Nevada PA Requirements & Hours Tracker

In Nevada, “Psychological Assistant” is a formal registration category used while you complete your postdoctoral supervised experience for licensure as a psychologist. It is not a separate independent practice license; instead, it is the legally required status for accruing those postdoctoral hours.

Below is a step‑by‑step outline of what Nevada requires, with an emphasis on hours and the Board’s own terminology.

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1. Purpose and Role of a Nevada Psychological Assistant

Nevada law states that a person who wishes to obtain any postdoctoral supervised experience required for licensure as a psychologist must register with the Board as a psychological assistant. (nevada.public.law)

That registration allows you to:

• Work only under the supervision and control of a psychologist who meets Board requirements. (law.cornell.edu)
• Accrue the postdoctoral supervised experience that counts toward the 2‑year supervised‑experience requirement for psychologist licensure. (regulations.justia.com)

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2. Eligibility to Register as a Psychological Assistant

2.1. Doctoral degree requirement

Except where explicitly approved otherwise, you may apply for registration as a psychological assistant only after you have graduated with a doctoral degree from one of the following: (regulations.justia.com)

1. A training program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), or
2. A program that meets Nevada’s program‑equivalency standards (NAC 641.061 for graduates before Jan. 1, 2018, or NAC 641.062 for graduates on/after that date), or
3. An institution that meets the requirements of NAC 641.050(3).

2.2. When registration is mandatory

• Anyone who wants to obtain postdoctoral supervised experience required for Nevada psychologist licensure must register as a psychological assistant. (nevada.public.law)
• If you have already completed the required amount of postdoctoral supervised experience in another state but have not yet finished all other licensure requirements, you still must register as a psychological assistant in Nevada (with a shorter maximum registration period; see below). (regulations.justia.com)

2.3. Length of registration

Under NAC 641.151: (regulations.justia.com)

• Initial registration as a psychological assistant is valid for 1 year.
• Normally, you may renew, but not if renewal would cause you to be registered more than 3 years total as a psychological assistant (unless the Board specifically approves otherwise).
• If you already obtained the required postdoctoral supervised experience in another jurisdiction, you must still register as a psychological assistant in Nevada, but may not be registered more than 2 years under that provision, unless the Board approves an exception.

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3. Application Process with the Nevada Board

The Board of Psychological Examiners uses the ASPPB PLUS system and a dedicated application for psychological assistants. (psyexam.nv.gov)

Key elements:

1. Application form and fee

   • Submit the “Application to Register as a Psychological Intern or Psychological Assistant” either:
     • Online through the Board’s portal; or
     • By completing the PDF application and mailing or emailing it to the Board. (psyexam.nv.gov)
   • The Board’s fee schedule in NAC 641 lists $150 for an application for registration as a psychological assistant, psychological intern, or psychological trainee. (leg.state.nv.us)

2. Background check / fingerprints

   • NRS 641.226 requires applicants for registration (psychological assistant, intern, or trainee) to:
     • Submit a complete set of fingerprints and pay the processing fee, and
     • Authorize the Board to obtain criminal‑background reports from the Nevada Central Repository and the FBI. (nevada.public.law)

3. Supporting documents

   • Proof of doctoral degree/program accreditation or equivalency (transcripts, institutional documentation) as required by NAC 641.151 and the ASPPB PLUS application. (regulations.justia.com)

Once your application is received, the Board office will email you with next steps and an invitation to complete the application in the ASPPB PLUS system. (psyexam.nv.gov)

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4. Supervisor and Supervision Requirements

4.1. Who may supervise a psychological assistant

A psychological assistant may work only under the supervision and control of a psychologist who meets the qualifications in NAC 641.1519. (law.cornell.edu)

The supervisor must:

• Be licensed by the Nevada Board to practice psychology, and
• Have training in clinical supervision (e.g., continuing education, coursework, or independent study in clinical supervision). (leg.state.nv.us)

Additionally, to supervise a psychological assistant, the psychologist must normally have been licensed for 3 or more years (unless the Board approves otherwise). (leg.state.nv.us)

4.2. Required amount and type of supervision

NAC 641.152 and NAC 641.157 together set the baseline:

• A psychological assistant must receive at least 1 hour of individual supervision for each 40 hours worked in a week, or the proportional equivalent if working less than 40 hours. (law.cornell.edu)
• NAC 641.157 further specifies that a supervisor must provide a full‑time psychological assistant with at least 1 hour of face‑to‑face individual supervision each week, or a proportional amount for part‑time. (regulations.justia.com)

Supervision details:

• Supervision is individual (one‑on‑one), and at least some of it must be face‑to‑face each week for full‑time assistants. (law.cornell.edu)
• The supervisor is responsible for the adequate supervision of the psychological assistant and bears responsibility for the clinical care plan for clients seen in this arrangement. (law.cornell.edu)
• For specific skill training, the supervisor may assign you to a specialist (e.g., psychiatrist, behavior analyst, social worker, MFT, CPC, or alcohol and drug counselor), but:
  • The specialist must have clearly established practice and teaching skills, and
  • No more than one‑quarter of the supervised hours needed for the required year of postdoctoral experience may be accrued under specialists’ direction. (law.cornell.edu)

4.3. Employment relationship

A psychological assistant must either: (law.cornell.edu)

• Be an employee of the supervisor, or
• Be subject to the control and direction of a supervisor who is affiliated with the same agency or institution and be a party to a written agreement that:
  • Gives the supervisor or training committee full oversight and access to medical records, and
  • Explicitly states that the psychological assistant may not be an independent contractor of the supervisor or agency during the contract term.

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5. Postdoctoral Supervised Experience Hours: What Nevada Actually Requires

The “hours question” is governed by NAC 641.080, which sets the total supervised experience for psychologist licensure, and then specifies what the postdoctoral year (the year you complete as a psychological assistant) must look like.

5.1. Total supervised‑experience framework

For most applicants (standard path): (regulations.justia.com)

• You must complete 2 years of supervised and documented experience equivalent to full‑time work.
• This includes:
  • Year 1: A qualifying doctoral internship that satisfies NAC 641.080(4) (typically 2,000 hours over 12–24 months in an APA‑accredited or equivalent program). (regulations.justia.com)
  • Year 2: A postdoctoral year that must consist of not less than 1,750 hours and meet either ASPPB guidelines or the detailed requirements in NAC 641.080(6). (regulations.justia.com)

For some mobility applicants (already licensed 5+ years in another jurisdiction with no discipline), each of the two required years must be not less than 1,500 hours, with one year as internship and one as postdoctoral experience; the postdoctoral year must still satisfy NAC 641.080(6). (regulations.justia.com)

5.2. How your postdoctoral hours must be structured

NAC 641.080(6) and related subsections define what counts as “supervised experience” for the postdoctoral year: (regulations.justia.com)

1. Setting requirements

   • Supervised experience is credited only for:
     • Professional work in a setting that offers interaction with colleagues and work with a broad range of clients (e.g., private practice, public or private agencies, institutions, or organizations), and
     • Work other than hours that are simply graduate practica for which you received academic credit.

2. Time frame

   • The 1,750‑hour postdoctoral requirement must be completed in not less than 10 months and not more than 3 years, unless the Board approves otherwise. (regulations.justia.com)

3. Percentage of clinical vs. other activities
   Unless the Board approves an exception, NAC 641.080(6)(b)(2)–(3) requires that: (regulations.justia.com)

   • At least 50 percent of the hours per week of supervised experience must be spent providing clinical services, which the regulation defines as including:
     • Psychological services delivered directly to individuals, couples, families, or groups,
     • Psychological testing, and
     • Individual or group supervision that is specifically related to those services.
   • At least 15 percent of the hours per week must be spent providing face‑to‑face client care.
   • The remaining hours per week must be spent in activities related to psychology (e.g., teaching psychology, conducting psychological research, or administrative activities related to psychology).

4. Required training in cultural and group processes
   Within the postdoctoral supervised experience: (regulations.justia.com)

   • You must complete at least 40 hours of supervised experience focused on cultural, ethnic, and group processes as social bases of behavior.
   • At least 3 hours of your individual face‑to‑face supervision must be specifically focused on that area.

