How to Verify a Clinical Psychologist's License

Psychology license types

Psychology licensing typically follows this structure:

• Licensed Psychologist / Licensed Clinical Psychologist: Doctoral-level license (PhD or PsyD) authorizing independent practice, assessment, and diagnosis. Title varies by state.
• Licensed Psychological Associate / Specialist: Master's-level psychology license in some states. Scope is more limited than the doctoral license.
• School Psychologist credential: Separate credential issued by state education departments for school-based psychological services — distinct from the clinical license.

Confirm which license type the candidate holds and whether it matches your role requirements. A master's-level associate license has significantly different practice scope than a doctoral psychologist license.

Step 1: State board of psychology

Every state has a board of psychology (sometimes called board of examiners in psychology, board of psychological examiners, or similar). All maintain free public license lookup tools.

A license lookup confirms: license status (Active/Inactive/Expired/Suspended), license number, license type, expiration date, and any publicly listed disciplinary actions.

Step 2: ASPPB credentials and CPQ

The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) maintains the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) exam records and issues the Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ), a credential recognized by most U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions for endorsement licensure.

The ASPPB Credentials Bank (asppb.net) stores a psychologist's verified credentials — education, supervised experience, examination scores, and licensure history — for sharing across jurisdictions. If a psychologist holds a CPQ or an ASPPB Credentials Bank record, they can share it as a verification document.

ASPPB does not maintain a public name search — the psychologist must provide their ASPPB record or CPQ information.

Step 3: NPI registry

Psychologists providing clinical services in healthcare settings typically hold an NPI (National Provider Identifier). The NPI registry (nppes.cms.hhs.gov) is publicly searchable and returns the psychologist's provider information, taxonomy code (which indicates specialty), and practice address.

An NPI alone is not a license verification — it confirms the psychologist is registered as a healthcare provider, not that their license is current. Always verify with the state board.

Step 4: OIG exclusion check

For psychologists in Medicare/Medicaid-funded settings (community mental health, hospitals, federally qualified health centers), search the HHS OIG exclusion list at oig.hhs.gov/exclusions. An excluded psychologist cannot be employed at any facility receiving federal healthcare funding.

ABPP specialty certifications

The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) offers specialty board certifications in areas including clinical psychology, neuropsychology, forensic psychology, child/adolescent psychology, and others.

ABPP certification is voluntary and separate from state licensure. Verify ABPP board certification at abpp.org/find-a-board-certified-psychologist. ABPP certification is a meaningful signal of demonstrated specialty expertise.