Washington Psychological Associate Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Washington now offers a Licensed Psychological Associate credential through the Washington State Examining Board of Psychology (administered by the Department of Health) under Chapter 18.83 RCW and Chapter 246‑924 WAC. This license is designed for people who are completing the supervised experience required for full psychologist licensure but who are ready to practice psychology under supervision.

Below is a structured explanation of what the Board and Department of Health require, with emphasis on the type and number of hours and the exact concepts used in the rules.

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1. What a Licensed Psychological Associate Is (and Is Not)

• The Board defines a “psychological associate” as “an individual licensed under chapter 18.83 RCW and this chapter.” (app.leg.wa.gov)
• House Bill 2247 (which created this credential) describes a licensed psychological associate as someone who may practice psychology under the supervision of a licensed supervisor under rules adopted by the Examining Board of Psychology. (app.leg.wa.gov)
• It is unlawful to represent yourself as a “licensed psychological associate” without holding this license. (app.leg.wa.gov)

By statute, you must disclose to clients at the first professional contact that you are a licensed psychological associate under the supervision of an approved supervisor and provide a written disclosure form stating this. (wa-law.org)

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2. Core Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a Licensed Psychological Associate license, the state uses three main concepts: enrollment/participation status, competence to practice under supervision, and supervised experience hours.

2.1 Education or Postdoctoral Status

You must be either: (law.justia.com)

1. Currently enrolled in:

   • A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program, or its equivalent in psychology, at an accredited educational institution that meets WAC 246‑924‑046 or RCW 18.83.105; or

2. Participating in a postdoctoral supervised experience, such as:

   • A postdoctoral residency,
   • A postdoctoral fellowship, or
   • Another supervised postdoctoral experience that meets WAC 246‑924‑059.

The Department of Health summarizes this as:

“Applicants must either be currently enrolled in a doctoral program described in WAC 246‑924‑046 or RCW 18.83.105 or participating in a postdoctoral experience.” (doh.wa.gov)

2.2 Competence to Practice Under Supervision

The law requires that you be “deemed competent” to practice under supervision:

• RCW 18.83 provides that the Board shall issue a licensed psychological associate license to an applicant who:

  “has been deemed competent by the director of clinical training or postdoctoral supervisor to practice psychology under the supervision of a licensed supervisor subject to rules adopted by the board.” (law.justia.com)

In practice, the DOH operationalizes this through required forms: (doh.wa.gov)

• If you are enrolled in a doctoral program, you must submit:
  • An Attestation of Competence form signed by the director of clinical training, confirming:
    • Your competence to practice under supervision, and
    • Your enrollment status.
• If you are in a postdoctoral experience, you must submit:
  • An attestation from your postdoctoral supervisor confirming:
    • Your competence to practice under supervision.

2.3 Required Supervised Experience Hours: 3,300 Hours Total

The DOH’s FAQ states that, to qualify for a psychological associate license: (doh.wa.gov)

• “Applicants must have completed a total of 3,300 hours of supervision.”

These 3,300 hours are the same “supervised experience hours” used for full psychologist licensure and are defined in WAC 246‑924‑043 and related rules. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

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3. Breakdown of the 3,300 Supervised Experience Hours

Washington does not frame this as “X hours of direct experience” plus “Y hours of supervised experience” in separate buckets. Instead, all 3,300 are “supervised experience hours” divided across practicum, internship, and (if needed) postdoctoral supervised experience.

WAC 246‑924‑043 and DOH guidance specify: (doh.wa.gov)

1. Practicum

   • Minimum 300 hours of supervised practicum experience.
   • Must be spread over at least nine months (see WAC 246‑924‑052). (app.leg.wa.gov)

2. Internship

   • Minimum 1,500 hours of supervised internship experience.
   • Must be completed within 12–24 months.
   • Must meet WAC 246‑924‑056 and, if applicable, WAC 246‑924‑057 (typically APA/CPA/APPIC‑accredited or substantially equivalent). (doh.wa.gov)

3. Remaining 1,500 hours

   • WAC 246‑924‑043 provides that the remaining supervised hours (beyond the internship) may be completed through: (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)
     • Additional practicum hours, and/or
     • Additional internship hours, and/or
     • A postdoctoral supervised experience that meets WAC 246‑924‑059.
   • The DOH FAQ summarizes this as:
     • “A minimum of 300 practicum hours;
       A minimum of 1,500 internship hours; and
       The remaining 1,500 hours may be any combination of practicum and postdoctoral experience.” (doh.wa.gov)

4. Special reduction for certain substance use disorder professionals

   • For applicants who can prove credentialing as a substance use disorder professional for three years in the previous 10 years, WAC 246‑924‑043(2) reduces the “remaining” hours:
     • The required hours in the “remaining hours” category drop from 1,500 to 1,020, for a total of 2,820 hours of supervised experience. (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

Unless you clearly qualify for that exception, you should plan on the standard 3,300 supervised hours.

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4. How Washington Defines the Types of Hours

The key “verbiage” the Board uses is “supervised experience hours”, broken down into categories within practicum, internship, and postdoc.

4.1 Practicum and Internship Hour Composition

WAC 246‑924‑052 (practicum) and related sections describe how supervised experience hours must be structured during the doctoral program. The rule states that “supervised experience earned during the doctoral program must include the following activities”: (app.leg.wa.gov)

• At least 25% of hours in direct client contact, defined as:
  • “providing assessment and intervention services” to clients/patients.
• At least 5% of hours in regularly scheduled, formal, individual supervision.
• At least 35% of hours in other learning activities, including but not limited to:
  • Conferences and seminars on applied issues,
  • Co‑therapy with a staff person (including discussion of the case),
  • Group supervision that addresses the direct psychological services provided by the supervisee.

The remaining 35% of hours can be any combination of:

• Direct client contact,
• Individual supervision, and
• Other learning activities.

In other words, every practicum/internship hour is a supervised experience hour, but Washington requires that a minimum proportion be “direct client contact” and another minimum proportion be “individual supervision” rather than counting those as completely separate, additional hour requirements.

4.2 Postdoctoral Supervised Experience Hours

WAC 246‑924‑059 governs postdoctoral supervised experience. Key points: (app.leg.wa.gov)

• You can count up to 1,500 hours of supervised postdoctoral experience toward the total requirement if you have not already reached 3,000 supervised hours by the time your doctoral degree is conferred.
• The supervisor is legally and ethically responsible for work done under the supervision agreement and must be able to alter service plans and direct the course of the work.
• You must use a title that accurately reflects your trainee status (e.g., “psychological resident,” “psychological intern,” “psychological supervisee”).

These postdoctoral hours are also supervised experience hours and are expected to follow a similar pattern of direct client contact, supervision, and other learning activities, described in the postdoc rule and supervision standards.

4.3 Telehealth Hours During COVID‑19 Period

WAC 246‑924‑011 provides a specific COVID‑19 exception for supervised experience obtained between February 29, 2020, and June 30, 2025: (lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov)

• Telehealth direct client contact during this time counts toward the “direct experience or direct client contact” requirement.
• Telesupervision (virtual supervision) during this time counts toward the “individual supervision” requirement.

If some of your 3,300 hours fall in that date window and were done by telehealth, they can still satisfy the Board’s direct‑contact and supervision minimums.

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5. Step‑by‑Step Application Process

WAC 246‑924‑152 and DOH’s licensing pages spell out the specific application steps for a Licensed Psychological Associate. (app.leg.wa.gov)

5.1 Submit the Application and Fee

You must:

1. Submit a completed application on the form provided by DOH (online or paper).
2. Pay the application fee:
   • The current listed fee is $111 (which includes the mandatory HEALWA surcharge). (doh.wa.gov)

5.2 Provide Required Supporting Documentation

WAC 246‑924‑152 and DOH specify different documentation depending on your status: (app.leg.wa.gov)

If you are currently enrolled in a doctoral program:

• Forms (Attestation of Competence) signed by the director of clinical training, confirming:
  • Your competence to practice under supervision, and
  • Your enrollment status.
• An internship brochure and supervision agreement if you are completing an internship.

If you are in a postdoctoral experience:

• Official transcripts showing completion of a doctoral degree in psychology (sent directly from the program).
• A supervision agreement showing you are in a qualifying postdoctoral experience.
• A signed attestation from the postdoctoral supervisor confirming your competence to practice under supervision.

5.3 Temporary Permission to Practice While Application Is Processed

WAC 246‑924‑152(2) allows limited practice under supervision before your license is issued: (app.leg.wa.gov)

• Once the Department receives your completed application, you may:
  • Practice without a license under the direct supervision of a licensed supervisor for up to 120 days, or
  • Until your application is issued or denied, whichever happens sooner.
• DOH will provide confirmation that a completed application has been received.

This is separate from the ongoing supervision requirement once you are licensed as a psychological associate.

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6. Supervision Rules After You Are Licensed

The Board has created special rules for supervision of psychological associates (WAC 246‑924‑155 and WAC 246‑924‑161). (app.leg.wa.gov)

6.1 Supervision Agreement

• A licensed psychological associate must practice under the supervision of a licensed supervisor in accordance with WAC 246‑924‑161.
• You must submit a supervision agreement to the Department on forms provided by the Board.
• If your supervisor changes, you must submit an updated supervision agreement within 30 days.

6.2 Levels of Practice

WAC 246‑924‑161 defines three “associate levels of practice,” which determine which supervision rule applies to you: (app.leg.wa.gov)

1. Licensed psychological associate level 1

   • For a student currently enrolled in a doctoral program, participating in a practicum.
   • Supervision must comply with WAC 246‑924‑052 (practicum standards).

2. Licensed psychological associate level 2

   • For a student currently enrolled in a doctoral program, participating in an internship.
   • Supervision must comply with WAC 246‑924‑056 or 246‑924‑057 (internship standards).

3. Licensed psychological associate level 3

   • For an individual in a postdoctoral experience.
   • Supervision must comply with WAC 246‑924‑059 (postdoctoral supervised experience).

In all cases:

• You must be supervised by a qualified supervisor with an active, unrestricted Washington license.
• You must identify your level of training to clients (e.g., “Licensed Psychological Associate – Level 2”) as specified in the rule.
• You must give clients the disclosure form stating that you are a licensed psychological associate practicing under supervision. (wa-law.org)

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7. Renewal and Relationship to Full Psychologist Licensure

The Department of Health indicates that psychology credentials are renewed annually on or before your birthday, paying the renewal fee (currently listed as $111 for psychological associates). (doh.wa.gov)

For full psychologist licensure, you will ultimately need to:

• Hold the required doctoral degree meeting WAC 246‑924‑046;
• Verify completion of the required 3,300 supervised experience hours (or the reduced 2,820‑hour pathway in the narrow exception); and
• Pass the Examination of Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) as required by WAC 246‑924‑070. (doh.wa.gov)

The Licensed Psychological Associate credential is the formal, supervised status you hold while you complete or consolidate these supervised experience requirements and prepare for full licensure, always under the oversight rules in Chapter 246‑924 WAC and Chapter 18.83 RCW.