Ohio LSP Requirements & Hours Tracker

Path to Licensure as a Licensed School Psychologist (LSP) in Ohio

Ohio’s State Board of Psychology licenses “licensed school psychologists” under Rule 4732‑9‑02.1 of the Ohio Administrative Code and Section 4732.10(D) of the Revised Code. These rules were updated effective January 1, 2025, so what follows reflects the current framework as of late 2025. (codes.ohio.gov)

---

1. What the Licensed School Psychologist (LSP) License Is

A Licensed School Psychologist in Ohio is credentialed by the State Board of Psychology (not just the Department of Education) to practice school psychology, typically in school settings and related educational environments.

Key points about the LSP license:

• It is a school psychology license, distinct from:
  • The psychologist license (doctoral level; broader practice authority).
  • The independent school psychologist license (master’s + extensive experience; can practice more independently). (codes.ohio.gov)
• LSPs are bound by school psychology‑specific ethical rules, including restrictions on calling themselves simply “psychologist” without the “school” qualifier. (codes.ohio.gov)

---

2. Three Official Pathways to an LSP License

Under Rule 4732‑9‑02.1, an applicant’s file must qualify under one of three paragraphs: (A) standard route, (B) NCSP endorsement, or (C) reciprocity. (codes.ohio.gov)

2.1 Standard Ohio Education Route (Paragraph A)

This is the route for most new graduates who do not already hold the NCSP and are not applying via reciprocity.

You must document:

1. Graduate degree and credit hours

   • A master’s in school psychology or a graduate degree the Board deems equivalent, from an accredited institution. (codes.ohio.gov)
   • The rule specifies “at least ninety graduate quarter hours or sixty graduate semester hours” of coursework, which may include practica and must be relevant to school psychology. (codes.ohio.gov)

2. Internship

   • Documentation of completion of a “nine‑month, full‑time internship in an approved school setting,” reported to the Board by your university’s internship coordinator or designee. (codes.ohio.gov)
   • Note: For the LSP license, the Board’s rule uses months and full‑time status, not a specific number of internship hours.

3. Examination

   • Documentation of a passing score on the Praxis School Psychology specialty exam or its successor (the nationally administered credentialing test used by the Ohio Department of Education or the National School Psychology Certification Board). (codes.ohio.gov)

4. Background check

   • Proof you meet the Board’s criminal records check requirements under Rule 4732‑9‑04 (FBI and BCI checks routed directly to the Board). (codes.ohio.gov)

If you satisfy all of the above, you meet the Board’s minimum statutory and rule‑based requirements for an LSP application under paragraph (A).

---

2.2 NCSP Endorsement Route (Paragraph B)

If you already hold an active Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential from NASP, Ohio provides an expedited pathway:

• If Board staff verify a valid, active NCSP, the rule states that you “shall be issued a license without additional documentation of education or experience” (you still must pass the background check). (codes.ohio.gov)
• You must still meet the criminal records check requirements in Rule 4732‑9‑04. (codes.ohio.gov)

In practice, you submit:

• Proof of NCSP (sent directly or via NASP verification method accepted by the Board).
• Application and fees.
• Background check results.

---

2.3 Reciprocity Route (Paragraph C)

This applies if you are already licensed as a school psychologist by another state/territory or D.C. to practice in school settings. The Board will issue an LSP license if: (codes.ohio.gov)

1. You have been licensed as a school psychologist in that jurisdiction for at least one year immediately before you apply; and
2. You have been actively engaged in the practice of school psychology for at least one of the five years immediately before submitting the application; and
3. You complete the required criminal background checks.

This route relies on your existing license + recent practice, not on reconstructing all your graduate‑school documentation.

---

3. Education and Training Requirements in Terms of “Hours”

Because you asked specifically about hours (e.g., “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience”), it’s important to separate what is numerically specified for the LSP license from what is not.

3.1 Graduate Coursework Hours

For the LSP license, the Board’s rule explicitly requires: (codes.ohio.gov)

• At least 60 graduate semester hours or
• At least 90 graduate quarter hours

These are academic credit hours in coursework relevant to school psychology and may include practica.

If your degree is not in school psychology, the Board uses cross‑referenced criteria (in other rules) to determine whether your coursework is equivalent to a master’s in school psychology.

3.2 Internship “Hours”

For LSP specifically, the rules say:

• You must complete a “nine‑month, full‑time internship in an approved school setting.” (codes.ohio.gov)

Notably:

• The LSP rule does not assign a numeric internship hours total (e.g., “1,200 hours” or “1,500 hours”) for this license.
• “Full‑time” in school settings is commonly interpreted as a standard school workweek (e.g., ~35–40 hours per week), so in practice a 9‑month internship typically yields well over 1,000 clock hours. But the Board’s rule itself is framed in months and full‑time status, not a fixed clock‑hour number.

3.3 Supervised Experience Hours Beyond Internship

For Licensed School Psychologist (LSP):

• There is no additional, separately stated minimum number of supervised post‑internship hours in Rule 4732‑9‑02.1.