5. Example using the 1,750‑hour minimum

Because Nevada sets a minimum of 1,750 total postdoctoral hours and uses weekly percentages, the absolute minimum content (assuming hours are distributed evenly) works out roughly as:

• Total postdoctoral hours: 1,750 (must be postdoctoral and supervised).
• Clinical services (≥50%): At least about 875 hours in direct clinical services/testing/supervision related to those services.
• Face‑to‑face client care (≥15%): At least about 262.5 hours of direct, face‑to‑face client contact.
• Cultural/ethnic/group‑process training: At least 40 hours of targeted experience, plus 3 supervision hours explicitly focused on that topic.

Nevada does not split the requirement into “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.” Instead, it requires one postdoctoral year of at least 1,750 supervised hours, within which specific percentages and content areas must be met.

6. Registration status during supervised hours

NAC 641.080(7) makes clear that you cannot count hours obtained while practicing in another licensed behavioral health role (e.g., as a social worker or counselor) unless you were registered as a psychological assistant or psychological intern at the time. (regulations.justia.com)

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6. Logging and Documentation of Experience

NAC 641.159 requires that a supervisor and the psychological assistant keep a regular log of supervised professional experience intended to satisfy NRS 641.170(1)(d). (regulations.justia.com)

The log must include:

• The nature of professional activities and services you provided.
• The population or clients served.
• Your supervisory contacts (dates, duration, type).

Entries must be verified by both the supervisor and the psychological assistant. (regulations.justia.com)

The Board provides a “Supervised Experience Log” form and indicates that these logs (or something similar) should be used and submitted to the Board quarterly for postdoctoral supervision. (psyexam.nv.gov)

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7. How the Psychological Assistant Phase Fits into Licensure

Putting the pieces together:

1. Complete an approved doctoral program in psychology (APA‑accredited or Board‑recognized equivalent). (regulations.justia.com)
2. Complete a qualifying doctoral internship (typically 2,000 hours, 12–24 months) that meets NAC 641.080(4) and (5). (regulations.justia.com)
3. Register as a Psychological Assistant with the Nevada Board if you intend to obtain postdoctoral supervised experience in Nevada. (nevada.public.law)
4. Secure a qualified supervisor (Nevada‑licensed psychologist; licensed ≥3 years; trained in supervision). (leg.state.nv.us)
5. Accrue at least 1,750 hours of postdoctoral supervised experience that:
   • Is completed in 10–36 months,
   • Meets the 50% clinical / 15% face‑to‑face / psychology‑related activities structure, and
   • Includes at least 40 hours of cultural/ethnic/group‑process training and 3 hours of supervision focused on that area. (regulations.justia.com)
6. Maintain detailed supervision logs, signed by you and your supervisor and submitted to the Board per its instructions. (regulations.justia.com)
7. After completing all supervised experience and other licensure requirements (exams, fees, etc.), you can then apply for full psychologist licensure; at that point, the psychological assistant registration is no longer needed.

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8. Key Hour‑Related Requirements at a Glance

• Total supervised experience for psychologist licensure:
  • 2 years total (one year internship + one year postdoctoral). (regulations.justia.com)
• Postdoctoral supervised experience (psychological assistant phase):
  • At least 1,750 hours of postdoctoral, supervised experience, completed in ≥10 and ≤36 months. (regulations.justia.com)
• Weekly distribution of postdoctoral hours (unless Board approves otherwise): (regulations.justia.com)
  • ≥ 50% of hours per week in clinical services.
  • ≥ 15% of hours per week in face‑to‑face client care.
  • Remaining time in psychology‑related activities (teaching, research, admin).
• Special content requirement:
  • ≥ 40 hours in cultural/ethnic/group‑process training, plus ≥ 3 hours of individual supervision focusing on that area.
• Supervision minimums for psychological assistants:
  • At least 1 hour of individual supervision for each 40 hours worked per week, and at least 1 hour per week of face‑to‑face individual supervision for full‑time assistants (pro‑rated for part‑time). (law.cornell.edu)

These are the core, Board‑defined requirements to be registered and function as a psychological assistant in Nevada and to have your postdoctoral hours accepted toward psychologist licensure. Because Nevada regulations are updated periodically, it is wise to confirm details directly with the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners and review the current text of NAC 641 and NRS 641 before you apply.