Georgia REACTIVATE-INACTIVE Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Reactivating an inactive psychologist license in Georgia is governed by both the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists’ rules (Chapter 510) and the joint “Inactive Status Licenses” rules (Chapter 295‑15), plus the Secretary of State’s “How to Guide: Psychologist” for the specific application checklist.

What follows focuses specifically on the REACTIVATE‑INACTIVE – Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License option (not new licensure, and not reinstatement of a lapsed/expired license).

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1. What “Reactivation of an Inactive Status License” means in Georgia

Georgia distinguishes between:

• Inactive status – Your Georgia psychologist license is in good standing but voluntarily placed inactive. You may not practice psychology in Georgia or use the title “psychologist” while it is inactive. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)
• Reactivation of an inactive status license – You kept the license in inactive status and now want it returned to active status (this is the “REACTIVATE‑INACTIVE” option in the online system). (sos.ga.gov)
• Reinstatement – Used if your license lapsed/expired or was revoked, not if it is simply inactive. (rules.sos.ga.gov)

If your Georgia license shows as inactive (not lapsed, revoked, or expired), the process you are asking about is Reactivation of an Inactive Status License.

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2. Core legal requirements for reactivation

The controlling rule for psychologists in inactive status is Rule 295‑15‑.03 (State Board of Examiners of Psychologists). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

It creates two different reactivation paths:

Path A – You have an active license and recent practice in another state

Rule 295‑15‑.03(2) states that if you:

• Have an active psychologist license in another state, and
• Have been “actively practicing psychology there within the past two (2) years,”

then to reactivate your Georgia inactive license you must submit to the Board: (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

1. Application to Reactivate (the “Application for Reactivation of Inactive Status License”),
2. Documentation of continuing education – specifically:
   • “forty (40) hours of continuing education activities that were completed within two (2) calendar years of the date the application is received by the Board,” and
3. The appropriate fee (see the Board’s fee schedule). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

There is no requirement in this rule for additional supervised experience hours, direct client hours, or new postdoctoral supervised work experience. The only specified “hours” are 40 hours of continuing education (CE).

Path B – You have not been actively licensed and practicing elsewhere

Rule 295‑15‑.03(3) addresses the situation where you:

• Do not have an active license in another state, and
• Have not been actively practicing psychology.

In that case, to reactivate an inactive Georgia license, the Board requires everything in Path A, plus: (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

• You “must also pass both the Georgia Jurisprudence and Oral Examinations in addition to the requirements set forth in (2) above.”

In other words:

• You still must submit an Application to Reactivate,
• You still must document 40 hours of CE within the last two calendar years, and
• You must re‑take and pass:
  • the Georgia Jurisprudence Examination, and
  • the Georgia Oral Examination.

Again, no additional clinical practice-hour or supervision-hour minimums are specified for reactivation—only CE hours and (for this group) passing the two exams.

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3. Type and structure of the required “hours”

3.1. Continuing education hours – what exactly is required?

For reactivation, the rules repeatedly use the same CE standard as for reinstatement of a lapsed license:

• You must show 40 hours (“credits”) of continuing education activities that are:
  • Relevant to your professional activities, and
  • Completed within two (2) calendar years prior to the date your reactivation application is received by the Board. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

The Board’s Continuing Education Requirements rule (510‑8‑.01) defines CE in more detail:

• “A total of 40 credits of continuing education relevant to the licensee's professional activities are required biennially to renew a license.”
• As of the 2023 amendment, six (6) CE credits must be earned in professional ethics, at a workshop attended either in person or via synchronous (live) webinar. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)
• Each CE credit is one clock hour.

In practice, for reactivation, the 40 hours you submit are expected to comply with these CE rules (content relevant to psychology practice, proper sponsors, documentation, and the current ethics requirement).

CE content and format (summarized)

Under Chapter 510‑8: (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

• Total: 40 CE credits (clock hours) in the biennium.
• Ethics requirement: At least 6 CE credits in professional ethics, taken at an in‑person workshop or live (synchronous) webinar.
• Acceptable CE areas include:
  • Academic graduate courses in psychology (Area I),
  • Teaching qualified courses or CE workshops (Area I),
  • Group consultation with other psychologists (Area II),
  • Approved sponsored CE activities (Area III) from entities such as APA‑approved sponsors, state psychological associations, etc.
• All CE must be postdoctoral and relevant to your professional activities.

