How to Verify a Speech-Language Pathologist's License

Quick answer

Verify through the state SLP licensing board — most states license SLPs through a health professions or communication disorders board. For clinical settings, also verify ASHA CCC-SLP certification at asha.org/ProFind (the national Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology). School-based SLPs may need a separate education department credential in addition to or instead of the state health license.

SLP license types

SLP credentialing differs by practice setting:

State health license: Required for clinical practice in hospitals, clinics, private practice, and home health. Issued by state health professions boards.
ASHA CCC-SLP: National voluntary certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Widely required by clinical employers and Medicare billing.
State education credential: For school-based SLPs — issued by the state department of education (not the health licensing board). Requirements and process differ from the clinical license.

Many SLPs hold both the state health license and the ASHA CCC-SLP. For school positions, confirm whether the role requires the state education credential, the health license, or both.

Step 1: State SLP licensing board

Find the state licensing board for speech-language pathology by searching "[state] speech-language pathology license lookup." State boards vary in name — some are standalone boards; others are under a department of health professions or board of examiners for speech-language pathology and audiology.

Key state SLP board portals

California: CA Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Board — speechandhearing.ca.gov
Texas: TX Dept. of Licensing and Regulation (SLP) — tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch
Florida: FL DBPR — myfloridalicense.com
New York: NYS Office of the Professions — op.nysed.gov/verification
All states: ASHA state licensure directory — asha.org/practice/licensure

Step 2: ASHA CCC-SLP verification

The ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) is a nationally recognized credential requiring:

A master's or doctoral degree from a CAA-accredited program
Passing the Praxis II exam in Speech-Language Pathology
Completion of a supervised clinical fellowship year (CFY)
Ongoing continuing education for renewal (30 hours per 3-year cycle)

Verify CCC-SLP status using the ASHA ProFind directory at asha.org/ProFind. Search by name to confirm certification status and specialty areas. Medicare and most major insurers require ASHA CCC-SLP for reimbursement of SLP services.

NPI registry and OIG exclusion

For SLPs in clinical settings billing Medicare or Medicaid:

NPI registry (nppes.cms.hhs.gov): Confirm provider registration with taxonomy code for SLP. Medicare requires CCC-SLP for direct billing.
OIG LEIE (oig.hhs.gov/exclusions): An excluded SLP cannot be employed or bill Medicare/Medicaid. Search at hire and periodically thereafter.

School-based SLP verification

School-based SLPs working with students under IDEA require a state education credential (not just the health license). Verify the education credential through the state department of education using the NASDTEC Educator Information Clearinghouse (EIC) at nasdtec.net, which aggregates educator credential records from participating states.

Some states issue a separate "school SLP" certification; others require the same clinical license plus a teaching certificate or endorsement. Verify which credential the state requires for the specific school-based role.

Verify SLP graduate program accreditation

ASHA CCC-SLP certification requires a degree from a CAA (Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology) accredited program. Use VerifyED to confirm that a claimed master's or doctoral degree in communication disorders comes from a legitimate, accredited institution.

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