Louisiana TR Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Louisiana’s TR (Temporary Registration) through the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP) is designed for non‑Louisiana psychologists who are already independently licensed at the doctoral level in another state and who need to practice in Louisiana on a short‑term basis.

Unlike supervised training credentials, the TR does not require a specific number of clinical, direct-service, or supervised hours (e.g., “1,500 hours of direct experience”). Instead, it relies on your existing independent license and limits how long you can practice in Louisiana each year.

Below is a structured, step‑by‑step guide based directly on the board’s portal and Louisiana Administrative Code (LAC 46: LXIII‑1001). (lsbepportal.com)

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1. What TR (Temporary Registration) Is — and Is Not

What it is

• A temporary practice permission for nonresidents who are already:

  • Licensed or certified for independent practice as a psychologist
  • At the doctoral level
  • In another U.S. jurisdiction where their license is current and unrestricted (lsbepportal.com)

• It allows you to practice in Louisiana for a limited number of days per year without obtaining full Louisiana licensure.

What it is not

• Not a provisional or trainee license
• Not a mechanism for accruing supervised hours toward first‑time licensure
• Consequently, there is no requirement such as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience” for TR. Louisiana instead looks to the fact that you already hold a full, independent doctoral‑level license elsewhere. (lsbepportal.com)

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2. Eligibility Checklist

To qualify for a TR Temporary Registration, you must meet all of the following:

1. Nonresident of Louisiana

   • You must live outside Louisiana to be eligible for TR. (lsbepportal.com)

2. Independent doctoral‑level license in your home state

   • You must hold a current, unrestricted license (or certification) that authorizes independent practice as a psychologist at the doctoral level in your state or jurisdiction of residence. (lsbepportal.com)

3. Reciprocal “like and similar” privilege from your home state

   • Your state of residence must allow Louisiana psychologists a similar temporary‑practice privilege. Louisiana requires documentation that your state provides this reciprocity. (law.cornell.edu)

4. No violations of Louisiana psychology law

   • You must not be in violation of any provisions of the Louisiana psychology licensing law (Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 37, Chapter 28). (lsbepportal.com)

5. Fit for practice / background disclosure

   • You must provide a statement about:
     • Any prior disciplinary actions
     • Felony charges or convictions
     • Any participation in an impaired‑psychologist program
     • Any pending litigation or actions involving your license
   • This is expressly required in the temporary registration rule. (law.cornell.edu)

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3. Practice-Time Limits (“Hours”) under TR

Louisiana regulates TR by days of practice, not by a certain number of clinical hours:

1. Maximum 30 days per calendar year

   • A nonresident psychologist with TR may practice in Louisiana for no more than 30 days in any one calendar year, or until their home‑state license expires — whichever occurs first. (law.cornell.edu)

2. Maximum duration across years

   • Temporary registration may be granted for no more than three consecutive years. After that, if you still need to practice in Louisiana, you would likely need to pursue full licensure or another appropriate pathway. (law.cornell.edu)

3. No specified clinical/supervision hour minimums for TR

   • The regulations and the LSBEP portal do not define:
     • A required number of direct client hours
     • A required number of supervised hours
     • Any hour‑by‑hour breakdown like “1,500 direct / 1,500 supervised”
   • Instead, your eligibility is based on already being fully and independently licensed in another jurisdiction and staying within the allowed days of practice in Louisiana. (lsbepportal.com)

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4. Required Examination: Louisiana Jurisprudence

Before a TR can be issued, the Louisiana rules require that you pass the Louisiana jurisprudence examination:

• Exam requirement

  • All TR applicants must successfully pass the Louisiana jurisprudence exam and pay the associated fee before the board issues a temporary registration certificate. (lsbepportal.com)

• Validity period

  • The regulation states that jurisprudence exam scores are valid for three years, meaning you can use a recent passing score for a TR during that period. (law.cornell.edu)

This is the only examination specifically required for TR; the EPPP and oral exam are part of full Louisiana licensure for a Licensed Psychologist, not for temporary registration. (lsbepportal.com)

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5. Application Components and Documentation

The TR process is handled via the LSBEP Online Licensing Portal, under “Temporary Registration.” (lsbepportal.com)

According to LAC 46: LXIII‑1001(B) and the board’s application information, you should expect to submit:

1. Online application / registration form

   • A completed and notarized registration form (the board’s own form) submitted through the portal
   • Payment of the applicable temporary registration fee (law.cornell.edu)

2. License verification documents

   • A copy (and often verification) of your current, unrestricted, doctoral‑level psychologist license(s) from all jurisdictions where you hold a license
   • The LSBEP’s “Temporary Practice Registrations” section references a “Verification of Professional License” form required from your current/previous boards. (law.cornell.edu)

3. Identification

   • A legible photo ID (e.g., driver’s license or passport) to confirm identity. (law.cornell.edu)

4. Professional setting and practice plan

   • Documentation showing you are engaged in a legitimate professional setting, along with:
     • The location(s) where you plan to provide psychological services in Louisiana
     • The dates of service for your work in the state
   • This allows the board to verify that your temporary practice fits within the 30‑day and other legal limits. (law.cornell.edu)

5. Reciprocity / “like and similar privilege” documentation

   • Written proof from your home state that Louisiana psychologists receive a similar temporary practice privilege there. This is a statutory reciprocity requirement for TR. (law.cornell.edu)

6. Fitness and history statement

   • A narrative or form attesting to:
     • Any past disciplinary action
     • Any felony charges or convictions
     • Any impaired‑practitioner program participation
     • Any pending legal or disciplinary actions
   • This gives the board the information it needs to decide whether you are fit to temporarily practice in Louisiana. (law.cornell.edu)

7. Engagement agreement and related forms

   • The LSBEP “Applications” page shows that applicants must complete an Online Application Engagement Agreement (notarized) and may need to address background check and fee‑waiver items if applicable. (lsbep.org)

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6. After You Receive TR: Ongoing Obligations

Once the LSBEP issues a Certification of Temporary Registration, you must:

1. Comply fully with Louisiana psychology law and rules

   • Practice must comply with:
     • Louisiana licensing law for psychologists (R.S. Title 37, Chapter 28)
     • Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 46, Part LXIII
     • Any other applicable state laws and regulations
   • The regulation expressly states that a temporarily registered psychologist must practice “within the reasonable scope of his skills, training, and ability.” (law.cornell.edu)

2. Stay within the 30‑day and three‑year limits

   • Track the number of days you practice in Louisiana each calendar year to avoid exceeding the 30‑day limit.
   • Be aware that temporary registration is capped at three consecutive years; after that, you may need to pursue another pathway (e.g., full licensure). (law.cornell.edu)

3. Maintain your home‑state license

   • Your home‑state license must remain current and unrestricted; if it lapses or is restricted, your eligibility for TR disappears even if your 30 days are not used up. (law.cornell.edu)

4. Understand enforcement risk

   • If you fail to comply with any TR condition:
     • The board can immediately terminate your temporary registration.
     • The board may notify any other jurisdictions where you are licensed of complaints, investigations, or disciplinary actions. (law.cornell.edu)
   • Practicing in Louisiana without TR (or without full licensure where required) is treated as the unlawful practice of psychology, subject to prosecution. (law.cornell.edu)

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7. Clarifying “Hour” Requirements in Context

To address your example explicitly:

• For TR Temporary Registration:

  • Louisiana does not require:
    • “1,500 hours of direct experience,”
    • “1,500 hours of supervised experience,” or any other specified hour totals.
  • The critical requirement is that you already hold a current, unrestricted, doctoral‑level independent license in your home jurisdiction and meet the TR eligibility, application, exam, and practice‑time rules described above. (lsbepportal.com)

• For full Louisiana licensure as a Licensed Psychologist (LP):

  • The board does require a doctoral degree, supervised internship, and postdoctoral experience, plus EPPP, oral exam, and jurisprudence exam. (lsbepportal.com)
  • However, those supervision and hour requirements apply to the full license, not to the temporary registration, and are generally satisfied in the process of obtaining your original independent license in your home state.

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Practical Summary

To obtain TR in Louisiana:

1. Confirm you are a nonresident with a current, unrestricted, independent, doctoral‑level psychologist license in your home state and that reciprocity exists.
2. Pass the Louisiana jurisprudence exam.
3. Apply online through the LSBEP portal, submitting:
   • Notarized engagement/registration forms and applicable fees
   • License verification, photo ID, and reciprocity documentation
   • Details of where and when you will practice in Louisiana
   • A full history/fitness statement
4. Once approved, practice in Louisiana no more than 30 days per calendar year, for no more than three consecutive years, while fully complying with Louisiana law and maintaining your home‑state license in good standing.

No specific clinical or supervision hour totals are imposed for TR; the key “volume” control is the number of days you may practice in Louisiana each year.