For reactivation, the 40 hours of CE you document must have been completed within the last two calendar years before the Board receives your application; they are not newly‑defined “reactivation hours”—they are standard CE hours applied toward reactivation. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

3.2. Practice hours – what is not required

You specifically asked about requirements like “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.”

For the REACTIVATE‑INACTIVE license option in Georgia:

• There is no requirement in the current rules for any specified number of clinical practice hours, direct client-contact hours, or supervised hours for reactivation.
• The only quantified hours in the reactivation rules are continuing education hours (40 hours/credits). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

The phrase “actively practicing psychology” in Rule 295‑15‑.03(2) is not further quantified (no minimum hours or caseload is specified in the regulation). It is a qualitative condition: the Board requires that you have been actively practicing under another state’s license within the last two years, but it does not set a numeric clinical‑hour minimum. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

So, for reactivation:

• Required “hours”:
  • 40 hours of CE in the last two calendar years (following CE rules, including 6 ethics hours).
• Not required:
  • No new internship hours,
  • No new postdoctoral supervised work experience (SWE) hours,
  • No new direct client-contact hour minimum.

Those kinds of clinical hour requirements apply to initial licensure (e.g., internship/SWE) under separate rules, not to reactivation of an already‑licensed psychologist.

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4. The official application checklist for “Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License”

The Georgia Secretary of State’s “How to Guide: Psychologist” has a specific section titled “Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License.” It describes both the purpose and the filing checklist. (sos.ga.gov)

4.1. When to use this application

“If you have previously requested your professional psychologist license be placed in inactive status and would like to reactivate your license…” (sos.ga.gov)

In other words, use this option only if your Georgia license is currently in inactive status and you now want it to be active again.

4.2. How to apply (step-by-step)

The How‑to Guide states: (sos.ga.gov)

1. Submit the Application for Reactivation of Inactive Status License, fee, and all supporting documents.

   • The Guide specifically instructs you to “refer to Board rule 510‑7‑.03” (which cross‑references the reinstatement and CE requirements described above). (sos.ga.gov)

2. Use the GOALS online portal

   • Once your checklist is ready, you log into the GOALS portal to submit the reactivation application electronically. (sos.ga.gov)

4.3. Required supporting documents (from the How‑to Guide)

The Guide lists the following for Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License: (sos.ga.gov)

• Completed, signed, notarized application with fee
  • Submitted via GOALS.
• Continuing Education Certificates
  • Evidence of the 40 CE hours completed within the past 2 calendar years.
• Continuing Education Report Form (Board form)
  • You must summarize and report your CE on the Board’s CE Report Form.
• Registered for Fingerprint Background Check
  • A current criminal background check is required.
• Case Study / Work Sample (if applicable – see Board Rule 510‑7‑.02)
  • This is typically relevant where the Board requires re‑administration of the oral exam; the How‑to Guide ties this back to the reinstatement rule. (sos.ga.gov)
• Disciplinary Action / Sanctions documentation (if applicable)
  • Court documents, letters of explanation, and information about any alternative‑to‑discipline programs, if you have any prior actions.
• Verification of licensure held in another state
  • If you hold or have held licensure elsewhere, arrange for official verification to be sent; this is especially important if you are using Path A (active license & practice in another state). (sos.ga.gov)
• Secure and Verifiable Document
  • E.g., state driver’s license, passport – used for identity verification.
• Affidavit of Citizenship
  • A notarized affidavit per Georgia requirements.
• Immigration Documents (if applicable)
  • If you are not a U.S. citizen, the Board requires appropriate immigration documentation.

The fee amount is not hard‑coded in the How‑to Guide; instead, it directs you to the current fee schedule linked on the Psychology Board’s forms page. (sos.ga.gov)

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5. How the exams fit in (if you have not been actively licensed/practicing elsewhere)

If you fall under Path B (no active license elsewhere and not actively practicing):

• Rule 295‑15‑.03(3) requires, in addition to the 40 CE hours and documentation, that you “also pass both the Georgia Jurisprudence and Oral Examinations.” (rules.sos.georgia.gov)
• The exam content and format are governed by the licensure rules in Chapter 510‑2, but for reactivation purposes, the key point is you must pass both exams again.

Practically, this is why the Reactivation checklist mentions a case study / work sample “if applicable (see Board Rule 510‑7‑.02)”—that material is used for the oral examination. (sos.ga.gov)

There is still no new internship or SWE-hour requirement attached to this re‑examination; the exams assess your current legal knowledge and professional competence rather than requiring you to accumulate a fresh specified number of supervised hours.

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6. Quick comparison to clarify “hours” for reactivation vs other processes

To put the “hours” question into context:

• Initial licensure (by examination or exam waiver) in Georgia does involve detailed requirements for doctoral education, internship, and supervised work experience (with specific hour expectations), but those apply before your first license is issued, not when reactivating an existing license. (studystack.com)

• Reinstatement of a lapsed/expired license (Rule 510‑7‑.02) also uses the same 40 CE hours within two years and, after a certain lapse period, requires passage of the Jurisprudence and Oral exams—very similar to the reactivation structure, but for licenses that have lapsed rather than gone inactive. (rules.sos.ga.gov)

• Reactivation of an inactive status license:

  • Hours: 40 CE hours (credits) completed within the previous two calendar years; at least 6 must be in professional ethics under the current CE rule.
  • No new clinical or supervision-hour minimums are specified.
  • Exams: Only required if you do not have an active out‑of‑state license and recent practice (then you must pass both the Georgia Jurisprudence and Oral examinations again). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

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7. Practical roadmap for someone reactivating now

Putting everything into a concise action plan:

1. Confirm your status

   • Verify that your Georgia psychologist license is listed as Inactive, not lapsed or revoked. Use the GOALS license search. (sos.ga.gov)

2. Determine which path you’re on

   • Path A: You hold a current active license in another state and have been actively practicing there within the past two years.
   • Path B: You do not meet that description (no active out‑of‑state license or no recent practice).

3. Assemble your 40 CE hours

   • Ensure 40 CE credits were completed within the last two calendar years, and that they meet the Board’s CE standards (including 6 ethics hours).
   • Gather certificates and be prepared to complete the CE Report Form. (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

4. If on Path B, prepare for exams

   • Plan to take and pass:
     • Georgia Jurisprudence Examination (closed-book, multiple-choice exam on laws and rules), and
     • Georgia Oral Examination (with case/work sample). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

5. Complete the Reactivation application

   • Log into GOALS and choose “Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License”; complete, sign, and notarize the application.
   • Register for the fingerprint background check.
   • Upload or arrange for:
     • CE certificates + CE Report Form,
     • Any required case study/work sample (if exams will be required),
     • Disciplinary documents (if applicable),
     • Verification of licensure from any other state where you hold or held a psychologist license,
     • Secure & verifiable ID, Affidavit of Citizenship, immigration documents (if relevant). (sos.ga.gov)

6. Pay the required fee

   • Pay the reactivation fee shown in the current Psychology Board fee schedule.

7. Monitor processing

   • Applications are generally processed within about 20 business days once complete, but timing can vary and incomplete applications can be withdrawn if deficiencies are not fixed within 60 days. (sos.ga.gov)

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Bottom line regarding “hours”

For the REACTIVATE‑INACTIVE (Reactivation Of An Inactive Status License) pathway with the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists:

• The only specific hour requirement in the rules is:

  • 40 hours (credits) of continuing education activities,
  • Completed within two (2) calendar years of the date the Board receives your application,
  • Following the Board’s CE rules (including 6 ethics hours in the current version). (rules.sos.georgia.gov)

• No requirements are stated for:

  • 1,500 hours of direct experience,
  • 1,500 hours of supervised experience,
  • or any other new quantified clinical/supervision hours specifically for reactivation.

The distinction is important: Georgia expects you to demonstrate current competence through continuing education and (when applicable) re‑examination, not by re‑accumulating supervised practice hours once you are already a licensed psychologist whose license is merely in inactive status.