Part V. Licensure Renewal; Reinstatement
18VAC125-20-120. Annual renewal of licensure.
Every license issued by the board shall expire each year on June 30.
1. Every licensee who intends to continue to practice shall, on or before the expiration date of the license, submit to the board a license renewal form supplied by the board and the renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30.
2. Licensees who wish to maintain an active license shall pay the appropriate fee and verify on the renewal form compliance with the continuing education requirements prescribed in 18VAC125-20-121. First-time licensees by examination are not required to verify continuing education on the first renewal date following initial licensure.
3. A licensee who wishes to place his license in inactive status may do so upon payment of the fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30. A person with an inactive license is not authorized to practice; no person shall practice psychology in Virginia without a current active license. An inactive licensee may activate a license by fulfilling the reactivation requirements set forth in 18VAC125-20-130.
4. Failure of a licensee to receive a renewal notice and application forms from the board shall not excuse the licensee from the renewal requirement.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3605 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR565-01-2 § 5.1, eff. June 22, 1988; amended, Virginia Register Volume 7, Issue 10, eff. March 13, 1991; Volume 9, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1994; Volume 13, Issue 21, eff. August 6, 1997; Volume 16, Issue 2, eff. November 10, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. June 20, 2001; Volume 19, Issue 10, eff. February 26, 2003; Volume 25, Issue 17, eff. July 1, 2009; Volume 26, Issue 4, eff. November 25, 2009; Volume 28, Issue 19, eff. June 20, 2012; Volume 37, Issue 20, eff. June 23, 2021.
18VAC125-20-121. Continuing education course requirements for renewal of an active license.
A. Licensees shall be required to complete a minimum of 14 hours of board-approved continuing education courses each year for annual licensure renewal. A minimum of 1.5 of these hours shall be in courses that emphasize the ethics, laws, and regulations governing the profession of psychology, including the standards of practice set out in 18VAC125-20-150. A licensee who completes continuing education hours in excess of the 14 hours may carry up to seven hours of continuing education credit forward to meet the requirements for the next annual renewal cycle.
B. For the purpose of this section, "course" means an organized program of study, classroom experience, or similar educational experience that is directly related to the practice of psychology and is provided by a board-approved provider that meets the criteria specified in 18VAC125-20-122.
1. At least six of the required hours shall be earned in face-to-face or real-time interactive educational experiences. Real-time interactive shall include a course in which the learner has the opportunity to interact with the presenter during the time of the presentation.
2. The board may approve up to four hours per renewal cycle for each of the following specific educational experiences:
a. Preparation for and presentation of a continuing education program, seminar, workshop, or academic course offered by an approved provider and directly related to the practice of psychology. Hours may only be credited one time, regardless of the number of times the presentation is given, and may not be credited toward the face-to-face requirement.
b. Publication of an article or book in a recognized publication directly related to the practice of psychology. Hours may only be credited one time, regardless of the number of times the writing is published, and may not be credited toward the face-to-face requirement.
c. Serving at least six months as editor or associate editor of a national or international, professional, peer-reviewed journal directly related to the practice of psychology.
3. Ten hours will be accepted for one or more three-credit-hour academic courses completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education that are directly related to the practice of psychology.
4. The board may approve up to two hours per renewal cycle for membership on a state licensing board in psychology.
C. Courses must be directly related to the scope of practice in the category of licensure held. Continuing education courses for clinical psychologists shall emphasize, but not be limited to, the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with moderate and severe mental disorders.
D. The board may grant an extension for good cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing education requirements upon written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date. Such extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing education requirement.
E. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing education requirements for one renewal cycle due to circumstances determined by the board to be beyond the control of the licensee.
F. Up to two of the 14 continuing education hours required for renewal may be satisfied through delivery of psychological services, without compensation, to low-income individuals receiving mental health services through a local health department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of those health services as verified by the department or clinic. Three hours of volunteer service is required for one hour of continuing education credit.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3605 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. June 20, 2001; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 10, eff. February 26, 2003; Volume 25, Issue 24, eff. September 2, 2009; Volume 31, Issue 20, eff. July 16, 2015; Volume 32, Issue 2, eff. October 21, 2015; Volume 33, Issue 11, eff. March 9, 2017; Volume 37, Issue 20, eff. June 23, 2021.
18VAC125-20-122. Continuing education providers.
A. The following organizations, associations, or institutions are approved by the board to provide continuing education:
1. Any psychological association recognized by the profession or providers approved by such an association.
2. Any association or organization of mental health, health, or psychoeducational providers recognized by the profession or providers approved by such an association or organization.
3. Any regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
4. Any governmental agency or facility that offers mental health, health, or psychoeducational services.
5. Any licensed hospital or facility that offers mental health, health, or psychoeducational services.
6. Any association or organization that has been approved as a continuing education provider by a psychology board in another state or jurisdiction.
B. Continuing education providers approved under subsection A of this section shall:
1. Maintain documentation of the course titles and objectives and of licensee attendance and completion of courses for a period of four years.
2. Monitor attendance at classroom or similar face-to-face educational experiences.
3. Provide a certificate of completion for licensees who successfully complete a course. The certificate shall indicate the number of continuing education hours for the course and shall indicate hours that may be designated as ethics, laws, or regulations governing the profession, if any.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3605 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. June 20, 2001; amended, Virginia Register Volume 25, Issue 24, eff. September 2, 2009; Volume 37, Issue 20, eff. June 23, 2021.
18VAC125-20-123. Documenting compliance with continuing education requirements.
A. All licensees in active status are required to maintain original documentation for a period of four years.
B. After the end of each renewal period, the board may conduct a random audit of licensees to verify compliance with the requirement for that renewal period.
C. Upon request, a licensee shall provide documentation as follows:
1. Official transcripts showing credit hours earned from an accredited institution; or
2. Certificates of completion from approved providers.
D. Compliance with continuing education requirements, including the maintenance of records and the relevance of the courses to the category of licensure, is the responsibility of the licensee. The board may request additional information if such compliance is not clear from the transcripts or certificates.
E. Continuing education hours required by disciplinary order shall not be used to satisfy renewal requirements.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3606.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. June 20, 2001.
18VAC125-20-130. Late renewal; reinstatement; reactivation.
A. A person whose license has expired may renew it within one year after its expiration date by paying the late fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30 and the license renewal fee for the year the license was not renewed and by completing the continuing education requirements specified in 18VAC125-20-121 for that year.
B. A person whose license has not been renewed for one year or more and who wishes to resume practice shall:
1. Present evidence to the board of having met all applicable continuing education requirements equal to the number of years the license has been expired, not to exceed four years;
2. Pay the reinstatement fee as prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30; and
3. Submit verification of any professional certification or licensure obtained in any other jurisdiction subsequent to the initial application for licensure.
C. A psychologist wishing to reactivate an inactive license shall submit the renewal fee for active licensure minus any fee already paid for inactive licensure renewal and document completion of continued education hours equal to the number of years the license has been inactive, not to exceed four years.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3605 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR565-01-2 § 5.2, eff. June 22, 1988; amended, Virginia Register Volume 7, Issue 10, eff. March 13, 1991; Volume 9, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1994; Volume 13, Issue 21, eff. August 6, 1997; Volume 16, Issue 2, eff. November 10, 1999; Volume 16, Issue 13, eff. April 12, 2000; Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. June 20, 2001; Volume 19, Issue 10, eff. February 26, 2003; Volume 37, Issue 20, eff. June 23, 2021.
18VAC125-20-140. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR565-01-2 § 6.1, eff. June 22, 1988; amended, Virginia Register Volume 7, Issue 10, eff. March 13, 1991; Volume 9, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 7, eff. January 27, 1994; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 2, eff. November 10, 1999.