Kentucky LPP Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Becoming a Licensed Psychological Practitioner (LPP) in Kentucky is governed by Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) Chapter 319 and the Kentucky Administrative Regulations (201 KAR Chapter 26) of the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology. This credential allows a master’s‑level clinician (certified psychologist or licensed psychological associate) to perform certain functions “within the practice of psychology without supervision” and to use the title “licensed psychological practitioner.” (law.justia.com)

Below is a structured explanation of the requirements, with special attention to the exact types and amounts of hours the Board and statutes require.

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Legal framework you are operating under

Key current authorities (as of November 23, 2025) are:

• KRS 319.053 – Licensed psychological practitioner (amended effective July 15, 2024) (law.justia.com)
• 201 KAR 26:171 – Requirements for clinical supervision (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
• 201 KAR 26:190 – Requirements for supervised professional experience (includes LPP experience rules in Section 5) (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
• 201 KAR 26:200 – Education requirements (implements the 60‑hour graduate study rule for LPP applicants) (law.cornell.edu)
• 201 KAR 26:290 – Licensed psychological practitioner: application procedures (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

KRS 319.053 is the controlling statute; 201 KAR regulations are the Board’s detailed implementation.

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1. Hold the correct prerequisite credential

You cannot apply directly for LPP. KRS 319.053 requires that the applicant already hold one of these credentials: (law.justia.com)

• Certified psychologist, or
• Licensed psychological associate (LPA)

The statute specifies that a person “holding a credential as a certified psychologist or as a licensed psychological associate may apply” for LPP once all other conditions are met. (law.justia.com)

Those underlying credentials themselves require supervised professional experience (for example, an applicant for licensure as a psychological associate must document at least 600 supervised hours of practica/field experience/internship, with at least 25% of that time in direct client contact). (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

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2. Graduate education: at least 60 semester hours

KRS 319.053(1)(c) and 201 KAR 26:200 require that an LPP applicant document: (law.justia.com)

• “At least sixty (60) semester hours of graduate study in psychology or a related field or its equivalent acceptable to the board.”

201 KAR 26:200 clarifies that:

• The 60 hours must be graduate coursework related to psychological practice,
• Offered by a regionally accredited institution at least at the master’s‑degree granting level, and
• Continuing education credits do not count toward this 60‑hour requirement. (law.cornell.edu)

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3. Core LPP experience requirement: years and hours

3.1. Statutory requirement: two full‑time years of supervised experience

After you are credentialed by the Board as a certified psychologist or licensed psychological associate, KRS 319.053(1)(d) now requires: (law.justia.com)

Completion … of the equivalent of two (2) full‑time years of professional experience under the supervision of a board‑approved licensed psychologist.

This is a major change from older versions of the law (which required five years); the two‑year requirement has been in effect since July 15, 2024. (law.justia.com)

3.2. Board definition of a “full‑time year” in hours

Two different Board regulations define what “full‑time year” and “supervised professional experience” mean in terms of hours:

1. 201 KAR 26:190, Section 5(1) (in the LPP section) states that for LPP applicants:

   • “A full‑time year comprises at least 1,800 hours of supervised professional experience.” (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

2. 201 KAR 26:171, Section 6(1) provides a consistent definition used for all supervised practice:

   • “In calculating the amount of time spent in full‑time practice while under clinical supervision, 1,800 hours of supervised practice shall be equivalent to one (1) year of experience.” (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Putting the statute and regulations together:

• You must complete the equivalent of two full‑time years of supervised practice after you are credentialed as a certified psychologist or LPA.
• Under the Board’s definition, that equals:

2 full‑time years × 1,800 hours/year = 3,600 hours of supervised professional experience.

These 3,600 hours are “professional experience under the supervision of a board‑approved licensed psychologist”, in the language of KRS 319.053. (law.justia.com)

3.3. Type of hours: what “supervised professional experience” and “psychological practice” mean

For LPP purposes, Section 5 of 201 KAR 26:190 requires: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• The experience must be the “equivalent of [two] full‑time years of psychological practice under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist approved by the board, consistent with the requirements of 201 KAR 26:171.”
• Those hours must be accumulated from the date of initial credentialing as a psychological associate (or certified psychologist), excluding any time you were only temporarily licensed.

The regulation does not break those 3,600 hours into separate “direct” vs. “indirect” categories specifically for LPP. Instead, it treats them globally as “supervised professional experience” and “psychological practice” under supervision.

However, related Board rules do define the character of supervised experience more generally:

• In the same regulation, for supervised professional experience used for psychologist licensure, the Board states that at least 50% of supervised professional experience must be “service‑related activities,” such as treatment, assessment, interviews, report writing, case presentations, and consultations. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)
• For psychological associate training hours (a prerequisite to your first license), the Board requires at least 25% of those supervised hours in direct client contact, and the work must involve diagnostic and treatment activities with clients seeking psychological services. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

While that 50% and 25% language is written in sections formally tied to psychologist and psychological associate training, Board practice has been to treat “supervised professional experience” as primarily client‑service‑oriented work, not merely administrative time.

In other words:

• Your 3,600 hours toward LPP are hours of actual psychological practice under supervision, not just employment time in a setting.
• Within that time, a substantial proportion must reasonably be direct service and closely related clinical activities, because that is how the Board defines supervised professional experience elsewhere in 201 KAR 26:190.