• Once you have:

  • The graduate degree with the required credit hours,
  • The nine‑month full‑time internship in an approved school setting,
  • A passing Praxis (or successor) exam score, and
  • A clean background check,

  you have met the rule‑based experiential requirements for the LSP license itself. (codes.ohio.gov)

Some training programs will impose internal practicum hour minimums that far exceed what’s codified; those are program requirements, not additional Board mandates for LSP licensure.

---

4. Context: How LSP Requirements Compare to Other Ohio Psychology Licenses

To clarify the “hours” question, it’s useful to contrast with the licenses that do specify extensive clock‑hour requirements.

4.1 Independent School Psychologist (ISP)

This is a different, more advanced license. For admission to the independent school psychologist exam, Rule 4732‑9‑02 requires (in addition to degree and coursework) four years of school psychology experience, which must include: (codes.ohio.gov)

• One year of school psychology internship of no less than 1,200 hours or other training experience acceptable to the Board.
• At least two of the four years must be while employed by a board of education or qualifying private school.
• Any other qualifying experience must:
  • Be under supervision of a licensed psychologist or school psychologist, and
  • Meet the Board’s detailed supervision rules in Chapter 4732‑13.

So, for the independent school psychologist license, there is an explicit minimum internship hours requirement (≥1,200 hours) plus multi‑year experience requirements.

4.2 Psychologist (Doctoral) License

By contrast, the psychologist license (doctoral) has even more detailed hour requirements:

• At least two years (3,600 hours total) of supervised professional psychological experience. (codes.ohio.gov)
• The Board’s supervision rule for doctoral training specifies, for example:
  • Pre‑doctoral internship must be 1,500–2,000 hours, completed over 12–24 months (or 9 months for school psychology internships). (codes.ohio.gov)
  • At least 25% of weekly time in direct face‑to‑face client contact and defined ratios of supervision hours to hours on site.

None of these 3,600‑hour and internship‑hour details apply to the LSP credential; they apply to the psychologist license.

---

5. Practical Step‑by‑Step Checklist for the LSP Route

Below is a streamlined checklist based on the Board’s rules and statute. (codes.ohio.gov)

Step 1 – Complete the Required Graduate Program

• Enroll in a school psychology graduate program at an accredited institution.
• Ensure the degree will confer:
  • A master’s or equivalent in school psychology, and
  • At least 60 semester / 90 quarter graduate hours of school‑psychology‑relevant coursework (often designed into NASP‑aligned Ed.S. or master’s programs).

Step 2 – Complete a Full‑Time, Nine‑Month Internship in a School Setting

• Secure an internship placement that:
  • Is in an approved school setting.
  • Runs for at least nine months on a full‑time basis.
• Make sure the university’s internship coordinator will send the required report to the Board documenting successful completion.

Step 3 – Pass the Praxis School Psychology Exam (or Successor)

• Register for the Praxis School Psychology specialty exam (or whatever credentialing exam is currently required by the Ohio Department of Education / NASP).
• Designate the Ohio State Board of Psychology as a score recipient, so your passing score is sent directly.

Step 4 – Complete the Background Checks

• Arrange BCI and FBI criminal records checks consistent with Rule 4732‑9‑04:
  • Request the reports be sent directly to the Board by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
  • Pay the associated fingerprinting and processing fees.

Step 5 – Apply to the Ohio State Board of Psychology

• Obtain the LSP application from the Board’s website or office.
• Submit:
  • Application form and fee.
  • Official transcripts (showing degree conferral and graduate hours).
  • Proof of internship completion (from your university).
  • Praxis score report (sent by ETS or designated testing entity).
  • Any NCSP or out‑of‑state license documentation, if applying via endorsement or reciprocity.
• Respond to any Board requests for clarification or additional documentation.

Step 6 – Complete Any Board‑Required Examination or Orientation

• Under Section 4732.10–4732.11, every license category has an “appropriate examination.” For school psychologists, Rule 4732‑11‑01 identifies the required national credentialing test (Praxis or successor). (codes.ohio.gov)
• The Board may also require a state‑specific oral or jurisprudence component; check the current application instructions and communications from the Board for any additional exam steps beyond Praxis.

Step 7 – Receive Your LSP License and Maintain It

• Once you meet all requirements and the Board approves your application, you will be issued an Ohio Licensed School Psychologist license.
• You must then:
  • Renew periodically and meet continuing education requirements set by the Board.
  • Adhere to all ethical standards in Chapter 4732‑17 of the Administrative Code (including scope of practice, advertising, and supervision rules). (codes.ohio.gov)

---

Summary of “Hours” for the LSP License Itself

• Graduate coursework:
  • Minimum 60 semester or 90 quarter graduate credit hours relevant to school psychology (may include practica).
• Internship:
  • Nine‑month, full‑time internship in an approved school setting; no fixed clock‑hour total is named in the LSP rule.
• No explicit, additional supervised post‑internship clock‑hour requirement for LSP is stated in Rule 4732‑9‑02.1; the heavy quantitative hour requirements (1,200‑hour internship; 3,600‑hour supervised experience, etc.) belong to the independent school psychologist and psychologist licenses, not to the LSP.