Washington Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Washington State’s Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit is designed for psychologists who are already licensed elsewhere and want to practice in Washington for a short, defined period. Although the permit itself does not add new clinical-hour requirements, it is built on Washington’s own supervised‑experience standards and on the concept of “substantial equivalence” between states.

Below is a structured explanation of:

• Washington’s underlying hour requirements for full psychologist licensure (because those are the benchmark for “equivalence”), and
• The specific eligibility and application steps for the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit.

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1. What the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit Is

The legal authority for the permit is RCW 18.83.082 and WAC 246‑924‑480. Together, they provide that:

• A person not licensed in Washington who wants to practice psychology in the state “for a period not to exceed ninety days within a calendar year” must petition the Examining Board of Psychology for a temporary permit. (wa-law.org)
• The permit is:
  • Issued under RCW 18.83.082, and
  • Valid for no more than 90 days within one calendar year from the date it is issued. (regulations.justia.com)
• There is no fee for the temporary permit. (doh.wa.gov)

The Examining Board of Psychology, working with the Department of Health, is the body that reviews these applications and determines whether another state’s standards are “equivalent” to Washington’s. (doh.wa.gov)

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2. Washington’s Supervised‑Experience Standards (Hours and Types)

To understand what “equivalent” means, it helps to know Washington’s own supervised‑experience requirements for a full psychologist license. These are the standards your existing license is being compared to.

Total supervised‑experience hours

The Department of Health’s licensing requirements page states that psychologist applicants must verify a total of 3,300 hours of supervision. (doh.wa.gov)

That 3,300 hours is made up of:

1. Practicum (during the doctoral program)
2. Internship (during the doctoral program)
3. Postdoctoral supervised experience, if needed to reach the 3,300‑hour total.

2.1 Practicum hours and hour types

Washington’s rule on practicum (WAC 246‑924‑052) defines both the quantity and the types of hours:

• Minimum total practicum hours:
  • A practicum “must include a minimum of 300 hours but can include up to 1,800 hours of supervised experience.” (app.leg.wa.gov)
• As of July 1, 2025 (the version now in effect), the doctoral program must include:
  • A cumulative practicum of at least nine months, and
  • A minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience. (app.leg.wa.gov)

Within those supervised hours, the board’s rule specifies how they must be distributed:

• At least 25% of hours must be in “direct client contact,” providing assessment and intervention services.
• At least 5% of hours must be “regularly scheduled, formal, individual supervision.”
• At least 35% of hours must be “other learning activities” (e.g., conferences, seminars, cotherapy with discussion, group supervision), including group supervision that addresses the supervisee’s direct services.
• The remaining 35% can be any combination of the above categories. (app.leg.wa.gov)

In other words, the practicum hours are explicitly broken down into:

• Direct client contact;
• Individual supervision;
• Other structured learning activities.

2.2 Internship hours

The internship requirements are in WAC 246‑924‑056 and summarized by DOH:

• The internship must include at least 1,500 hours of supervised experience. (app.leg.wa.gov)
• It must be completed within 12–24 months (9–24 months for school psychologists). (app.leg.wa.gov)
• The internship program must be:
  • Accredited by APA or CPA,
  • Or a member of APPIC,
  • Or meet Washington’s alternative‑internship criteria. (app.leg.wa.gov)

The internship hours are not subdivided into “direct” vs “indirect” on the DOH summary page, but are treated as supervised experience hours that must meet those program standards.

2.3 Postdoctoral supervised experience

Washington allows up to 1,500 hours of supervised postdoctoral experience if the applicant does not already have 3,300 supervised hours by the time the doctoral degree is conferred. (doh.wa.gov)

WAC 246‑924‑059, on postdoctoral supervised experience, establishes that:

• If 3,000 (previously) or, under the newer DOH standard, 3,300 hours have not been completed by degree conferral, you may use up to 1,500 postdoctoral hours to satisfy the total supervised‑experience requirement. (regulations.justia.com)
• Supervision must include at least 1 hour of individual supervision for every 20 hours of psychological work, and the supervisor and supervisee must keep records of both experience and supervision hours. (regulations.justia.com)

Again, the rule talks in terms of “supervised experience” and “psychological work,” with explicit supervision ratios, but it does not re‑divide postdoc hours into direct vs indirect the same way the practicum rule does.

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3. Who Qualifies for the Temporary Practice Permit

For the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit, the board does not ask you to re‑earn Washington‑specific hours. Instead, it checks whether:

• Your existing license comes from a jurisdiction that is substantially equivalent to Washington, or
• You individually meet Washington’s education and internship benchmarks, or
• You hold one of several recognized national credentials.

The Department of Health summarizes eligibility as follows for temporary permits under RCW 18.83.082 and WAC 246‑924‑480: (doh.wa.gov)

A temporary permit is available only to people who:

1. Are licensed in a “substantially equivalent” state,
   or
2. Can demonstrate proof of:
   • Graduation from an APA‑ or CPA‑accredited doctoral program, and
   • Successful completion of an APA, CPA, or APPIC internship, as described in WAC 246‑924‑480(2),
     or
3. Are a member of an approved professional organization listed in WAC 246‑924‑100(3), such as:
   • Health service psychologist credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists;
   • Diplomate of the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology;
   • Holder of the ASPPB Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ);
   • Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology. (doh.wa.gov)

WAC 246‑924‑480 adds that if the board finds another state’s licensing requirements are not equivalent because a requirement is omitted or deficient, the applicant is not eligible for the temporary permit unless they personally demonstrate:

• Graduation from an APA, CPA, or PCSAS accredited doctoral program, and
• Successful completion of an APA, APPIC, or CPA‑approved internship. (regulations.justia.com)

This is how clinical hours matter for the temporary permit: the board is looking at whether your underlying training and supervised experience match Washington’s standards—either through your home state’s licensure rules or through your individual doctoral program and internship credentials.

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4. How Hours Function Specifically for the Temporary Permit

For the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit itself:

• Washington does not set a fresh numerical hour requirement (e.g., “you must log 1,500 direct hours in Washington”).
• Instead, the Examining Board of Psychology checks that you already meet Washington‑equivalent education and supervised‑experience requirements via your existing license or credentials.

In practice, that means:

1. If you are licensed in a “substantially equivalent” state

   • Washington has already evaluated that state’s licensure standards and decided they are comparable to Washington’s requirements (including supervised‑experience expectations like the 3,300 hours and the practicum/internship structure). (doh.wa.gov)
   • You generally are not asked to re‑document every individual hour for the temporary permit, though the board can request evidence of your original state’s requirements.

2. If your state is not deemed equivalent

   • You must show your own doctoral and internship training match the accredited pathways Washington recognizes (APA/CPA/PCSAS doctoral program plus APA/CPA/APPIC internship). (regulations.justia.com)
   • Those pathways implicitly reflect supervised‑experience standards at least as rigorous as Washington’s 3,300‑hour framework.

3. Documentation of your original state’s requirements

   • The temporary‑permit application instructions require you to list all jurisdictions where you hold or have held credentials, and to “provide documentation showing the licensure requirements at the time you were issued your credential.” (doh.wa.gov)
   • That documentation allows the board to compare your prior licensing standards to Washington’s (including supervised‑experience hours and hour types).

So, while the permit does not specify “X hours of direct client contact and Y hours of supervision” to be done in Washington, it is anchored to Washington’s own licensure model:

• 3,300 total supervised hours (practicum + internship + postdoc as needed),
• Practicum that includes at least 25% direct client contact plus specified percentages of supervision and other learning activities,
• An internship of at least 1,500 supervised hours, and
• Supervision intensity and ratios spelled out for any postdoctoral hours. (doh.wa.gov)

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5. Step‑by‑Step: Applying for the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit

Step 1 – Confirm that you qualify

Before you apply, check:

• Whether your licensing state appears on Washington’s “Substantially Equivalent States/Countries” list for psychologists (this list is maintained on the DOH site and is used for temporary permits under RCW 18.83.082 and WAC 246‑924‑480). (doh.wa.gov)
• If your state is not listed, determine whether you personally:
  • Graduated from an APA/CPA/PCSAS‑accredited doctoral program, and
  • Completed an APA/CPA/APPIC internship or an internship that otherwise meets Washington’s criteria. (regulations.justia.com)
• Alternatively, confirm whether you hold one of the qualifying national credentials (e.g., ABPP diplomate, CPQ, National Register health service psychologist). (doh.wa.gov)

Step 2 – Obtain and complete the application packet

Use the “Psychologist Temporary Permit Application” (DOH 668‑085/087), available from the Department of Health’s psychologist licensing page. (doh.wa.gov)

The packet includes:

• An application instructions checklist;
• The temporary permit application form;
• A license verification form (DOH 668‑088) for your current licensing state(s);
• Links to relevant RCW/WAC provisions.

You must complete demographic information, answer personal‑data questions related to fitness to practice, and sign the applicant attestation.

Step 3 – Arrange license verification from your current jurisdiction(s)

The application requires you to:

• List all jurisdictions, including Washington if applicable, where you hold or have held any credential, including temporary or reciprocity licenses. (doh.wa.gov)
• Have your out‑of‑state board(s) complete and send the license verification form directly to Washington’s Examining Board of Psychology. (doh.wa.gov)

You must also provide documentation of the licensure requirements in the state where you were originally licensed, so the Washington board can assess equivalence.

Step 4 – Submit your application to the Department of Health

The packet specifies DOH mailing addresses for:

• Your completed application, and
• Any supporting documents sent separately. (doh.wa.gov)

Although DOH offers online application services for many credentials, temporary‑permit applicants are currently directed to use the paper application for this permit. (doh.wa.gov)

Step 5 – Undergo background checks if required

Washington law authorizes DOH to obtain fingerprint‑based background checks with the Washington State Patrol and the FBI. This may be required if you have lived in another state or have a Washington criminal record, and it is at your own expense. (doh.wa.gov)

Step 6 – Wait for board review and permit issuance

Once the credentialing staff confirm your application is complete, the Examining Board of Psychology reviews it for compliance with RCW 18.83 and chapter 246‑924 WAC. (doh.wa.gov)

If approved:

• The temporary practice permit is issued for a period of practice not exceeding 90 days within the calendar year from the date of issuance. (wa-law.org)
• There is no fee for this credential. (doh.wa.gov)

If denied, you will receive formal notice and have the right to request a hearing.

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6. Using the Temporary Practice Permit

While holding the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit, you must:

• Practice within the 90‑day limit in that calendar year;
• Comply with Washington’s Uniform Disciplinary Act and all applicable psychology practice standards in chapter 18.83 RCW and chapter 246‑924 WAC; (doh.wa.gov)
• Accurately represent your Washington credential status (temporary permit, not full license).

The DOH’s guidance clarifies that the permit is not renewable in the same year, but you may apply for a new 90‑day permit in a subsequent calendar year, again using the paper application. (content.govdelivery.com)

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Summary of Hour‑Related Takeaways

• Washington’s benchmark for equivalence is:

  • 3,300 supervised‑experience hours, consisting of:
    • Practicum: at least 300 hours with specific distributions (≥25% direct client contact, ≥5% individual supervision, ≥35% other structured learning activities). (app.leg.wa.gov)
    • Internship: at least 1,500 hours of supervised experience in an APA/CPA/APPIC or otherwise board‑approved internship. (app.leg.wa.gov)
    • Up to 1,500 postdoctoral hours (if needed) with defined supervision ratios (≥1 hour individual supervision per 20 hours of work). (regulations.justia.com)

• For the Psychologist Temporary Practice Permit, you do not earn new hours in Washington to qualify. Instead, you show that your existing license or credentials rest on supervised‑experience and training standards that meet or exceed those Washington benchmarks, either through a substantially equivalent state license, specific accredited education/internship, or recognized national credentials. (doh.wa.gov)