3.4. Supervision time and format while you accrue those hours

While you are accumulating the 3,600 hours, you are still functioning as a certified psychologist or LPA and are subject to the general supervision rules in 201 KAR 26:171. Key requirements include: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• All supervision arrangements (except for graduate students) must have prior Board approval, with both supervisor and supervisee petitioning the Board in writing.
• Supervision must be ongoing; if the supervisor changes, the Board must be notified within 30 days.
• For licensed psychological associates and certified psychologists:
  • During the first two years of full‑time practice (or its equivalent) after licensure, you must receive a minimum of one (1) hour of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision each week. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

Clinical supervision hours are not counted separately as “experience hours” in the way your example (e.g., 1,500 direct hours and 1,500 supervised hours) suggests. Instead:

• The 3,600 hours are the supervised practice hours themselves (the work you do with clients and related clinical tasks under supervision).
• On top of that, the Board mandates minimum supervision contact time (e.g., at least one hour per week, face‑to‑face) under 201 KAR 26:171. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

So for LPP, Kentucky does not specify a split such as “X direct clinical hours + Y hours of supervision.” Instead, it defines:

• A total amount of supervised professional experience (3,600 hours), and
• A minimum pattern of supervisory meetings while you are gaining that experience.

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4. Letters of endorsement and recommendations

KRS 319.053(1)(a) and 201 KAR 26:290 require a combination of endorsement letters as part of your application. (law.justia.com)

Under the statute, before you may sit for the LPP examination you must submit three letters of endorsement:

1. One letter from your current board‑approved supervisor of record, which must include a statement describing “the scope of practice demonstrated in the clinical experience of the applicant.”
2. Two letters from licensed mental health professionals acceptable to the Board who are familiar with your clinical work. (law.justia.com)

The Board’s application regulation refines this into specific Board forms:

• Two “Recommendation for Licensure as a Psychological Practitioner” forms from licensed mental health professionals familiar with your clinical work; and
• One “Supervisor Recommendation for Licensure as a Psychological Practitioner” form completed by your current Board‑approved clinical supervisor of record. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

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5. Discipline history and fitness

KRS 319.053 provides that: (law.justia.com)

• An LPP applicant “shall not have been subject to disciplinary action by the board.”
• An applicant who has been disciplined may appeal to the Board for an exception.

The Board therefore examines your disciplinary history as part of the application.

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6. Examinations required

Under KRS 319.053 and 201 KAR 26:290/26:230, LPP candidates must pass two levels of examination: (law.justia.com)

1. National exam – EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology)

   • LPP applicants must pass the EPPP “with a score equal to or exceeding the score required for passage for a licensed psychologist candidate at the doctoral level at the time the examination is taken.” (law.justia.com)
   • The Board will accept a previous EPPP score if it already met that doctoral‑level criterion; otherwise, you must retake until you meet the current standard. (law.justia.com)

2. Kentucky‑specific exams

   • KRS 319.053 requires an examination on psychological practice, ethical principles, and the law, evaluated using the same criteria as for licensed psychologist candidates. (law.justia.com)
   • 201 KAR 26:230 (referenced in 26:290) details the Kentucky jurisprudence and ethics examination procedures and passing standards. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

While you are in this examination phase, the statute allows you to continue practicing under supervision as an LPA or certified psychologist until you complete all LPP requirements. (law.justia.com)

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7. The formal application to the Board

Once all KRS 319.053(1) requirements are met (education, supervised experience, endorsements, exam readiness), 201 KAR 26:290 governs the application process: (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

The application must:

• Be submitted on the Board’s “Application for Licensure as a Psychological Practitioner” (paper or via the Board‑designated online system).
• Include your certification that the application is true and that you understand misrepresentation can lead to discipline.
• Be accompanied by the required fee (not to exceed $200 under KRS 319.053(1)(b)). (law.justia.com)
• Include:
  • Two Recommendation forms from licensed mental health professionals;
  • One Supervisor Recommendation form from your current Board‑approved supervisor of record;
  • Official transcripts for all education used to meet licensure requirements, submitted directly from institutions or a clearinghouse.

Temporary LPP credentials are not issued; you remain licensed and supervised in your original credential (LPA/certified psychologist) until the Board approves the LPP change of status. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

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8. What you may do once licensed as an LPP

Upon successful completion of all requirements, KRS 319.053 states that the Board will issue a license that: (law.justia.com)

• Authorizes you to perform certain functions within the practice of psychology without supervision, and
• Allows you to use the title “licensed psychological practitioner.”

The statute also expressly provides that an LPP “shall not supervise certified psychologists, licensed psychological practitioners, or licensed psychological associates.” (law.justia.com)

Scope of practice, competency boundaries, and dual‑licensure rules for LPPs are further governed by 201 KAR 26:121 (Scope of practice and dual licensure), which requires that any licensee practice only within the areas of competency approved by the Board based on their education, training, and supervised experience. (law.cornell.edu)

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Key hour numbers at a glance (LPP‑specific)

• Graduate education:

  • At least 60 semester hours of graduate study in psychology or a related field acceptable to the Board. (law.justia.com)

• Post‑credential supervised experience (the LPP core requirement):

  • Two (2) full‑time years of professional experience under the supervision of a board‑approved licensed psychologist, completed after you are credentialed as a certified psychologist or LPA. (law.justia.com)
  • The Board defines one full‑time year of supervised practice as 1,800 hours, so the LPP requirement equals 3,600 hours of supervised professional experience. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• Supervision contact while accruing those hours (as a certified psychologist or LPA):

  • Minimum of one hour of individual, face‑to‑face clinical supervision weekly during the first two full‑time years (or equivalent) of post‑licensure practice. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

• No specific separate minimum for “direct client hours” is assigned uniquely to the LPP stage.

  • Instead, your 3,600 hours are defined globally as “supervised professional experience”/“psychological practice under the direct supervision” of a Board‑approved licensed psychologist, with earlier training regulations making clear that supervised professional experience is expected to be largely composed of direct and closely related clinical work. (apps.legislature.ky.gov)

This is the current, controlling framework for becoming an LPP under the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology.