as a Speech and Language Pathologist.

Who Determines License Requirements for Speech Language Pathologists?

Each state has separate legislation that describes the process and requirements for becoming licensed as a speech language pathologist. There is no single nationally accepted license for the profession. However, most states have fairly uniform requirements and most of them will accept a speech pathologist license from another state as an acceptable interim document until a local license is acquired through a reciprocal licensing process.

Each state licenses SLPs independently, designating a board or other agency as being responsible for administering the process and issuing licenses.

In most states this authority is delegated to a board of speech-language pathology and audiology made up of experienced practitioners in the field. These boards perform an individual evaluation of each licensure candidate in addition to ensuring that basic education and experience qualifications are met.

In other states, a state licensing department rather than an SLP board will issue the credentials directly and assess candidate qualifications.

The Role of the CCC-SLP Credential in the State Licensing Process

Like other medical professions, speech language pathologists have their own umbrella non-profit association to help set licensing standards and promulgate best practices to members. ASHA, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, has existed since long before states began to impose licensing requirements on speech-language pathologists.

ASHA offers a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) that serves as a nationally-recognized board certification denoting competence in the field. Though the CCC-SLP credential is accepted as one possible path to licensure in many states, it is usually considered optional and not a requirement for earning a state SLP license.

Because ASHA was well established before most states created licensing requirements for speech language pathologists, the organization has had a strong hand in shaping those requirements over the years. ASHA maintains a state-by-state guide to  licensing requirements  and publishes model bills  that suggest language state legislatures often go on to adopt in establishing requirements and licensing laws.

Qualifying for the CCC-SLP involves meeting requirements that often exceed basic licensing requirements the state has in place.

The standards for being awarded a CCC-SLP are strict. Candidates must:

• Possess a master’s, doctoral, or other recognized post-baccalaureate degree in the field from an ASHA-accredited institution
• Meet a minimum of graduate semester credit hours including academic coursework and supervised clinical experience
• Human communication
• Biological processes related to speech
• Social and behavioral sciences
• Standards of ethical conduct
• Oral and written communication
• Complete a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience
• Pass the national Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology
• Successfully complete a speech language pathology clinical fellowship

Even in those states that do not explicitly accept the CCC-SLP, standards are such that qualifying for the certification is usually sufficient to meet most of the separate requirements. Although specifics vary, most states specify:

• A master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited school
• A certain number of clinical practice hours
• Completion of a clinical fellowship
• Passing scores on the national licensing exam

Some states also require candidates to pass the jurisprudence exam, testing knowledge of that state’s particular rules and regulations for the field.

State-By-State Licensing Overview

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require a license in order to practice speech pathology professionally.

States fall into one of three categories when it comes to establishing a candidate’s qualifications for receiving a license:

• Those that require the CCC-SLP for licensure
• Those that offer multiple paths to qualifying for a license, including accepting the CCC-SLP in lieu of qualifying a candidate based on a separate review of education and experience
• Those that do not explicitly cite the CCC-SLP as a qualification, but which cite standards equivalent to those of the CCC-SLP as qualifiers

Most states require a clinical fellowship of 36 weeks (equivalent to ASHA requirements) and around 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum. States that do not require a CCC-SLP still require candidates to meet similar educational standards and to pass the same Praxis exam used to meet CCC-SLP requirements.

Below, we list the states falling into each category together with any other notable variations from the national norms in license requirements and with a link to the board or agency that administers the licensing process.

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Massachusetts

Mississippi

New Hampshire

North Carolina

North Dakota

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

West Virginia

States That Require the CCC-SLP for Licensure

Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development

Board of Examiners of Speech-language Pathologists, Audiologists, and Hearing Aid Dispensers

Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology

• Does not require a clinical fellowship

Board of Registration in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology

Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech Pathology

States That Accept the CCC-SLP as One Path to Licensure

Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and Audiology

Arkansas Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board

Speech Language Pathology Licensure

Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

• Complete a course on HIV prevention
• Complete a course on avoiding medical errors

Board of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology

• Requires proof of citizenship or legal residency

Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Board of Speech-Language Pathology

Mississippi Department of Health, Professional Licensure Division

Advisory Commission for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

Board of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

• Pass a jurisprudence exam

Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech Pathology

Speech-Language Pathology Governing Board

Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices Board

Board for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists

Oklahoma Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

• Minimum of three professional references

Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

• Demonstrate English competency

Department of State, Bureau of Professional & Occupational Affairs, State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language and Hearing

Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology

Board of Communications Disorders and Sciences

Board of Examiners for Speech Language Pathology and Audiology

• Undergo a criminal background check

Vermont Department of Education

Board of Examiners of Speech & Language Pathology and Audiology

Hearing and Speech Examining Board

States That Accept CCC-SLP-equivalent Requirements for Licensure

Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Special Licensing

Office of Speech-Language Pathology Certification

• Proof of malpractice insurance for practitioners

DC Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Bureau of Occupational Licenses, Speech & Hearing Services Licensure Board

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board

Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, Health Occupations Credentialing

Board of Speech, Audiology and Hearing

State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, and Speech-Language Pathologists

Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Advisory Council

Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee

Board of Examiners on Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Speech Language Pathologist and Audiologist Licensing Board

Board of Hearing and Speech

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• Career Resources
• How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist
• Both Sides of the Frenectomy Debate
• Certification
• State Licensing Overview
• Student Resources
• What is Speech-Language Pathology?
• CAA-Accredited Graduate Programs
• Directory of CSD and SLP Undergraduate Programs
• Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology
• SLP Clinical Fellowship
• SLP Thesis Track
• SLP Scholarship Guide
• Top SLP Master’s Programs
• Practice Settings
• Private Practice
• Telepractice
• Specialty Areas and Disorders
• Ankyloglossia (Tongue Tie) and Lip-Tie Issues
• Aphasia (Post Stroke)
• Apraxia of Speech
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Child Language Disorders
• Communication Competency Assessment
• Early Intervention
• Fluency Disorders
• Forensic Speech-Language Pathology
• Laryngeal Imaging
• Late Talkers
• Low-Incidence Disorders
• Multilingual Patients
• Occupational Therapy
• Otoacoustic Emissions Screening
• Patients with Autism
• Patients with Cochlear Implants
• Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation (E-stim)
• Public Health
• Rehabilitation
• Spasmodic Dysphonia
• Stuttering and Cluttering
• Swallowing and Feeding Disorders (Dysphagia)
• Transnasal Esophagoscopy and Pharyngeal/Esophageal Manometry
• Transgender Voice Modification Therapy
• Voice Therapy
• Dual Certification in SLP and Lactation Consultancy
• Continuing Education is Key to Career Versatility and Longevity in This Field
• Do You Speak with an Accent? … You Can Still Be an Outstanding SLP
• The Challenges and Rewards of Working with English Language Learners
• Some Advice on How to Approach Your Clinical Fellowship
• 4 Things a Job Description Can’t Tell You About the Profession
• 5 Things I Love Most About Being an SLP
• Your Guide to Getting Started in Telepractice
• Why Team Player SLPs are Even More Effective Than Superstars
• Why Working With the Entire Family Gets the Best Results in Kids Struggling with Speech-Language Issues