Psychologist Licensure in Maryland: Degree, Supervised Hours and the EPPP

Maryland issues two psychology credentials under § 18-302: the licensed psychologist and the registered psychology associate.

Between them sits a status the Board neither licenses nor registers: the post-doctoral rule requires a person accruing post-doctoral supervised experience to carry a title showing their training status rather than implying independence.

The statute holds both applicants to the same basics — good moral character, age 18, residency or intent to practice in the State, and a criminal history records check under § 18-302.1.

Everything that separates the two rungs sits in the subsections this page walks through: the degree, the 3,250 hours, and the two examinations.

The psychologist licence requires a doctoral degree in psychology as defined in § 18-101(c)(1)(i) or (iii) of the Health Occupations Article.

The statute leaves the definition to § 18-101(c), which was not among the sources read, so this page cannot say which program features it demands — confirm that subsection with the Board before relying on any reading of the degree rule.

The statute's second route is for respecialization: a doctorate as defined in § 18-101(c)(1)(ii), a postdoctoral respecialization certificate from a department whose degree program, when the certificate was issued, was accredited by the American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association and included a supervised internship of at least 1,750 hours, and a minimum of 1,500 hours of postcertification advanced training or precertification service as a registered psychology associate.

The statute asks for at least 2 years of professional, supervised experience approved by the Board, and the rule fixes the size: a minimum of 3,250 hours, completed before you take the examinations.

For applicants from practice-oriented programs the hours break into three blocks: an internship of at least 1,750 hours completed within 24 months; up to 1,500 hours of pre-internship and pre-doctoral post-internship experience, accruable only after the first year of the doctoral program; and post-doctoral experience, of which a maximum of 1,500 hours may count.

The postdoctoral year is conditional, exactly as the rule writes it: it must be completed if the applicant does not have 3,250 hours of pre-doctoral supervised experience, so a practice-oriented graduate who documents the full 3,250 pre-doctorally owes no postdoc.

One boundary: this structure is the practice-oriented rule, COMAR 10.36.01.04-2; the parallel rule for non-practice-oriented programs, .04-1, was not read.

Licensure applicants pass two examinations: a national examination in the practice of psychology — the EPPP, at a scaled score of 500 for administrations on or after January 1, 2002 — and the State jurisprudence examination, given as the Maryland Examination at a pass mark of 75 percent.

The Maryland Examination tests the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct plus the other regulations and laws pertaining to practice, and the Board must give applicants access to everything it tests.

No EPPP Part 2 requirement appears in the sources read, and no oral examination either.

The Part 2 question is time-limited anyway: ASPPB's integrated EPPP replaces both parts for first-time takers from fall 2027 and is the only version from April 1, 2028, so confirm with the Board which version you will sit.

At least 75 percent of an applicant's supervised professional experience must be supervised by a psychologist qualified to supervise the activities performed.

The rule names four kinds of qualified supervisor: a psychologist licensed to practice psychology in Maryland; one exempt under Health Occ. § 18-102(3) or § 18-301(b); one licensed, certified, or exempt where the experience is obtained; and a student, fellow, intern, or resident pursuing Board-approved qualifying training, supervised by someone meeting the first three criteria.

Post-doctoral supervision runs at a set ratio (at least 1 hour of individual supervision for every 20 hours of service-related activities), face-to-face with an on-site supervisor.

Under exceptional circumstances, and before the experience begins, an applicant may petition the Board to waive face-to-face supervision or take an off-site supervisor; the Board may waive face-to-face only when the alternative modality, including televideo conferencing, does not substantially diminish the adequacy of supervision.

Supervising a psychology associate takes a Maryland psychologist with at least 2 years of post-licensure experience; associate supervision amounts sit in COMAR 10.36.07.03, which was not read.

The registered psychology associate is defined by its supervision: an individual who meets the Act's requirements and is registered by the Board to practice psychology under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.

To qualify, an applicant holds a master's in clinical, counseling, or school psychology from a program accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; a master's in education specializing in psychology or counseling psychology; admission to candidacy for a doctoral degree after at least 3 years of postgraduate education and preliminary doctoral examinations; a doctorate; or a foreign equivalent the Board accepts.

The associate's only examination is the Maryland Examination, at 75 percent.

Nothing in the sources read gives an associate a route to independent practice, and no level of Maryland psychologist prescribes.

Maryland is a PSYPACT member in effect: the Commission's map, as read in September 2026, records HB 970 as enacted and effective on May 18, 2021.

A Maryland psychologist uses the compact to practice telepsychology into other participating states, through an ASPPB E.Passport plus the PSYPACT Authorization to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology, or to work temporarily in person, through an Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate plus a Temporary Authorization to Practice capped at 30 calendar days per year.

PSYPACT is doctoral-only, so a registered psychology associate cannot use it.

Under the compact, practice follows the scope of the state where each client is physically located.

The Maryland Examination may never be waived, but the EPPP can be.

The rule lets the Board waive it for an applicant currently licensed or certified for the independent practice of psychology in another state that did not require the EPPP, and requires a waiver for an applicant licensed or certified for independent practice in another state who scored at least 73 percent on any administration before January 1, 2002 or a scaled 500 on or after that date, and for an applicant licensed to practice psychology in another state who holds a current ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification.

Residency shapes the file too: an applicant must reside or practice, or intend to reside or practice, in Maryland — unless the Board finds that issuing the licence or registration would be in the interest of the State's citizens or government.

A licence expires on March 31 unless renewed, and no renewal may run longer than 2 years.

Psychologists complete a minimum of 40 CE hours each reporting period — at most 20 in independent study, at least 3 in laws, ethics, or risk management, at least 3 on services to culturally diverse populations, and at least 3 in clinical supervision if they supervised psychology associates during the period.

Associates complete 20 hours with parallel floors.

The reporting period follows the licence number: odd digits report by March 31 of odd years, even digits or 0 by March 31 of even years.

An initial licence or registration with less than 12 months left in the period owes nothing; with 12 months or more, 20 hours for psychologists or 10 for associates.

The research notes record the practice-oriented supervised-experience rule, .04-2, as adopted effective September 1, 2010 (37:14 Md.

R.

938), and the research found no 2023–2026 changes to Maryland's psychology rules; the saved rule texts print no history lines.

The change heading your way is national, not state: ASPPB's integrated EPPP, required for first-time takers from fall 2027 and the only version from April 1, 2028, will replace the exam structure the Maryland rules read here assume.

Confirm with the Board how it will handle the transition before you register for either part.

Every licence and registration applicant must be of good moral character, at least 18 years old, and must submit to a criminal history records check under § 18-302.1; that subsection's text was not among the sources read, so its bars and look-back periods are not covered here.

One legacy route survives in the subsection the sources do show: for an applicant approved by the Board before October 1, 2014 to practice as a psychology associate under supervision, the Board shall waive the associate's degree requirements and the Maryland Examination.

For every other associate applicant, the degree and examination requirements of § 18-302(g) and (h)(2) apply in full.